WHAT TO WEAR
What do I wear!?
You've booked your session, yay! Now for the ever daunting task of figuring out what to wear! I know very well that this part of the process can be extremely stressful and create anxiety that NO ONE wants or needs. Many people may say or think that clothes are just clothes and they will just wear "whatever they have" BUT - trust me when I saw that the clothing you choose to wear in your photos can make ALL the difference! These are priceless images of your family, or for your business, or your senior, or whatever! What your photos are for you want them to look GOOD and they will only look as good as you feel, and I know I always feel amazing when my outfit is "chef's kiss"! If you are really set on your photos fitting a certain style or having certain colors and tones than your clothing needs to align with your vision. You simply can't show up in a bright pink dress and want your pictures to have creamy earth tones. SO, please be thoughtful about your outfit choices - wear colors and styles that you look good in an most importantly - FEEL GOOD in!! At the end of the day we all have our individual styles and I LOVE THAT - but whatever you choose just know that that's what will be either hanging up on your wall, sent out for Christmas cards, or be on a graduation slideshow. Below are some very helpful tips when planning outfits for your session!
Steps to planning your wardrobe
01.
COORDINATE WITH LOCATION
Do you want a fall foliage location? Fall trees? Downtown? A cozy photo shoot in your home? Maybe a green outdoor background? You will want to make sure that the color palette that you choose compliments the colors of the location you will be in. For example, if your scenery is going to be very bright and green you will want to pick colors that compliment that. Doing a quick google search of a color wheel will show you which colors compliment each other. Keep in mind you would want MUTED versions of any of those colors - very bright colors can be distracting.
02.
CHOOSE YOUR OUTFIT FIRST
Ladies, wear a dress. Trust me. Now, this is not a rule, this is my personal preference - but 9/10 times you will always look and feel more flattering in dress. I have great suggestions for website with beautiful dresses and I have lots of beautiful dresses in my client closet available for rent.
Pick a dress that has a flattering shape - usually dresses that are slightly fitted or tapered at the waist are very flattering.
If you are not a big fan of dresses you can go with a good skirt/top combination but again, be mindful of the shape of your outfit. (Fit at the waist and flow out from the hips)
The reason I am big on dresses is that you really want your photos to look dressier than what you would wear for your every-day. The material used in more casual clothing just does not hang off the body as well as linen, chiffon, or polyester. Choose the color YOU want to wear, and then you will plan everyone else around you.
03.
Choose your family color palette.
Now that you have your outfit picked out, you can figure out what everyone else will wear. I have put together a Pinterest board of tons of inspo for color palettes for family sessions (or any session really) Choosing your color palette should reflect the season that you are doing your photo session in. Fall colors reflect really well with warm earthy tones. while Spring or Summer sessions might be better with yellows, light pink, or turquoise. If doing a full family session I recommend having 2-3 main colors for your color palette.
04.
Neutral colors are your friend!
The word "neutral" does not mean boring when it comes to photography! These are what are typically called "earth tones"; off white, beige, gray, cream. taupe, mauve, etc. Neutrals are a favorite of mine to use because almost all neutral colors go together and you can't really mess it up! They are also so classic and timeless. Neutral colors will never go out of style and will match almost any home esthetic if you plan on hanging your photos in your home (which you should!!!)
Also, you of course can always add a pop of color somewhere while using a neutral color scheme!