Chinos with a button-down or a polo, as a manA gift registry site’s answer for a co-ed shower. Dark jeans work too.
Dressy casual outfit, as a guestA gift registry site’s default: smarter than everyday clothes, well short of wedding dress.
Flats or low block heels, as the mom-to-beA maternity dress rental company and a gift registry site both put these with the dress.
Floral midi dress, as a guestFirst of a gift registry site’s three examples of dressy casual for a shower.
Midi or maxi maternity dress, as the mom-to-beThe safest choice for most showers, a maternity dress rental company says, in a soft fabric.
Nice top with tailored pants, as a guestThe second of a gift registry site’s three examples of dressy casual.
One step dressier than you guess, if unsureAn event planner’s rule in a pregnancy site’s guide: better overdressed than underdressed.
Wrap dress, as the mom-to-beIt ties above the bump, a stylist notes. A registry site likes that it adjusts as you grow.
For the mom-to-be: dresses 12
Bump-friendly dress that is not maternity wearA stylist encourages it. A rental company says to try it on in the week of the shower.
Dress in a fabric with a little stretchA stylist tells mothers-to-be that a little stretch makes a dress easier to wear.
Dress in cotton or a cotton blendA stylist advises against fully synthetic fabric, and the guide that quotes her suggests cotton.
Dress in the colors of the shower’s themeIn the same family rather than identical, a maternity dress rental company says.
Dress in white, cream or a pastelBy tradition the guest of honor’s colors, a gift registry site says. None is required.
Dress in your own style, florals or notIf you are not a floral person you need not become one for the day, a stylist says.
Dress with flutter or short sleevesSleeves you can move in, a maternity dress rental company says. It calls strapless a gamble.
Dress with ruching over the bumpRuching puts fabric where it is needed and keeps the hem where it was, a stylist explains.
Empire-waist dressA pregnancy site’s guide picks it because it gives shape and still leaves room to move.
Hem at the knee or longerMidi, tea-length and maxi photograph best, a maternity dress rental company says.
Smocked-bodice midi dressYou will sit, hug and unwrap gifts, a maternity dress rental company says, so pick one stretchy part.
Tiered maxi dressOn a gift registry site’s list of shapes that are still comfortable in the third hour.
For the mom-to-be: trousers, layers and shoes 8
Backup outfit on a hangerHave a second dress hanging beside the first, a maternity dress rental company says.
Blazer worn open over the dressJackets work well in pregnancy, a stylist says, worn open and over the shoulders.
Maternity jeans with a special blouseA dress is not required, a maternity clothing company tells mothers-to-be.
Maternity leggings with a tunic topAnother outfit without a dress that a maternity clothing company suggests for your own shower.
Shoes you have already worn for a whole dayA maternity dress rental company’s rule. It rules out new heels that are not broken in.
Wide-leg maternity jumpsuitA maternity dress rental company’s answer for anyone who never feels herself in a dress.
Wide-leg maternity trousers with a flowy blouseA maternity clothing company’s pick for anyone who prefers pants.
Wrap or shawl, with thin strapsA maternity dress rental company keeps one nearby when the dress has thin straps.
For the mom-to-be, by where the shower is 7
Dark dress with some shine, for an evening showerFor a night shower a maternity dress rental company suggests a darker color and some texture.
Floral smocked midi, for a restaurant brunch or teaFeminine, not formal, a maternity dress rental company says, with flats or low heels.
Flowing maxi with a smocked top, for the photosWhat a maternity dress rental company tells customers to rent when the pictures matter most.
Navy or linen jumpsuit, for a co-ed showerA maternity dress rental company finds it more modern than a shower dress for a mixed crowd.
Off-the-shoulder maxi that breathes, for a gardenA maternity dress rental company adds white sneakers or sandals with a block heel.
Pastel A-line dress, for a soft, classic themeA maternity dress rental company’s choice for a shower done in pastels.
Ribbed knit midi, for a shower at homePulled together without outdressing your guests, a maternity dress rental company says.
