The day has arrived, you’re at home running around like crazy, trying to figure out what to wear to your photoshoot. You booked this session and have been looking forward to it all week (sometimes months). Today is the day that you want to look your extra best. Now the question comes up… how!!??
You want something flattering, appropriate for the weather, and you want to be coordinated with the other members of the session. You’ve probably spent several minutes staring into a closet full of clothes, digging through drawers, and even considered buying a new outfit for the event. Alas, nothing seems right! So, what do you wear? I am honestly no fashion guru, but here are a few tips that I picked up over sessions.
Firstly I don’t want to tell you what you HAVE to wear, I can only tell you what I think can work or not.
Secondly and in my opinion most importantly is…… Dress in something you feel comfortable in. Don’t pick out an outfit that isn’t compatible, and choose to suck it up and work through it. Your discomfort is going to be very obvious in your photos. Keep the weather in mind as well.
We know that children are more likely to be unhappy if their clothing is uncomfortable, so try and choose clothing that breathes well, has a pleasant texture, and fits well. We want you and your lovely children to be as happy as possible during the photoshoot!
Have a second outfit in case of an accident or weather change. We’ve all been there, you’re in a rush, eating, drinking, or even just walking around and you touch something grimy without noticing, and then your clothes for the day are ruined. Having a second outfit can save you a lot of headaches, especially if you have children. A good idea could be to have the children arrive in a normal outfit and then change right before the shoot. If that sounds like too much work for you, then we encourage you to have a second outfit, that matches the colors you chose for your shoot, just in case there is an issue.
When you do a session with smaller kids, wear clothes that can hide stains such as patterns or darker colors. As anyone who has been around children knows, they can be pretty messy (I know my kids are, hahaha). It doesn’t matter how careful you are, those cute kids always seem to find a way. Patterns and darker colors are good for concealing stains!
Dark clothing tends to slenderize. Darker clothing helps to blend the bodies with the background so that the faces are the most important part of the photograph. Dark colors tend to slenderize the subject.
Don’t wear clothes with Logos, noticeable brands or characters. There is certainly a place to wear these shirts… but we encourage our clients to shy away from these on clothing in photoshoots. You will receive a lot of photos and you will see these logos over and over again so it’s best to choose plain outfits or patterns rather than branded clothes. The only exception to this is if you specifically want a themed session with a specific brand or character.
Keep your Location in mind. For instance, if you are having a garden shoot, surrounded by lots of leafy green foliage, muted greens, browns and oranges will only aid in camouflaging you. If it’s a dreary, overcast day, you might want to re-consider wearing whites and greys and going for a pop of color or contrast instead. The same counts for on the beach, try not to fade away with the tones of the sand and stand out a little. Contrast is your friend. Make sure you set yourself apart from your background.
Have outfits that are coordinated in some way. What does this mean?
A very popular theme with my clients, is to wear white and jeans. For some, this is great and works amazing and I will never tell someone to not do this if this is your thing. But for some… it just doesn’t work. Most families don’t wear matching outfits in their everyday lives, so maybe think about it and decide if that is the memory you want to preserve.
But if you’re really struggling with what to wear for a photoshoot, sometimes a simple jeans-and-t-shirt combo is the way to go. It’s exactly what you need to shift the focus away from your outfit and onto your hair, your makeup, or your already-gorgeous face. Neutral colors and simple styles put extra emphasis on YOU.
For others, let your colors show! Try some bright, colorful, festival-inspired looks. Flower crowns and the funkiest pieces in your wardrobe will make for a really exciting shoot. But remember that it must still be YOU. If someone else looks at the photo, the first thing they should think is “this is so you, wow look at you!” rather than “ok so… why did you wear this again?”
Regardless of pattern or color preferences, the clothing theme should always be the same. Wear clothes that go well together. Are you wearing a sundress? Then ask him to wear shorts with a nice beachy button down to go along with your tropical paradise theme!
Aim for clothing that’s made from similar fabric, or that looks nice when you two stand together. It doesn’t have to be overly matchy, it just needs to mesh well. Also, don’t shy away from accessories like hats, jewelry or belts. They can add texture and personality to a picture.
Mixing patterns with plain clothes, can also be a great idea, don’t be afraid to get creative and mix and match!
Keep your location in mind as well. If you have your session on the beach, very formal clothing might be a bit out of place. And remember that most of the time you will probably kick out your shoes when walking in the sand on the beach, so don’t plan your outfit around your shoes 😉
Consider your home décor: After all, these photos will likely (hopefully) go on your wall, so you will want to make sure they will match the theme of the rest of your home.
Timeless: We all have those photos from high school and college that we want to burn, or wipe from a hard drive… Keep in mind that these photos are meant to last you a lifetime, and hopefully for generations to come. Try and choose classic styles so you can feel good about your pictures for years to come.
Makeup & Hair: Don’t be afraid to spoil yourself and have your hair and makeup done. For us girls, this sometimes gives us a big boost in how we feel at that moment. Our loved ones will say, but you look beautiful no matter what. But that little bit of extra beauty never hurt anyone 😉 Feel beautiful, be beautiful!
In my opinion, the darker your makeup is, the better it shows on photos. Makeup tends to appear lighter or less in photos than we think. Don’t get me wrong and overdo it, still apply it as you feel comfortable with. But if a makeup artist does do your makeup a little darker than you would usually do yourself, don’t panic, usually, it turns out perfect on the photos.
Keep your hairstyle in mind when it comes to wind. Most likely if you do a beach session, there will be wind, and if you don’t want to constantly tuck the hair out of your face, try using a pin or clip to keep it out of your eyes.
Don’t forget about your nails. Many people think that it won’t matter but some poses do expose the hands and it can make or break a photo.
Maternity session.
The goal is to show off that adorable baby bump. Something flowy is usually very flattering and amazing to show off that beautiful bump.
Please encourage the father (and your children if you have others) to try and match with your dress in the same way as described earlier. Several poses with your hands showing will be taken, so be sure that you are happy with your nails and jewelry you are wearing.
Tip. Lay all the clothing out onto a bed. Shoes, socks, stockings – everything should be included…shoes, too! Then, take a careful look at the collection. If your eye goes to any one item, in particular, you can be certain that the same thing will happen in a photograph.
Google What to Wear – sometimes style matches like these are found on google images and could help a lot with color style matches or even types of clothing. remember it’s not necessary to go out and buy a new outfit, look what you have in your closet similar if you want to follow some of these style charts 😉
(The following 4 images are from Google images and not my own)
Conclusion: Your portraits are meant to be timeless and be enjoyed by generations to come. You will feel very rewarded when you view your photographs when you are comfortable and happy with the way you portray yourself. Be yourself, don’t try and look like someone else. You are you and you are perfect. All of your efforts will be worthwhile.
We hope you found our tips helpful! If you have any other questions, then feel free to contact me with your questions! We would love to help in any way that we can. See you at your shoot! 😉