5 Essential Tips for Clothing for Your Session
So the struggle to plan outfits is real ya’ll. It can literally be the biggest source of frustration and stress. And my eternal goal is to take ALL the stress out of this experience for you. So today I am bringing you my TOP FIVE tips for picking out the most flattering, beautiful and complimentary clothing for your family! Keep reading to take these tips and put your own spin on them for your next session.
1. MAXIS FOR YOU
My hands down, absolute best tip for you is always going to be to choose comfort over everything! If you are comfortable. If you are not pulling at your waistband and pulling your shirt down. If you are not constantly yanking on clothes and feeling self conscious, you will glow!!! Maxi dresses and skirts are flattering and perfect for every body type. Choose solid colors or very muted patterns (avoid bright colors, busy patterns, and too tight bodices). The entire outfit can be played up with bold jewelry, funky hats, strappy sandals or leather boots.
2. NEUTRALS FOR MEN
Ok, so we can go ahead and admit it, dressing the men is probably the easiest part of this entire undertaking! If the weather is warm, find them solid shorts and a neutral top. If it’s cold out, find them solid pants or jeans, and a neutral top or sweater. DONE. It’s way too easy. I always recommend avoiding busy patterns, bright colors and either too tight or too loose tops.
3. ADD A TOUCH OF FUN WITH THE GIRLS
Girls are kind of easy too. The sky is the limit with them. Choose funky dresses, stripes and polka dots can photograph well (so long as the pattern isn’t too small). Denim is always a great choice. Sparkly shoes add a pop of fun. Hats, belts and headbands can really make an outfit stand out. I know we all love bows, but leave the bows at home for sessions. The same goes for trendy clothing such as ruffle pants and shirts. They can really date a session and the first thing we are going for here is timeless!
4. DRESS THE BOYS THE SAME AS YOU DO THE MEN
Ok now, when I say “dress them the same as you do the men”, I do not mean identical or matching. But the same rules apply here: neutrals, button ups, blazers or sweaters. You cannot go wrong with hats or vests. Make sure they are comfortable and can move freely.
5. COORDINATE, DON’T MATCH
So what we are going for here, you want to pick a family of colors and stay within that family for each outfit. Don’t show up in white shirts with blue jeans!! Choose the most complimentary color for your skin types and add colors that compliment that. So if you want to add maroon, denim blue, mustard, navy and browns go well with that.
There you have it. My top five best tips for planning your clothing for your next session with me. Now keep in mind, these tips apply to more casual sessions. We can absolutely plan a very formal session, evening gowns, blazers, and fancy updos really speak to my soul. But of course, the majority of our sessions will be casual, and these tips found here are the best for that!
Keep an eye out for a future post The Best Accessories to Make Your Portraits POP.
All these images were found from various boutiques and online stores during a google search. I do not own them. To find the links to any of the items above simply google “womens maxi dress” or “boys modern neutral clothing”.