For a guest, by the invitation 11
Cocktail dress, for a private dining room or rooftopA dress maker’s semi-formal pick, as long as it is not too short or too shiny.
Color the invitation asks forA host may name a color scheme or request pastels, a gift registry site notes. Read all of the card.
Dress or skirt with a blouse, for a fancier showerA safe bet when the event is formal, a pregnancy site’s guest guide says.
Dress pants with heels, for a fancier showerFor guests who prefer pants, a pregnancy site’s guide picks these over jeans or leggings.
Dressier outfit, for a mailed, lettered invitationA mailed card with calligraphy signals a more formal shower than an e-mail, an event planner says.
Jeans with a dressy top or blazer, at a home or parkMight be fine for a casual shower, a pregnancy site’s guest guide says.
Jumpsuit, for a café or a small venueA dress maker’s pick for a dressy casual shower when dresses are not your thing.
Midi skirt with a blazer, for a tea partyA gift registry site’s dressiest tier: an elegant lunch, not a cocktail hour.
Outfit matched to the venue’s photos onlineLook the place up, a pregnancy site and a registry site both say, or ask the host when you reply.
Subdued color, if the mom-to-be is wearing a bold oneSo her outfit stands out, a venue rental company says. Add color with an accessory.
Sundress or relaxed midi, for a backyard brunchA dress maker’s casual list also has rompers and wide-leg trousers with a pretty top.
For a guest, by season 9
Airy sundress in chiffon, linen or cotton, in summerLight fabric for the heat, a pregnancy site’s guide says, most of all outdoors.
Bright print or bold color, in summerDo not fear pattern and color, an event planner says. A shower is a celebration.
Denim or leather jacket over a dress, in cooler monthsAn event planner’s own way to layer, quoted in a pregnancy site’s guest guide.
Floral dress in a cheerful color, in springA given for a spring shower, a pregnancy site’s guest guide says.
Knit dress or chunky sweater, in winterA dress maker trades flowy florals for knits, in cranberry, blue or deep green.
Outfit that works with or without its jacket, in fallPlan for a cardigan, a blazer or a light jacket that may come off, a pregnancy site’s guide says.
Plaid blazer over a turtleneck, in winterA venue rental company finishes it with blue jeans or black slacks.
Sweater dress with knee-high boots, in fallA pregnancy site’s pick for guests who would rather stay curled up in a sweater.
Velvet dress, for a winter or holiday showerA fabric of the season, a venue rental company says, in dark green or burgundy.
For men at a co-ed shower 5
Blazer over the shirt, at a restaurantA gift registry site adds one for a restaurant or any smarter venue.
Clean loafers or plain sneakersThe shoes a gift registry site puts with chinos or dark jeans.
Polo shirt with khakisHard to beat for dress-casual, a venue rental company says. Any solid polo goes with khaki.
Shorts with a nice polo, at a barbecueFair when the invitation says barbecue or backyard, a gift registry site says.
Sports coat with jeans and a button-down shirtA broken suit, a venue rental company calls it, for a shower of unknown dressiness. Tie optional.
For a shower on a video call 3
Light lipstick and blush, on a video callAn event planner’s answer to the dull cast of a screen. She skips heavy eyeliner.
Printed top or statement necklace, on a video callGuests are seen from the waist up, a pregnancy site’s guide notes, so dress the top half.
Top that stays flat when you sit, on a video callAn event planner says to check that it neither pulls nor gapes while you are seated.
Leave at home 10
No dress bought two days before, as the mom-to-beGet it two to three weeks ahead, a maternity dress rental company says, with time to swap.
No dress that clings, pinches or digsPass on it however beautiful, a stylist tells mothers-to-be.
No gown or sequinsWedding-guest formal feels as wrong as underdressed at a daytime party, a gift registry site says.
No graphic T-shirtA venue rental company, a dress maker and a gift registry site all call it too informal.
No gym clothesA gift registry site rules out hoodies, running shoes and leggings worn as pants. Photos are certain.
No heavy perfumeGo light or skip it around the guest of honor, a gift registry site asks.
