What to Wear to a Photoshoot
- Jaimie Simmons
- Feb 7, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Jan 22
Overwhelmed by trying to find the perfect outfit for your photo session? I got you, boo.
Style Tips for Her
Dress It Up
Have you been eyeing a gorgeous dress, but just never had an occasion for it? This is your chance to do it up!
Remember: there’s no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your portrait session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun!
Say Yes to the Dress
There's nothing more flattering than a long, flowy dress. Dresses and skirts tend to look most stunning on camera because they really flatter the female body — which is probably why the red carpet is always full of so many dresses and not very many pantsuits!
I recommend choosing long, flowy dresses or skirts because they’re flattering on all body types, look amazing on camera and bring extra movement and dimension to your photos. Maxi (or floor length) skirts and dresses will give us the best “twirl factor,” add more romance to your walking photos and look especially gorgeous when juxtaposed with nature, like the desert, forest, fields or beach. Cute, shorter cocktail-length dresses or midi skirts photograph beautifully as well.
My clients who choose to bring two dresses will sometimes choose one of each! I recommend avoiding pants and shorts for your session, and saying yes to a dress (or skirt!) or two! You won't regret it!
Flattering Your Features
In my experience, every woman (regardless of her size or shape) has an area of her body that she’s self conscious about. Recognizing the areas you’re self conscious about when selecting your outfits is key.
Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos. Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve. If your dress has shorter sleeves (or no sleeves) consider bringing a cute jacket, blazer, cardigan or pashmina to incorporate into your look.
If it’s colder outside, I suggest bringing a warm coat (the longer, the better!) to wear when we’re not shooting so you don’t freeze in your dress.
The Shoes
For shoes, keep in mind that heels elongate women’s legs and force constant tension in the calves –– which makes them look more toned. Closed-toed heels, in particular, look great on camera because they carry out the line of your leg all the way down to your toe. You can never go wrong with a pair of neutral pumps!
If your toes are showing in a peep-toe heel, you might want to schedule a pedicure before your session so you don’t regret letting your toes show. If your shoes don’t show at all in the dress you’ve selected, you could always choose neutral ballet flats to make your session more comfortable.
Lastly, make sure to bring a pair of flats/ flip flops to wear when moving from place to place. Your feet will thank you later!
Make a Statement
Pairing an accessory or two with your outfit can really help bring some extra dimension to your images. Whether it’s a necklace, belt, bracelet, earrings, hat, or scarf, bringing an accessory or two can bring great visual interest to your photos, so choose one or two that don’t compete for attention when paired together.
For example, if you go with bolder earnings, you might want to choose a more humble necklace, or maybe even no necklace at all. Fresh florals in a crown or bouquet can be a really romantic touch as well!
Skip the Spray Tan
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, I recommend that you do not get a spray tan before your session (even a few days prior) because it tends to photograph orange even when it’s applied subtly and by a professional. Your actual skin tone will photograph most beautifully.
Choosing Colors
The camera loves sophisticated color. I recommend light-colored, neutrals, earth tones, soft pastels or jewel tones.
Bright, bold or neon colors are distracting and take the focus away from where it should be: YOU! You can never go wrong with light neutral earth tones colors like cream, taupe, camel or light gray.
The camera also loves shades of soft pinks and muted blues, mixed with sophisticated light-colored neutrals. That softer, more neutral color palette fits beautifully into almost all natural outdoor environments and keeps the focus right where it should be, on you!
How to Mix All the Colors
The goal for coordinating a family’s outfits is to wear the same or similar color palettes!
I encourage you to think about planning each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind. A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate.
When you’re planning each family member’s outfit, if you can aim for each person to have a different dominant color, and then tie in and vary the accent colors, it’ll look great all together.
For example, if you’re wearing a blush dress and nude heels (blush being your dominant color), then your spouse could wear a camel colored coat with a white button-down and gray pants, paired with brown leather shoes and maybe even a blush pocket square (making camel his dominant color).
Your daughter could wear a soft powder blue top with a white skirt (making a soft powder blue her dominant color) while your son could wear light beige pants with camel colored suspenders and a white button down (making white his dominant color).
Now each person has their own dominant color while still incorporating a few touches of the other colors that will pull all the looks together. This will visually break up all the colors and highlight each person and their individual personality.
Most of my moms choose their dress first, and then build the rest of the family’s outfits based on that.
Coordinating the Looks
As you’re coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate, but don’t actually “match.”
In fact, I recommend that you avoid thinking about “matching,” and instead think about what “fits” together. This will create more visual interest, and allow each personality to shine through.
Mixing Up the Pieces
If you have multiple children, don’t feel like you need to put them all in the same type of outfit.
For example, if one of your daughters wears a dress and flats, the other can wear a skirt and booties, if that’s more of her style.
If one of your sons wears a bowtie, the other can wear suspenders or a blazer. Mixing up the wardrobe pieces will bring even more visual interest to the photos.
Style Tips for Him
Tops & Bottoms
The same way that a dress is the most flattering silhouette for the female body, a blazer, sport coat or jacket has the same flattering effect for men. You can’t go wrong with a dress shirt, slacks and a blazer.
