Style Guide
Not sure what to wear for your upcoming session?
You've come to the right place!
First things first.
I recommend that mom - or whoever is hardest to dress - select her outfit first and then decide what everyone else will wear based on her.
No-No to Matchy-Matchy.
Matchy-matchy is boring and cheesy. Rather, try picking colors or textures from a similar palette to give everyone a cohesive look. If one outfit has more patterns or is a strong color, make sure everyone else is more muted down to balance things out or link back with small pops of that color elsewhere. For example, if mom's dress is a green pattern, dad's tie can have that same or similar green to link back to each other in the photos.
Not recommended:
- Busy patterns, like stripes or polka dots. (They distract and the camera does funny effects with such patterns.)
- Logos on anything, unless this is sponsored.
- Neon or very flashy colors. (They take away the attention from you and compete with the setting.)
- Graphic t-shirts or anything with a visual on it.
- Stuff in your pockets which can create awkward bumps in photographs, such as phones or keys. (Please keep them in the car, in a bag or pass them to me for safekeeping until we're done.)
- Anything too tight or too short (applies for men and women). We will move alot and try different things during our session--the last thing you want to be tugging at your clothes or worrying about what could inappropriately show. The same goes for tops that are too open around the shoulders or sleeveless-- the camera tends to unfortunately widen those areas.
- Glossy lipstick or the type that rubs off on everything. Instead, opt for a matt color or the non-smudge type. (Test it before our session, just in case.)
Try Instead:
- Textures add so much depth to your photographs. (Make sure to iron out any wrinkles though or the unintended kind of textures please.)
- Picking your color palette based on the setting of your session or the theme. (Lighter colors for spring-summer and richer, deeper colors for fall-winter sessions. Same goes for patterns.)
- Anything with soft movement, such as flowy dresses. They translate so beautifully in images.
- Think timeless. Pick outfits that you will still like when you look back at the photos in a few years or that will fit the style of your home if you print them for your walls.
- Light, natural makeup. Just enough to accentuate your favorite features without looking too done up.
Client Inspiration Board
For ideas and inspiration, visit my curated Pinterest boards. This includes outfit ideas and color palettes for the whole family. It's a great way to envision the style of your session and where to start with your outfit selections.
I'm constantly updating these boards so check back often for fresh ideas based on your upcoming session.
In summary and if ever in doubt, just keep these three points in mind as you select your outfits:
- It feels like YOU and you feel great in it.
- It's comfortable to move in.
- You'll still love how you looked in the photos say 5, 10 and even 20 years from now.
Our sessions are all about fun and capturing the moment. The last thing I want is for you to be worried about how you look or what you're wearing so if you have any questions along the way, please get in touch! More often than not, my clients intuitively already know what looks best on them and what to pick.