7 Tips on What to Wear to a Baby Shower as a Guest

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In my experience, attending a baby shower can make you feel as if you have been teleported to an alternate universe where nothing is as it seems. Instead of the usual tasteful and elegant dresses that are standard in the adult world, a sea of pastel fabrics and tulle will be flowing toward you. The food table might have miniature versions of common baby food—asparagus puree, anyone?—and not a single glass of wine will be in sight. I’ve been to more than my fair share of baby showers over the years, so I’ve learned what works when it comes to dressing appropriately for this very different occasion. Here are some tips on what to wear—and how not to get confused with the shower games.

• Bring a gift for the baby. This is really important, because babies need stuff. If you don’t have any idea of what to get, pick up a copy of the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting ; it has tons of information on raising kids and will be helpful to both you and the parents-to-be.
• Wear something that doesn’t cost too much money, but isn’t gross or uncomfortable. (Don’t wear sweatpants.)
• Don’t say anything inappropriate at the shower—so no jokes about potty training or circumcision (maybe just don’t talk at all).
• Be prepared for an onslaught of cute baby pictures and videos if you have a camera with you; if not, maybe bring along your tablet so it’s easy for people to pass around pictures of their family members’ tiny progeny during lulls in conversation.
• Keep it positive and avoid complaining about your current state of childlessness; remember that this person might be going through one or more tough pregnancies before she even has this child!(By the way, we may not know how long this person is pregnant . . . )6. Offer support without being pushy about advice—remember that this person just wants to celebrate her pregnancy with friends!

Pay attention to the invitation.

Think about it from the guest’s perspective, and picture what you might do in their shoes. It’ll be easier for you to grasp the parameters of whether you should go or not, and if you’re there, what clothes are appropriate to wear. The invitee will appreciate your attention to detail—and so will the shower attendee!

Consider the time of day.

Whether you’re a family member or friend, one of the best ways to show your support during the pregnancy is to attend the shower—and there are many different kinds to choose from. Your goal as a guest is to find an outfit that’s both comfortable and appropriate, given who will be attending and where it will be held.

How can you achieve this? Here are some tips:

• Find out if it will be in the morning or afternoon. If you know what time of day it will occur, you’ll have a better idea of what styles work best for that time of year. For example, in summertime when it’s hot outside and people generally dress more casually, you might want to wear something more casual than if the baby shower were happening in autumn when everyone might be dressed up for fall weather.
• Think about whether it will be held indoors or outdoors. This factor also depends on the season; if it’s winter and inside then you’d want jackets and boots whereas summertime calls for sandals, nice tops with jeans, dresses, etc. It would also depend on how formal or informal the baby shower is–an afternoon tea party at a restaurant would call for a dress while baking cookies at home might mean comfy jeans or shorts with t-shirt/tee shirt/etc.

Remember that the focus is on the mom-to-be.

Guests at a baby shower are typically there to celebrate and shower gifts on the mother-to-be. The general rule of thumb is that you should wear something that draws less attention to you and more attention to the host, but if you want to get a little edgier, or want to make sure your presence is known, follow these tips:

As long as it’s not too revealing (there’s no shame in playing it safe), the sky is really the limit when it comes to what you can wear. If you’re feeling very daring, use this as an opportunity to embrace your sartorial personality and put your own spin on things. Just remember that a baby shower is about the mother-to-be and her new child, so always ask yourself whether what you’re wearing will draw any attention away from them. If it does, leave it at home—you can dress up another day!

Realize this isn’t a wedding.

Your hosts have invited you to a baby shower, and it’s your first one. You’ve been to wedding showers before, but this one is different. What do you wear? What should you say? You’re not sure what’s appropriate for a baby shower. Don’t panic—here are some tips on what to wear to a baby shower when you’re the guest:

What NOT to wear:

Wear formal attire if it’s a wedding—it’s more likely that people will be dressed up (or down) at a child’s birthday party than they will be at a wedding. If you’re confused about whether or not the event is fancy or casual, check out the invitation and ask around before deciding what to wear.

The mother-to-be has already gone through labor, so saying things like “I’m so excited!” or “How far along are you?!” is also likely unnecessary (if not slightly awkward). Be polite and don’t bring gifts other than maybe flowers if there’s anything left over from the bridal shower. Most importantly, though, just relax and enjoy yourself.

Look for outfit inspiration online and in magazines.

If you’re not sure what to wear for a baby shower, don’t worry. They’re typically casual affairs, so it’s perfectly acceptable to show up on your own and jump right in with an outfit that you knew would work.