Long-sleeve button-downs look amazing on almost every masculine body type. The other benefit to long sleeves is we can roll the sleeves up for a slightly more casual look, which gives you two looks with one shirt. Collared shirts add a classy look!
Colors
For colors, I recommend neutrals and soft tones. When selecting your pieces, I recommend choosing a different “weight” for the pants and coat. So for example, beige pants (darker) and a heather gray blazer (lighter). Or gray pants (darker) with a soft powder blue shirt (lighter).
Suits
When selecting an outfit for photos, the most important part isn’t the price. It’s the fit.
For men, it’s important to have a jacket that fits snugly (but not too tight), and pants that are the correct length and don’t have too many breaks.
Just like high heels make women look taller than they are, bunched up fabric stacked on top of a man’s shoes makes him look physically shorter than he really is.
Solid colors will help keep the attention where it belongs, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye, so stay away from too strong of prints, avoid logos and opt for solids instead.
Layered Looks
The next time you walk by a store like J. Crew or Banana Republic, you’ll notice the male mannequins and models are always wearing several layers at once.
Layers on men look great on camera, so even when it’s hot outside, it’s worth an hour or two of discomfort for photos that will last you a lifetime. Adding extra layers will bring additional dimension and visual interest to your photos.
If the temperature permits, you could even consider adding a v-neck sweater with a pop of color from a long-sleeved collared shirt and tie underneath, or bringing a leather or denim jacket with you. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with layers!
It’s All in the Details
Long pants with closed-toed shoes is the most sophisticated and masculine look for a man. They draw attention away from your legs and feet, and place it where you want it: on your face!
So, for your session, it’s best to leave the shorts and sandals at home. Dress pants, colored pants or nice dark- washed jeans work best. Brown leather dress shoes complement almost every look, whether you’re wearing slacks, colored pants or dark-washed jeans. As opposed to athletic shoes, dress shoes, help elevate your photos and will give them a more editorial look.
How to Prep Your Man
Even though taking photos might not be his favorite thing... YOU ARE!
Most men aren’t overly excited to take photos for an hour, mostly because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you, which is why I recommend sitting down together for fifteen minutes to educate and empower your man.
Tell him why you chose me and my style of photography. Show him your three favorite sessions that I’ve done, explain why you love the photos so much and express to him how much this session means to you. Trust me, if he loves you, he’ll bring his A-game and light up the camera for you!
The most common thing I hear from guys before portrait sessions is this: because of a bad experience in the past, they don’t like taking photos or don’t feel like they’ll be good at it. By the time the session is over, though, most guys can’t believe how fast it went and just how much fun they had!
Prepping Your Little Ones
Setting expectations before your session is the key to great photos and happy kids.
Before your session, pack a bag with water and your kids’ favorite snacks. If they’re too young to follow directions, bring any objects that you think might help me get their attention (like small toys or stuffed animals) when it’s time for them to look at the camera.
If your little ones are old enough to understand you, it’s a good idea to prepare them for what’s to come before the session starts. Explain how much the photos mean to you so they know to be on their best behavior.
A lot of families pick something fun to do –– as a treat after the session –– if their kiddos are good listeners. Like dinner at their favorite pizza place or an ice cream cone!
It also helps if your kids' bellies are full and they’ve had some good rest before the session. After you do your best to prepare them, give yourself (and them) some grace! I have a lot of experience working with kids, so if they’re “in a mood” or aren’t cooperating perfectly for some reason, rest assured that I'm not judging you (or them). I’ve seen it all and know how to get great photos no matter what! My goal is to make this as fun and stress-free as it possibly can be for you and your family!
This season of life feels long right now, but in the grand scheme of things, it's short. So even if things don't go exactly as planned or as you'd hoped in terms of your kids’ behavior, one day, you’ll be so glad you took these photos.
Fall & Winter Sessions
When seasons change and temperatures drop, sometimes it’s just too cold for a dress and heels by themselves (no matter how warm your coverup overcoat is). So I have some suggestions for late fall and winter that will still help you be fashion-forward and keep your color tones camera friendly.
First, let’s talk about color palettes. Just like in warmer weather, I recommend muted hues over bold, primary colors. During fall, warm neutrals like camel, taupe, cream, champagne, and gray are still going to look great. If you’d like to incorporate color, choose sophisticated jewel-toned versions of bright primary colors.
Here are some examples: mustard over yellow, crimson or burgundy over red, camel over orange, sage or emerald over green, and powder blue or navy over blue. These jewel tones will photograph beautifully in any season.
Cold Weather Tips:
Add a peacoat, tights, scarves and heeled booties to a form-fitting cocktail dress.
Snow Session:
Statement coat with a beanie, scarf and gloves or a warm, oversized, snuggly sweater with tall boots and a hat. The great thing about snow is it creates a beautiful white backdrop, so even though it might seem counterintuitive, soft pastel, muted colors like soft pinks and powder blues still look great! And, remember, regardless of the setting, you can never go wrong with neutrals!
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