What to Wear To A Baby Shower as a Guest – A Complete Guide
It may have been a while since your last baby shower, but with friends, nieces, and maybe even your children starting families, the invitations are bound to start rolling in. (They have for me!) That brings up the age-old question: What should you wear? With today’s relaxed dress codes and more modern types of baby showers, it’s easy to feel unsure about how to balance casual and polished.
Floral Tiered Dress|Polka Dot Dress
This rang true for me recently when my husband and I were invited to our friends kid’s baby shower on a Saturday afternoon in February at an English pub. It was not the traditional ladies-only, fancy dress kind of afternoon tea party you usually think of. It was casual and modern, but lovely nonetheless.
The younger gals wore jeans and cozy, sweaters, some had on casual, unfussy dresses. (I wore relaxed wide leg dress pants and a pretty pink top.) Everyone looked nice.
So, Gals, In 2025, here’s all you really need to know: A baby shower is a joyful celebration, and your outfit should reflect that.
Whether you’re a guest or the grandmother-to-be, putting a little thought into your look so you look respectful and pulled together is a wonderful way to honor the mom-to-be. While there are no hard and fast rules, I have some easy style tips that will help you look lovely and occasion-appropriate.
What to Wear To A Baby Shower – A Complete Guide
cardigan |pants | shoes | bag – Ladylike Baby shower outfit with pants!
How to Dress for a Baby Shower
- Dress Feminine: What could be more feminine than a baby shower outfit? If you enjoy dressing up, this is the perfect time to bring out your most girly self and wear something pretty. A lovely dress is classic, or you could wear a pair of classy dress pants and a beautiful blouse or a chic skirt and a soft sweater. You get the idea.
- Go Light and Cheery: The thought of a new baby makes us happy, excited, and positive. To match this mood, keep your outfit light and cheery. Patels or brights feel right; florals, pretty patterns, and feminine details are all upbeat.
- Think Understated: Dress up and look cute, but don’t outshine the mother-to-be, who is the star of the event. Keep your outfit classic and ladylike. If you’re trying to look sexy or edgy, you’ve got it all wrong.
Blue scenery dress | shoes | earrings | bag | white dress
3 Types of Baby Showers & What to Wear
What to Wear to a Baby Shower at Home- Brunch, Afternoon Tea
The most traditional and common type of baby shower is a brunch, lunch, or afternoon tea held inside the hostess’s home or at a restaurant. This type of shower calls for a casual to semi-formal look, so anything from a nice dress dress in a light or bright color to a dressy pair of pants and a flowy blouse.
Floral or whimsical print dresses are a natural choice. Jewelry, lovely shoes, and a handbag tie your baby shower outfit together. Feminine and ladylike looks are perfect.
Soft baby pastels like pink, blue, yellow, peach, and mint green are traditional colors for baby showers. However, don’t limit yourself. Bright colors like fuchsia, bright blue, red, green, and orange are modern and upbeat and look lovely.
pink dress| shoes | clutch| earrings | bracelet
More Baby Shower Dresses
satin skirt | cashmere wrap sweater
What to wear to a Dressy Baby Shower at a Country Club or Hotel
A baby shower held outside the home at a venue like a Country club, hotel, or event hall is dressier than one held in someone’s house.
This is the time to bring out your prettiest, fanciest day dresses. Lace, satin, cashmere, chiffon, ruffles, and embroidered pieces are luxe and perfect for this event. Avoid tight dresses, sequins, and dark colors that veer into evening cocktail territory. A beautiful pair of dress pants and a fancy blouse, cardigan or jacket is beautiful too.
Don’t forget to wear gorgeous shoes and carry a fancy bag. Your best jewelry is also a must. This is a full-out “wear your finest” ladies’ event.
What to Wear to Baby Shower BBQ?
This is the most casual of baby showers and is often a family affair. Everyone gathers together in the backyard, on the patio, or by the pool to celebrate. Often, the guys are off barbequing, and the ladies sit and chat with the mom-to-be as she opens her gifts.
A baby shower BBQ calls for a relaxed, comfortable outfit, like a cheery sundress in a happy print and sandals. A summery maxi dress also looks nice. As for jeans, white jeans can be lovely for a backyard baby shower, but regular old blue jeans feel too heavy, dark, and average.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can You Wear White to a Baby Shower as a Guest?
Yes, white and cream are perfectly acceptable and work well mixed with pastels or bright colors or worn alone.
Can You Wear Black to a Baby Shower?
There’s no rule against it, but it does seem pretty serious and a downer for a baby shower, which is all about welcoming new life! I think it would be best to stay away. Why not try the Navy instead? This pretty, navy, and white polka dot dress has a lighthearted, playful feel that suits the occasion.
Ideas for Plus size gals?
I like Nordstrom for plus size baby shower dresses and Dillards.
The Final Word
Baby showers are a joyous celebration, and while they change over time a bit, the way you should dress for one hasn’t really changed. Soft, pretty, and feminine are the nicest ways to honor the mom-to-be as she moves into this next stage. And it’s not often we get the chance to dress up anymore, so enjoy wearing something lovely that makes you feel happy and confident.
Fabulous after 40 has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. So, Thank You!
To sum it up, wear something comfortable, and you’re good to go.