No outfit you cannot sit or bend inShowers mean long sitting, games and gifts, a dress maker says. Skip stiff fabric and tight corsets.
No plunging neckline or sheer fabric, as a guestA gift registry site and a dress maker both put these on their lists of what to skip.
No sheer or very tight white, as the mom-to-beStressful in person, a maternity dress rental company says. A lining helps.
No stilettos on a lawnThey sink, a gift registry site and a dress maker agree. Wear wedges, block heels or flats.
How this list was compiled
The 73 things to wear or to leave at home, and the line under each, were written for this page on 2026-10-15; no list was copied. Each row follows one of seven published guides, read on 2026-10-15 and named in the row by what its publisher is: The Bump, a pregnancy and parenting site, What to wear to a baby shower, which quotes an event planner (https://www.thebump.com/a/what-to-wear-baby-shower, read in the Internet Archive’s copy of 3 October 2026), and its guide to baby shower dresses for moms-to-be, which quotes a stylist (https://www.thebump.com/a/baby-shower-dresses, the Internet Archive’s copy of 12 March 2026); Peerspace, a company that rents out event venues, 22 baby shower outfit ideas for every theme (https://www.peerspace.com/resources/baby-shower-outfit-ideas/); Wishwave, a wish list and gift registry site, What to wear to a baby shower: guest and mom outfit guide (https://www.wishwave.com/blog/what-to-wear-to-a-baby-shower); La Belle Bump, a company that rents maternity dresses, What to wear to your baby shower when you are the mom-to-be (https://labellebump.com/blogs/blog/what-to-wear-to-your-baby-shower-mom-to-be); Angel Maternity, a maternity clothing company, What to wear to your baby shower (https://angelmaternity.com/blogs/news/what-to-wear-to-your-baby-shower); Sherri Hill, a dress maker, What to wear to a baby shower as a guest (https://www.sherrihill.com/blogs/news/what-to-wear-to-a-baby-shower-as-a-guest). These are publishers’ and companies’ guides, not rules, and several of them sell or rent clothes: the hosts and the invitation decide, so ask the host when you are unsure. Where the guides disagree (white, black and jeans on a guest) the page gives each view in an answer and not in a row. Left out on purpose: brands, shops, prices, the guides’ product picks, and every line about body shape, skin tone or health. Licence: own work
How it works
What should I wear to a baby shower? As a guest, dressy casual: a midi dress or a nice top with tailored pants. As the mom-to-be, a midi or maxi dress and flat shoes. These 73 things follow seven guides.
Read the full guide
If the shower is yours: how dressed up to be
A gift registry site gives the guest of honor one rule: dress at your guests’ level or a little above it, because the one thing to avoid is looking far more casual than the guests who turned out for you. You will sit, hug and open gifts for two hours or more, and the photos get printed and framed, so it suggests sitting down in the outfit at home first: a dress that pulls open or creeps up there will do the same at the party. A maternity dress rental company adds a photo in the mirror, from the front and from the side, a few days ahead.
Wash or steam the outfit about a week ahead: a maternity dress rental company notes that wrinkles show in every photo.
Questions and answers
What should I wear to my baby shower?
Something you can sit in for a few hours. A maternity dress rental company’s formula is a midi or maxi maternity dress in a soft fabric with stretch through the bump, flats or low block heels, and one piece of jewelry.
Can you wear white to a baby shower?
As a guest, the guides differ. A gift registry site says yes, unless you know the mom-to-be is wearing white or cream. A dress maker calls an all-white outfit tricky unless the invitation asks for it, because many mothers-to-be choose white.
Can you wear jeans to a baby shower?
It depends on the shower. A gift registry site accepts dark jeans with a dressier top at a casual home shower, and a venue rental company pairs jeans with a collared shirt or a blouse. A dress maker calls jeans generally too casual.
Can you wear black to a baby shower?
Yes, with care. A gift registry site says black is fine, most of all in fall and winter, if a print, a texture or bright accessories lift it. A dress maker finds head-to-toe black heavy for a daytime party.