What to Wear

Deciding what to wear for your portrait session can

be just as challenging as finding the perfect

photographer.

These are photos you are going to hang on your

walls and cherish for years to come.

It can seem overwhelming when considering what

to wear, but it doesn’t need to be!

Use these tips to help you pick out the perfect

wardrobe for you and your family.

Choosing clothing for your session

When you invest in professional photos, it is

extremely important to wear appropriate and

flattering clothing. Think about the artwork you

want from your session; you probably don’t want a

huge artwork print in your living room of you in a

ratty t-shirt, poorly fitting jeans, and tennis shoes!

Consider having a stylist or boutique help you

choose styles and colors.

Things to consider

Plan ahead: Once you book your session, start thinking of the

clothes right away. If you wait until the day of or day before,

you may run into an issue of clothes not fitting, being dirty or

need to be dry cleaned.

Think classic: These photos will be hanging on your walls and

treasured for years to come. By choosing simple, classic

clothes you will help give your images a timeless feel.

Look at your home décor: Consider the area where your

printed portraits will be displayed. Since you will be hanging

these photos in your home, you want to make sure the colors

of your clothes will complement your décor.

Limit patterns: Personally, I enjoy having an outfit in the mix

that has all the colors in it. However, not everyone in the

photo should wear patterns as it may be distracting in the final

image.

Shoes are important: Please don’t wear overly casual shoes,

such as tennis shoes, Crocs, worn out boots, etc. The only

exception is when the casual shoes go with the style of the

session, such as cool Converses with a funky outfit or boots

for photos taken in front of a barn. The choice of shoes can

make or break an outfit.

Avoid all white or all black clothing: Unless you are doing a

fashion shoot, solid white or solid black clothing do not

photograph well. Both colors tend to lose all detail, and the

extreme contrast draws the eye away from the subjects of the

photograph and to the white or black “hole” instead.

Don’t forget accessories: Accessories not only add to your

outfit, but they can be fun to use in photos. Have the man

wear a tie for the woman to hold. Necklaces for the kids to

play with or stuffed toys/blankets to hide behind are

encouraged. However, please do not wear baseball caps,

bulky watches, or rubber bands around wrists.

Say no to characters and logos: Characters and logos on

clothing can be very distracting. Any logo larger than a half

inch should generally be avoided.

Textures are your friend: I am a huge fan of a cotton fitted

shirt. However, in photographs I like to add textures like

scarves or belts to add a little more to the image. Don’t shy

away from different textures.

Look for clothing collections: Shop at stores that typically have

color coordinating collections, such as Old Navy or local

boutiques.

Consider your background: Choose clothing colors that are in

contrast from the backdrop. For example, if you are taking

photos in a garden with lots of greenery, stay away from

green clothing as it will make you blend in with the

background.

Choose coordinating colors, not matching: Long gone are the

days of everyone wearing a white shirt and jeans (1995,

anyone?). Instead, pick a couple of colors and choose clothes

that will fit in this color scheme.

Be picky: Iron and lint roll your clothes, even if you don’t think

they need it. Trust me- they do!

PHEW, that’s a lot of information!

Don’t worry, I am happy to help!

Create a mood board (Pinterest is great for this!) with your

clothing ideas, and I’ll help you make sure your clothing is

appropriate for your session.

Hair & makeup

I strongly, strongly, strongly encourage you to get professional

hair & makeup done for your session.

How many times have you looked at a photo of yourself and

said, “That’s a cute photo, but my hair looks horrible”? Especially

in the heat and humidity in the Deep South, you don’t want to

leave your hair up to chance!

One of my biggest regrets from my own wedding & bridal

portraits is not investing in professional makeup. My self-taught

makeup techniques made me look very plain, and by the end of

the day, nearly all my makeup had worn off!

Hair & makeup are generally inexpensive, and can make or

break your photos. Don’t forget to bring hairspray, bobby pins,

tissue & makeup with you for touch-ups!

Using clothing to compliment

any body type

The type of clothing we wear can change the illusion of our

body’s shape. In addition to making sure your clothes fit

appropriately, your choice of clothing should be flattering to your

particular body type.

What’s your body shape?

avoid ruffles, bright colored tops instead, choose dark, solid colored tops avoid sleeveless or spaghetti straps consider bottom with more shape (vs skinny jeans) choose flared skirts, skirt with movement

brighter colors or details up top darker colors, plainer on bottom form fitting bottoms are best bare arms/strapless tops are acceptable avoid side pockets or detail at hips/thighs

even top to bottom

column/rectangle: clothing

choose shirts with belt or waist defining element

!

consider patterns that give illusion of shape !

consider pleats or fabric with shape or

movement