As long as you’ve got something comfortable, some stylish details can make the difference between looking slightly sloppy or chic—and if you’re going to a baby shower anyway, those are the aesthetics that you want to emulate. To get a little better acquainted with what others have been wearing to these events, we’d encourage you to seek out fashion magazines (like Glamour or Elle), style blogs (like Stylecaster), and social media accounts of celebrities and models. You’ll find plenty of stylish pictures there of what people have worn throughout the years—and look at their outfits! What’s even more fun is having a bit of fun with it yourself! For example: many women like to include one-person ‘princess’ dresses for these occasions—even if they haven’t given birth yet! And if that’s not your style, there are lots of other options! Try dressing up in one-piece jumpsuits for a whimsical touch; dress even less formally by pairing a big sashay skirt with an oversized turtleneck sweater; create an elegant entrance by appearing in an elegant romper from Baby Gap; or simply play it safe and go with classic cocktail dresses.

Be yourself.

As the guest of honor, you’ll probably be in your room while others are gathered downstairs. That’s where your outfit comes in. Don’t feel like you have to go full-on fancy with a gown and tiara to wear that one special dress you have stored away in the back of your closet just for this occasion. You don’t want to be weighed down trying to make an appearance—remember, you’re a guest, so let them shine! Keep everything simple with just a little color, and don’t spend too much time stressing over what to wear.

If you absolutely have to pick something out right now, here’s our advice on choosing the perfect baby shower outfit:

• infant or toddler? If it’s for an infant or toddler and there are different sets of clothing that come from their gender (boy vs. girl), go with whatever is appropriate for their actual gender . If it’s still hard to guess which set of clothing is appropriate from looking at them, err on the side of safety (and common sense) by wearing clothes that aren’t tight fitting . Knowing that they’ll grow into more casual clothing later can help ease some anxiety about what will fit once they’re bigger.
• style should work well with personalities . When picking out outfits at home, many women tend toward flowing dresses during pregnancy because they love how flowy they feel but once the baby arrives some women find themselves less comfortable in their dresses because even though they’re cute now they look too loose and frumpy after 18 months stuck inside their own bodies while parents who prefer tighter styles often continue wearing them long after babies arrive since it makes getting dressed quicker and easier. So remember when shopping for clothes as a guest: if you enjoy yourself when wearing it now , chances are good that other people will do too as well even if they didn’t know you beforehand!
• casual or suit? Again, whether you plan on hosting this event yourself or attending someone else’s event we think anything goes

Arrive at the event well put together, stylish, and respectful of the nature of the occasion.

Dressing for baby showers can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not the one throwing the shower. However, putting in effort and being considerate of your surroundings will make you feel better about yourself, as well as making sure that no one feels uncomfortable about what to wear.

Even if it’s not clear what kind of weather is expected or appropriate based on where you are, dress appropriately for the season. Whether it’s summer or fall, a baby should always be dressed warmly in light layers that can be easily removed when necessary.

Dress appropriately for the occasion: whether a winter baby shower or a summer event. For most events, dress is relaxed and comfortable so that people are feel at ease when they’re greeting friends and new acquaintances having an informal get-together. For example, rather than wearing an oversized shirt with your jeans and sneakers to a winter shower (like I did), opt for something more elegant like cotton pants with layers underneath. A casual top paired with smart shoes also helps you look put together even when there are no guests around.

When I was invited to a co-worker’s baby shower, I was thrilled, but also had one concern: what should I wear? For those of us who haven’t given birth, it can be difficult to know what is and isn’t appropriate. It can be equally difficult for those who have given birth, but who may not have the experience of attending a baby shower. I reached out to some friends for their advice and put together this list of items that you should and should not wear to a baby shower (be sure to check out all their great recommendations).

• Don’t wear pajamas or anything too revealing.
• Don’t wear clothes with political slogans on them.
• Don’t wear headphones or talk loudly on your cell phone.
• Don’t make fun of anyone’s body at the shower (remember you are in public).
• Do ask if there are any rules about gifts (some people don’t want monetary gifts).
• Do bring a small gift for the mom-to-be (a nice bottle of wine is always appreciated)

Conclusion

Well, this is the moment you have all been waiting for. Congratulations on your pregnancy! You have been through a lot of changes in the past six months, and now that you are past the first trimester things are only going to get better.

So what do you wear to a baby shower? Maybe it’s time for an update on some of your wardrobe basics so that you feel ready for whatever comes next. If you want to make a good first impression, then don’t skimp when it comes to your clothes.

First of all, if possible, buy clothes from places that specialize in maternity clothing. This will help with two things: one is making sure there are no surprises (such as hemming problems), and two is making sure that the quality of everything is good (the cost will be roughly the same but there’s no need to worry about too-small sizes or incorrectly-hemmed sleeves). The second item to keep in mind when buying clothes is whether they make matching outfits or not: while this isn’t a problem during pregnancy (especially if there’s some way to hide your belly if you’re trying not to show), it could become problematic after giving birth. Make sure whatever you buy will fit well and won’t leave any room where it might creep up again, especially if breastfeeding was a factor beforehand.