When I first started my newborn photography dress supply business three years ago, I had no idea that one of the most common questions my customers—professional photographers, and sometimes even new parents doing their own at-home shoots—would ask me is about ironing frilly newborn dresses. These tiny, ruffled creations aren’t just fabric; they’re designed to make a sleeping baby look like a little angel, a flower, or a vintage postcard come to life. But those delicate, lacy frills? They turn into a crumpled mess if you don’t handle them right. I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing methods, talking to photographers, and ruining more than a few of my own samples to figure out what actually works. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on the exact way we iron our frilly newborn photography dresses—no guesswork, no mishaps, just consistent, picture-perfect results that keep clients coming back. Newborn Photography Dresses
First, let’s talk about why ironing these dresses is so tricky. Newborn photography dresses are made with super lightweight fabrics: soft cotton voile, delicate tulle, hand-sewn lace, and sometimes even organza that’s as thin as a baby’s eyelash. A lot of these materials have synthetic blends, too, which means they can melt or warp if you heat them too much. The frills themselves aren’t just sewn on—many are gathered, ruched, or layered, so applying direct pressure can flatten them completely, turning a voluminous ruffle into a sad, thin strip of fabric that looks nothing like it did fresh off the production line. I once had a regular photographer client call me panicking because she’d ironed a frilly baptism-style dress I’d supplied her, and she’d burned a hole through the lace and flattened all the neckline ruffles. That’s the kind of story that makes me really emphasize that there’s a right way to do this, and a hundred wrong ways.
Before you even plug in your iron, there are a few pre-ironing steps that will save you so much time and frustration. First, check the care label on the dress. I print clear, easy-to-read care labels on every single one of my dresses, and the first line always says “hand wash only, no machine drying.” Machine washing and drying is a surefire way to make frills pill, lace snag, and the entire dress develop permanent wrinkles that are almost impossible to get out. If you’ve received a dress that’s already wrinkled, the first step is to rehydrate the fabric—most of these delicate materials don’t respond well to dry heat alone. I keep a spray bottle filled with distilled water and a tiny drop of baby-safe detergent (I use the same one I use to wash my own toddler’s clothes) handy for pre-treating. Lightly spritz the dress, making sure to get the inside of the frills and the edges, then lay it flat on a clean towel and let it air for 10 minutes. This relaxes the fabric fibers, making wrinkles way easier to smooth out without applying high heat.
Next, set up your ironing station properly. I can’t stress this enough—use a low-heat iron, and never turn on the steam setting if you’re working with lace or tulle. Steam can make synthetic lace bubble, and too much moisture on cotton voile can cause it to stretch out of shape. If your iron has a fabric setting, dial it down to “silk” or “delicate.” If yours doesn’t, go for the absolute lowest heat setting that still generates steam when pressed. I also use a heat-resistant pressing cloth—100% cotton, not a synthetic blend—between the iron and the dress. This is non-negotiable. Direct contact between the iron and the fabric will leave shine marks on cotton and burn holes in lace; a pressing cloth acts as a buffer. I keep a set of these cloths cut to the size of my dresses on my worktable, and I replace them every few months when they get frayed themselves.
Now, the actual ironing process—this is where most people go wrong. You never iron a frilly newborn dress flat. That sounds counterintuitive, I know, but when you lay it flat on an ironing board, you’re putting pressure on every single part of the frills, which squashes their volume. Instead, I use a tailor’s ham or a curved ironing board insert that mimics the shape of a baby’s body. Wait, no—actually, for frilly dresses, I use what’s called a “roll ironing method.” Let me walk you through it step by step: First, lay your pressing cloth over a clean, hard surface (I use a thick wooden cutting board that I keep exclusively for dress prep—no food on it, ever). Lay the dress on top of the pressing cloth, right side down, so the wrinkles you’re ironing are on the inside where they’re less visible. Next, start with the larger, flatter parts of the dress first: the bodice, the skirt panels, not the frills. Iron these with gentle, pressing motions—don’t glide the iron back and forth, because that can stretch the fabric. Hold the iron in place for 2 to 3 seconds, then lift it and move to the next section. Repeat until the flat parts are smooth.
