Dressing yourself in the morning is hard enough when you don’t have to stand in front of a camera and be your best self. Choosing what to wear for a photoshoot can trigger even the most confident fashionista to pull their entire wardrobe out onto the floor in search of the perfect outfit. So if your nerves start to fizz when you think about what to wear, don’t worry. This is SO normal! Before you lose sleep to late nights spent online shopping--putting articles of clothing in your cart only to take them out again--let’s talk about what works and what doesn’t. Number one thing I want you to remember? Being comfortable is EVERYTHING. You should look and feel like yourself, first and foremost!

Be comfy, please.

It’s not uncommon for people to want to shop for new, sparkly, fabulous clothes to wear to a photoshoot. And that’s totally fine - if that’s your jam. But let’s talk about comfort a little more. Do you think you’d be more comfortable in your favorite t-shirt and jeans or a new clingy little black dress? The best route is usually to go with something that’s tried and true. Something you know moves with you and hugs you in all the right places. Don’t get me wrong - it 100% does not have to be jeans and a t-shirt. You can glam it up a bit more if that’s what you fancy. But if authenticity is what you’re after, you’re going to have to show up as yourself. And if you want to capture this time of your life in all its glory, then it’s about the feeling of being in your own skin.

Match your outfit to the location & season.

Plan your outfits around what you know about the conditions at the location we’ll be shooting at. You’ll want to be warm enough (or cool enough!), have pain-free feet, and look relatively native to your environment. For at home sessions, slip into your comfiest comfies and rock that. The idea is to authentically capture you wherever you are. Think through your clothing choices logically based on location, vibe, and comfort level.

Incorporate texture & movement.

Pick fabrics that move and flow with you. Ones that add a cozy texture, or get picked up by the wind, filter the late afternoon sun, and glow in the morning light. Natural fibers like linen, cotton, or wool are amazing. Avoid stiff-seeming garments with collars as they look a bit too formal and often get tucked in weird spots and need adjusting.

Color schemes.

Aim for neutrals, earthy tones, and metallics. These colors compliment the outdoor environment almost anywhere you go and look awesome as a printed, framed photograph. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for a beige world of quiet and inoffensive colors. By neutrals, I just mean softer tones. Primary colors are incredibly striking but can sometimes have the effect of detracting from the main subject (which is you). So for example, instead of electric blue, go for something closer to navy blue. Instead of bright orange, opt for ochre or apricot. A rule of thumb here is to choose to either complement your natural environment or contrast it. A mustard dress in a deep green forest will look epic, whereas a bright pink, patterned dress doesn’t really fit in with your surroundings. It totally depends on what you’re looking for! For families it’s best to keep your color scheme limited to four colors. You can choose one person to wear a feature color and have everyone else’s outfits compliment that. I generally suggest avoiding white as much as possible - this tends to pull blue in photographs. Cream & tan are much better options to white. Thinking of bright teal? go for emerald or olive green instead. Bright summer colors can be ok depending on your setting but corals, rust, maroon, mustard will always look much better. If you are being photographed in a heavy green field or forest - try to avoid wearing green.

Complementary colors.

These colors, the ones that look incredible together, are called complementary colors. They complement each other and create a visual harmony. They’re salt and pepper, Bonnie and Clyde, peanut butter and jelly. Complementary colors sit across from one another on the color wheel (i.e. blue and orange, red and green, yellow and purple). Colors do special things for the big picture. When multiple people wear the same color, sometimes their matching outfits blend together so much that you can’t really see any of them properly. The viewer can’t tell where one person begins and another one ends. They turn into one uniform blob. In order for the aesthetics of your photograph to really sing, you want to find complementary outfits that showcase a variety of colors, textures, accessories, patterns, and tones. Complement the other people in the photograph as well as your surroundings. The idea is to have everything look good together without everything looking the same.

Be careful with patterns & prints.

Avoid large bold patterns as they often dominate the photograph and distract attention from your beautiful face. Usually, subtle smaller patterns work best. Flannels or a light floral print are great when they complement the location. But less is definitely more with this one, try to limit yourself to one pattern at a time. Matching patterns is a tricky task, and it’s super difficult to do well. If you’re not quite sure what category your patterned clothes fall into, shoot me an email or send me a text and I’ll be happy to weigh in. Much like crazy patterns, clothing with writing or logos on it tends to be a bit distracting. Most of the time the full writing isn't readable in every angle making it hard to even decipher in photos.

Accessories.

Hats, sunglasses, socks, and jackets are a great way to jazz up your accessory game. Throw some fun extras into your bag but avoid large, distracting pieces. If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m interested in shooting you (not your clothes or your bling). Watches are a bit of a weird one, especially in couple sessions. The big fat circle face of a watch is particularly apparent when people are holding each other’s faces and bringing them in for some smooches. Best to leave the watch at home unless its sentimental. Another accessory to leave in the car - your phone! No one needs the outline of a cell phone in their back pocket.

Lets talk props.

Props don’t have to scream ‘PROP!” Go for the subtle things that accentuate your personality and help to tell a story about your life. Think pets, an instrument, surfboards, an umbrella, bike, or even a beer. Avoid the cheese as much as possible.

Makeup & hair.

So this is totally your call! But, if I may… I would suggest a balance between elegance and ease. I want you to look like you but I also want you to feel like a rock star & special. So do whatever you need to do to feel confident and beautiful. Hands tell such a story about who you are and where you’ve been and play a crucial role in portrait photography. Sometimes photographs magnify bright nail polish, chipped manicures, and dirty fingernails. And once you see it, you can’t un-see it--your eye just keeps on zooming in on that one bit of the photograph. It can be really distracting. Treat yourself to a little subtle manicure or make sure your nails are neat and tidy before the shoot. As for hair… Oh boy. I’m a sucker for the way a wild mane blows in the breeze. Up-dos are alright, and I totally get it--it’s so easy to throw your hair up! But when it comes to saving a moment and putting it in your pocket, hair down is the way to go. With your hair down, you get movement, you get interest, you get some perfect slices of imperfection in the best possible way. Try to avoid trying new things before a shoot in case they don't turn out well.

Lets shop.

Do you NEED to shop for picture outfits? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Using the tools I have listed above should help you pick perfect outfits without even needing to shop BUT if you are feeling like you want to pull out all the stops & grab some new threads - I'm going to throw out some go to places to find great outfit options!

Amazon- BEAUTIFUL dresses for any occasion & in any price point. Not sure where to start? I have several options under $30 saved & I'd be happy to send you the links.

Wal-Mart & Target - trends on trends! Don't look passed these stores! They both offer affordable options for everyone in the family & in one spot.

Joyfolie - this is an online store that has the perfect flowy dresses for women & littles.