What do I Wear??

My most popular questions are, "what should I wear"? "Do you have any styling tips"? In fact, I do!! I know a lot of people have a hard time coming up with good, solid wardrobe choices for their session. It’s stressful sometimes, I get it! But, it doesn’t have to be! Here are some helpful guidelines to help you make a great selection you can be confident about!  

1. The Colors. Choose clothing colors that don’t necessarily match, but compliment the colors of your brand. This is super helpful when putting your photos on your website. Though you don’t want to match your website, complimenting the colors will help with the flow of your website. Muted tones (think beach tones) and jewel tones (navy, maroon, plum, pumpkin, teal, olive, mustard) are great choices and they photograph really well. Avoid fluorescent colors or strong primary (red, blue, yellow) because they tend to be harsh in photographs. The same with a solid white or black. Both colors become flat and lose definition and shape of the fabric, unless the fabric also has texture. Navy, gray, tan, and cream are great neutral alternatives to black and white. 

2. Be aware of the background. Stay away from wearing a lot of green when having photos taken in grassy/wooded areas. It’s just too much green. Green as an accent color is great, though! You want to stand out amongst all the greenery you’re surrounded by. The same rule applies in the fall – brown isn’t a preferred color for fall outdoor pictures. 

3. Wear what you feel good in! If you aren’t comfortable in what you’ve chosen for pictures, it will show. If you can’t find a dress you feel good in, but you rock a good pair of skinny jeans, do that. If you can barely walk in heels, there’s no harm in doing cute and comfy flat boots or pretty sandals. If you can’t do a heel, a wedge is a great alternative, too.

4.  Layer, layer layer! Layers add dimension and depth. In the summer? Layer your dress with a cute belt and pendant necklace. In the fall and winter? Vests, cardigans, belts, statement necklaces, scarves, blazers, leggings etc. 

5. Purchase clothes to fit. And fit well. Keep in mind that for pictures, too large of a shirt, saggy ill-fitting jeans or a jacket that’s falling off the shoulders looks sloppy. However, in the same regard, wearing clothes that are too small will show too, i.e., if the shirt barely touches the pants, or the pants barely touch the shoes, you may want to reconsider your outfit choices. You’ll be purchasing outfits specifically for pictures, most likely, so choose something that fits perfectly, or even slightly snug. Think tailored. A too-big jean jacket will not compliment shape. It hides hips and waist. If you typically wear a size medium jacket, try on the small. Even if it’s just a little snug in the shoulders, it should lay nicely around your hips and waist, creating a tailored look.

6. Dress for the weather, and be flexible. If you’re from Oklahoma, you know that it can be 30 and cloudy one day, 75 and sunny the next. So, be prepared to be flexible with wardrobe, in case you have to switch it up last minute. If you have plans for a cute dress and the weather ends up being 20 degrees colder than you were anticipating, switch it up a bit by adding layers. Tights, boots, scarf, cardigan are a perfect extra layer. Dress appropriately for the weather that day, even if it doesn’t go with your original plan. 

7. Dress for the situation. Just as dressing for weather is important, dressing for the situation is just as important. A fancy black dress and a dress shirt and tie wouldn’t be the most appropriate wardrobe for a forest or grassy setting. More formal wear would be more appropriate for an urban or “big city” feel.

8. Props. If you have props… bring them. IF you have a sign with a quote you want to incorporate into your business, bring it. A coffee mug, bring that! If you want to bring your favorite laptop bag, bring it. And if you want to spice it up a bit with a koozie with your favorite team on it, bring that. If you are a makeup artist, bring a couple brushes. Whatever props scream who YOU are and represent your brand, bring them! After all, this is about your brand! 

And, most importantly, communicate with your photographer about the vision you have for the session and your brand. Together, I know you will be able to make this a great experience!