Now for the frills, which are the star of the show. This is where the roll method works wonders. For a single-layer ruffle along the neckline or sleeve, take the frill between your fingertips, gently stretch it slightly to bring out any wrinkles, then place it on the pressing cloth, curved so that the ruffle’s edge is hanging over the edge of the cutting board (or your hard surface). This keeps the ruffle from being squashed by the flat surface. Cover the ruffle with another small piece of pressing cloth, then hold the iron just above the ruffle—about a quarter of an inch away—and apply the lightest pressure possible, moving the iron slowly along the length of the ruffle. Do not press down hard. The heat will set the fabric’s shape as you move, and the slight tension you’re holding on the ruffle will keep it voluminous, not flat. For layered frills, like the ones on a tutu-style newborn dress, do each layer individually. Iron the bottom layer first, let it cool for 30 seconds, then iron the next layer on top, making sure the layers don’t overlap while you’re working. This way, each layer keeps its full, fluffy shape, and you don’t end up with a matted stack of fabric.
I also have a few pro tips that I’ve picked up from years of working with newborn photographers. First, always iron your dress right before a shoot, not a week in advance. Newborn dresses wrinkle easily when folded, so if you iron it too early, you’ll just have to do it again. If you’re storing a dress between shoots, hang it on a padded hanger in a cool, dry closet, and leave the frills slightly flared so they don’t compress. Another trick: if you accidentally flatten a ruffle, don’t panic. Hold the ruffle over a pot of boiling water for 10 seconds, then gently reshape it with your fingers. The steam will relax the fabric, and you can fluff it back up. I’ve used this trick more times than I can count when a photographer calls me last minute saying they messed up a dress.
Wait, what about synthetic vs. natural fabric frills? That’s a big one. Most of my dresses are made with a blend of 70% cotton voile and 30% polyester for durability, but some of the more elaborate ones are 100% lace or organza. For synthetic frills, you want to use even lower heat—sometimes as low as the “nylon” setting on an iron. Natural frills (cotton, linen lace) can handle a little more heat, but still way less than you’d use for a regular cotton shirt. I always advise customers to test an inconspicuous part of the dress first—like the inside of the neckline or a seam allowance—before ironing the visible frills. That way, if the setting is too hot, you don’t ruin the whole dress.
I’ve had photographers tell me that they used to use a handheld steamer for their newborn dresses, and while steaming works for some, I find that it can make cotton voile too damp, leading to mildew if the dress isn’t fully dried before the shoot. Ironing, when done correctly, gives you a smooth finish without excess moisture, which is perfect because newborn photos are often scheduled back-to-back, and you don’t want to be waiting for a dress to dry. That said, if you don’t have an iron, a handheld steamer works if you hold it 6 inches away from the fabric and gently pull the frills taut with your free hand. Just don’t hold the steamer too close, or you’ll get water spots on the fabric.
Let me share a recent example to prove that this method works. Last month, a photographer from Chicago ordered 12 frilly newborn dresses from me for a holiday photo campaign. She emailed me a week later saying that she’d ironed all of them using my method, and the shots were some of her best ever—clients had commented on how crisp, voluminous the dresses looked, and not a single ruffle was flat. She even included a photo of a baby in a red velvet frilly dress with white lace trim, and the ruffles around the bodice were so full they looked like tiny rose petals. That’s exactly the result I’m aiming for when I supply these dresses.
Another mistake I see people make is using starch on newborn dresses. Starch makes fabric stiff and scratchy, which is terrible for a newborn’s sensitive skin. It also makes frills look artificial and flat, which takes away from the soft, gentle aesthetic that newborn photography is all about. I never recommend starch for any of my dresses, and I tell my customers that the right ironing method is enough to get out wrinkles without adding any harsh products.
If you’re a photographer or a parent who’s struggling with ironing your frilly newborn photography dresses, remember that practice makes perfect. I ruined three dresses in my first six months of business because I was too heavy-handed with the iron or used too high heat. But once you get the hang of the low heat, the pressing cloth, and the roll method for frills, it becomes second nature. The key is to be gentle, take your time, and focus on keeping the volume of the frills intact, not just getting rid of wrinkles.
At the end of the day, the best way to iron a frilly newborn photography dress is all about respect for the fabric. These dresses aren’t just clothing—they’re part of creating memories that families will hang on their walls for decades. A wrinkled, flat ruffle can take away from that perfect shot, but a properly ironed, voluminous frill adds that extra touch of magic that makes a photo unforgettable. If you’re looking for high-quality, durable frilly newborn photography dresses and want to learn more about care and ironing tips specific to our collection, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for procurement consultations. We’re always here to help make sure your sessions go as smoothly as possible.
Newborn Photography Dresses References:
- Newborn Photography Attire: Care and Preparation, Professional Photographers of America, 2022
- Textile Care Basics for Delicate Fabrics, Textile Institute Standards, 2021
- Best Practices for Ironing Ruffled and Lace Apparel, Garment Industry Association, 2020
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