What to Wear to Your Photoshoot

Best practices from a Master Portrait Photographer

One of the main questions that I get is, “What should I wear to my photoshoot?” And to answer in short - it’s slightly different from what you might wear on a normal basis.

What works best in real life is not always the same as what works best in a photoshoot. So in this guide, I’ll explain all the ways you can elevate your look to create gorgeous photos. This is your moment, after all! And I want you to look and feel your absolute best.

Confidence Looks Gorgeous on You!

Your portrait experience is about far more than gorgeous photos - it’s about reconnecting with your true self on a deep, meaningful level. It’s time to focus on what you love about yourself - let’s design your shoot to show it off! Think about the greatest aspects of yourself - body, mind, character, and soul. 

What are your favorite parts? Shoulders, legs, eyes? Your amazing curves or beautiful smile? Your overall physique or perhaps something about your hair? Choose looks that showcase and celebrate what you like best about yourself (rather than hide what you don’t want to show - leave that to me!)

Fabulous & Form-Fitting Clothing

Wearing form-fitting clothing allows me to really work with one of my favorite aspects of a fabulous photoshoot - BODY LANGUAGE! Great body language makes for stunning photos, but if your form is hidden under loose, baggy, or boxy clothing - all of those beautiful nuances get lost. So let’s get you ready to feel confident being seen. Foundation garments such as Spanx and a great bra can go a long way toward helping you feel AMAZING in body-skimming outfits.

Flowy outfits, especially beautiful skirts, are extra fun. We just want to make sure they are still showing off your waistline and not covering you up.

Consider Knits Your Secret Weapon

Knits - super cute stretchy knitted sweaters and dresses - are truly amazing because they move so beautifully with the shape of your body! With a good knit, we can pose you in a million different ways and it will always follow and flatter your curves.

Button-Down Dos and Don'ts

Button downs and blazers are extremely popular for professional headshots, but sometimes they can be tricky to photograph. So if you choose to wear either for your session, I want to help you make sure it looks amazing!

• Is it stretchy? Perfect! Stretchy fabrics for button-downs or blazers mean they are more form-fitting and less constraining for movement in posing.

• Is it structured? If the answer is yes, you can still wear it for your photoshoot. It just means that we won’t have as many posing options because we don’t want your buttons straining or your blazer pulling, bunching or looking bulky.

Oh-So-Stunning Solid Colors

Solid colors are a fabulous way to frame your features and allow the attention to be drawn to your eyes, your smile, and everything that makes you beautiful. 

Here is a pro tip: The eye will be drawn to the lightest part of an image and away from the darkest part. Pretty cool, right? This means if you want to draw attention to something (your beautiful face!), let it be the lightest part of your photo. Or, if you want to minimize something, you can use darker colors in that area. Wearing your all-time favorite color, like a solid red, is also great and can add a bold pop of color to your images!

Solid colors also go great with accessories like scarves and hats! Meaning you can add or subtract an accessory and magically make it feel like a whole new outfit. Voila! Solid colors are magic.

Sleeves That Flatter Your Shoulders & Arms

Strapless, sleeveless, one shoulder, ¾ sleeves, or long sleeves are all great options that photograph beautifully. There is only one option you’ll want to avoid - sleeves that end mid-bicep. Pretty simple!

Not feeling confident about showing off your arms? We have a variety of beautiful sheer and faux fur wraps that look great with sleeveless options and draw attention right back to your face, your legs, and all of those features you love.

Emphasize Your Favorite Features

What do you find beautiful about yourself? Find things you love to see in yourself, and we’ll make sure you see them in your photographs! When you’re choosing the style of outfit you're going to wear, think about what you want to emphasize, what your favorite features are, and what you want to draw attention to.

• A short skirt or dress, a high slit, or a hi-lo dress is a great way to draw attention to your legs.

• Sleeveless tops are an easy choice if you want to show off your arms.

• V-necks can lengthen your torso, enhance an hourglass shape, and emphasize your bust.

• Off-the-shoulder and strapless necklines bring attention to your collarbones and highlight your shoulders.

• Turtlenecks, especially black, are perfect for drawing all of the attention to your face. 

• A portrait collar or sweetheart neckline is a classic style for framing your décolleté, shoulders, and face!

Choosing the Right Jewelry

You can absolutely do a photoshoot without any jewelry whatsoever! But for those of us who feel like our looks aren't complete without it, here are tips to make sure your accessories photograph beautifully:

• Pearls are perfect! Beaded necklaces like pearls work really well because they are quick to put on, unlikely to get tangled, and are less likely to lay “off-center” during leaning and dramatic poses - so they always look lovely.

• Simple pendants are also beautiful. We just want to be mindful about making sure they are laying straight and in place during your photoshoot. 

• Pro Tip: If you want to incorporate jewelry into your photoshoot, it’s best to make sure it’s organized the night before your shoot so we have more time for photos (and less time untangling necklaces!).

We also have a few jewelry pieces in the studio for more glamorous looks, so feel free to ask about those at your Design Session.

Shoes That Elongate Your Legs

Barefoot is the thing right now! Isn’t it nice knowing that you can be completely barefoot and still look perfectly elegant? Plus, in some of your outfits, like long gowns and skirts, we won’t be able to see your shoes anyway. But if shoes are what you want to showcase, flats and block heel boots work great for casual looks. (Just make sure you avoid boots that end mid-thigh.) And for most other types of looks like glamour or boudoir - your best bet will be heels that are 4” tall or higher. 

4” high heels function more as a photography prop rather than a shoe you actually have to walk in. In a photo, your shoes will appear much shorter than they really are! Which makes 4” the minimum recommended heel height for a cute or glamorous look that is going to shape and elongate your legs.

Showcase Your Natural Beauty

It’s super fun to get dressed up and wear gorgeous gowns, but it’s not necessary for a stunning photo. You can skip the shopping all together and choose a simple black turtleneck or knit from your closet and pair it with black leggings or jeans for a sleek monochromatic look that is timeless and draws attention to your face rather than your clothing. Or, you can do a photoshoot which requires no clothes at all! A simple white sheet or piece of fabric is an effortlessly elegant way for any woman to showcase her natural beauty. It’s just gorgeous!

Break the Rules!

Check out these examples of women who are breaking rules by wearing structured blazers, eye-catching patterns, outfits that have absolutely no stretch - and they all look amazing! There is always, always, always room for your personality in the studio, even if it’s outside or bigger than the guidelines laid out for you. Your portraits are lifelong keepsakes that will always remind you of the person you were when you designed your photoshoot, so the #1 rule is to make it perfectly yours, whatever that means for you.