At a baby shower, avoid controversial topics, negative childbirth stories, intrusive questions (like about fertility or birth plans), and unsolicited advice; also, don't pressure parents to reveal the baby's sex if they're keeping it a secret, and be mindful of the mom-to-be's comfort, especially regarding opening gifts publicly or being the center of overly awkward games, keeping the mood joyful and supportive.
7 Etiquette Tips for Modern Baby Showers
Traditionally, a close friend or family member (not the expectant mother) hosts and pays for the baby shower, often sharing costs with co-hosts, but modern practices vary, sometimes involving the parents or splitting costs among a larger group, with the goal being to "shower" the parents with gifts, not charge guests.
Although there's no dress code for a baby shower, celebrating a happy occasion suggests wearing happy colours. Unless the baby shower is themed, white maternity dresses, pastel colours, floral prints, and blue maternity dresses are always good options for a mother-to-be.
It is pretty typical to open gifts in front of guests at any sort of shower (bridal or baby). The purpose of them is to shower the guest of honor with gifts. They want to see your face when you open them. It's just the tradition.
You should address a baby shower gift to the baby shower host, which will usually be the expecting mother, but can often be both parents. As a general rule, if you know both parents will be there, address the gift to them both.
Throw in a gag gift every now and then.
Wrap them in bright purple paper, for instance. When the guests see that purple gift coming from the endless presents table, they'll perk up, knowing something fun is about to happen. Ham it up while you're handing it over, too. It's all in good fun.
The 3-3-3 clothing rule is a simple styling method for creating many outfits from few items: choose 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 shoes, which allows for 27 potential combinations (3x3x3) and reduces decision fatigue, often used for travel or building a minimalist capsule wardrobe. It's a versatile concept, sometimes expanded to include 3 layers (like jackets or cardigans) for even more looks, making dressing easier by focusing on mix-and-match versatility with core pieces.
What colors are best to wear to a baby shower? Soft pastels, florals and neutrals are popular picks. It's best to avoid white (sometimes reserved for the mom-to-be) and overly dark colors like black unless specified.
If you've been invited to your first shower, you'll want to find a present that stands out from the pastel-hued competition. Good baby shower gifts will celebrate the upcoming arrival and also help the parents prepare. So useful ideas include nappies, clothes, blankets, toys, and books.
While traditionally baby showers have been female-only events, it's becoming more common to include the dad-to-be and other men. Co-ed baby showers or “sip and see” events are gaining popularity, where both men and women celebrate together.
A typical baby shower lasts about 2-3 hours. As guests arrive, they are offered food and drinks and they mingle. Once all of the guests have arrived and had a chance to enjoy food and drink, about 30-45 minutes into the shower, the games begin. There are usually 3-5 different games lasting for another 30-45 minutes.
Quick Baby Shower Snack Ideas: Affordable and Easy Bites
Immediate family members traditionally didn't host baby showers, but nowadays anyone can host the shower for the parent-to-be.
On average, baby showers tend to cost about $500, though that total cost goes down when using a free venue like the home of a friend or family member and can go up if you're hosting a shower at a restaurant or venue with an hourly fee. Traditionally, the host of the baby shower will pick up the tab.
Here's a suggested timeline for your two-hour baby shower:
Once you're at the event, good baby shower etiquette includes keeping conversation encouraging and lighthearted! Avoid making comments about how big her third-trimester belly is or bringing up controversial topics like parenting styles, birth methods, discipline, or breastfeeding!
Choosing the right color not only shows respect for the couple, but it also helps guests fit in with the tone of the event. There are some colors that should be avoided at all costs – we're looking at you, white – or any colors that may be associated with the bride or bridesmaids' gowns.
Your safest bet is to go with softer colours, which signify joy and celebration. While we believe bright or light colours are best suited to baby showers, if you're the parent-to-be and you feel your best in black, then go right ahead with a chic black look. After all, it's your day!
The 5-5-5 Rule helps you build a versatile and stylish closet with just: 👕 5 Essential Tops (classic white shirt, silk blouse, fitted tee, etc.) 👖 5 Must-Have Bottoms (tailored trousers, dark-wash jeans, midi skirt, etc.) 🧥 5 Outerwear Staples (structured blazer, wool coat, trench, etc.)
The 70/30 rule in fashion is a wardrobe strategy where 70% of your closet consists of timeless, versatile basics (like quality jeans, neutral tops) that form the foundation of many outfits, while the remaining 30% is reserved for trendy, statement, or fun pieces that add personality and flair, ensuring your style is both practical and current without being overly fast-fashion driven. It helps create outfits by mixing staple items with expressive accessories or bold pieces, making your wardrobe more functional and less stressful.
The 3-color rule for men is a simple guideline to keep outfits visually balanced and stylish by limiting yourself to a maximum of three colors, often using a dominant neutral, a secondary complementary color, and a smaller pop of accent color, creating a clean and cohesive look without looking overly busy or like a "walking color wheel". It helps with mixing and matching, especially for capsule wardrobes, and involves choosing a base, a supporting tone, and an accent through accessories or textures.
Games are a great way to help keep guests entertained. Get the party together to play baby shower games like the Celebrity Baby Game, Baby Stroller Olympics, or crowd-favorites like Baby Bingo that guests can play while the mom-to-be is opening her gifts.
Should you open gifts at the baby shower? Tradition would have you open all the gifts in front of the guests. But, times have changed and it's more common not to.
The Japanese method of gift wrapping involves elegant, intentional techniques like Furoshiki (reusable fabric wraps), Origata (formal paper folding), and Mizuhiki (decorative cords), emphasizing respect and sustainability with minimal tape, creating beautiful, meaningful presentations where the wrapping is as important as the gift itself. A popular technique is a speedy, precise paper-folding method that creates crisp corners and hides tape underneath.