guide
what to
wear
SO HERE'S THE RUNDOWN
I'M SURE YOU'RE WONDERING: WHAT DO WE EVEN WEAR FOR OUR SESSION?
Below, you'll read some guidelines that will help you both look like a hotties & stay comfortable at the same time for your session. Of course - these are only guidelines, not rules. This is what I've found to work best from trial & error with my past sessions. You can show up wearing a potato sack if that's your thing. You do you, boo. ;)
Ultimately, I want you to look like yourselves. Whether you want to go shop for new clothes or pull out your old band t-shirt, what's most important to me is that you feel like you. Don't force any outfits that don't represent what you are like now.
FOR THOSE STRUGGLING TO CHOOSE THE BEST OUTFIT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
BRING OPTIONS
01
I always recommend to bring options. To get the best results, I'll pick and pull from the options you bring for you to change into for each location we shoot at. This way, I can make sure the outfits compliment the environment. The goal is to make sure the focus is on you two, not any distractions, which yes, can be your outfits. (Just don't bring your whole closet. Bring around 2 or 3 combinations for 1 hour sessions.)
MAKE SURE IT MAKES SENSE
02
Think about the conditions and locations we are going to be shooting in and plan around it. If we are going to be hiking around the mountains, bring shoes with good grip. If we are shooting in water, bring chacos or water shoes. You don't want to be wearing heels in a terrain that will twist your ankle. If it's freezing cold outside, bring lots of layers and warm cloths with wool socks and boots. If it's going to be hot, bring clothes that can breathe more so you don't have sweaty pit stains. Be comfortable!
BE SURE YOU CAN MOVE AROUND
03
You want to make sure that the materials you wear will keep you both comfortable for both temperatures & being able to move around. If you're in brand new jeans that are still stiff and tight, you might be distracted during our session trying to make sure everything stays in place as you sit, move, walk, etc. I recommend bringing clothes that are "broken in." I also love when couples bring clothing or accessories that can show movement by catching wind, because it adds energy to the photos!
STICK TO colors that compliment the environment.
Nature = earthy colors & minimal patterns
studio = anything, even bright colors or loud patterns if you like. be you!
STAY AWAY FROM BRIGHT. FLUORESCENT, DISTRACTING COLORS when it could be distracting from you.
FIND THE COLORS THAT GO WELL WITH YOUR SPECIFIC SKIN TONE.
USE PINTEREST TO LOOK UP COLOR PALETTES FOR EACH OUTFIT COMBO.
THERE ARE NEUTRALS FOR EVERY COLOR (MUSTARD, OLIVE, NAVY, RUST, MAROON, NUDE, GREY, EVEN PASTELS) - these are popular options.
PATTERNS
Avoid big, loud, chunky, crazy patterns. The smaller or more subtle, the better! If the pattern is too loud, it will distract for your faces. I usually try to avoid pairing too many patterns together because, you guessed it, it makes the photos feel hectic & distracting. P.S. Iron those clothes and avoid huge wrinkles!!
ACCESSORIES
I love when my couples bring hats, sunglasses, scarves, jewelry, etc. because it's nice to pair them with different outfit options. Just avoid wearing anything too chunky, because it will tend to distract from your faces when I'm taking up-close shots.
PROPS
When I think "props," my mind flashes through all of the cringe-worthy Pinterest photos I've seen of cheesy chalkboards and Hobby Lobby props brought to shoots. But props don't have to be cheesy! Props could be a pizza picnic, a motorcycle, your fur babies, blankets, a campfire, floral arrangements, coffee, etc.. If you have props you want to incorporate, let me know, and we can make sure to include them in a non-cheesy way!
IN-HOME SESSIONS
All of the above applies, but for in-home sessions - I say, the more skin showing, the better! No, that doesn't mean you need to be borderline naked - I'm just sayin' that the photos will look & feel more comfortable & intimate than if you're in heavy layers. Cause let's be real, most of us walk around without pants on at home anyways. I recommend bringing options of tank tops, shorts, sweaters, and jeans to mix & match. Anything that will show some skin is perf. Or if you wanna just wear a sweater with undies for a few/have your bae shirtless, then heck yes.
HAIR & MAKEUP
One of the most common questions I receive is whether or not you should get your hair & makeup done by a pro. My answer is always "whatever will make you feel best, do that." I absolutely don't think it's necessary, because I personally prefer a more casual look on myself compared to a glammed up face, BUT I love the glam on people that it makes sense for. If you're not the one that isn't bothered by heavy makeup or 5000 bobby pinks, then you don't need to. But if you want your hair & makeup done & want to feel like Beyonce, GO FOR IT.
SCHEDULE TO BE DONE AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE YOU HAVE TO LEAVE FOR OUR SESSION. WE WON'T STAY LATE IF HAIR & MAKEUP RUNS LATE.
WELP,
THAT'S ALL FOLKS!
If you're still not sure what to wear, feel free to shoot me a pic or two of what you're thinking or we can create a little Pinterest board together! But overall, just wear what you're comfortable in & feels like you. A pair of Vans you've had since 8th grade? Great. A sweater you wore for basically a month straight? Awesome. A hate that you know your mom hates? Perfect. You do you, and I promise the photos will turn out amazing.
