One of the biggest things that people stress about when it comes to their portrait session is what to wear! Your wardrobe plays a major role in the look and feel of your photos. I love to help clients as much (or as little) as they would like when it comes to their outfits.
I have to confess, I love the show "What Not to Wear" so I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my big "no-no's" when it comes to planning your outfits. There are no real hard and fast rules, but these guidelines will help point you in the right directions.
Melody's outfit is a great example of they type of outfit your SHOULD wear!
1. A brand new, adventurous outfit.
This one is probably going to sounds strange, but you want to look and feel like YOURSELF in your photos. Its great to buy something fresh and new for your photos, but I recommend against buying something totally different from your usual look. The newest trendy thing or a cut of clothing that you're not fully comfortable in will make you feel unlike yourself, or even get self conscious about what you are wearing. That will reflect in your attitude that day and when you look at your photos later you may end up saying "What in the world was I thinking!?" By all means, find something new that makes your eyes light up, but not something that you think you should like.
2. The Color Red.
Again, there are no hard or fast rules when it comes to your outfits. But I often caution people about wearing red. It's called the Power color for a reason! Its bold and bright and where your eye will go to first in photos. If there is one person wearing red, they will be the center of attention! If you are taking Christmas photos then do wear red! But for family portraits, its a color I try to steer people away from.
3. Too Casual
Your family portraits are special. Make sure that you look presentable and put together, not like you just got back from running to the grocery store. A well planned and put together outfit can make or break your photos. There is a big difference between old jeans and t-shirt verses tailored, dark wash jeans, a button up shirt, stylish belt or accessories. Think through the details like accessories, shoes, undergarments, nails, and hair. Don't forget socks too! Those small things make the difference between just okay and WOW images.
Hopefully these tips help you avoid some portrait pitfalls and get you going in the right direction. If choosing an outfit still feels intimidating, you will love having a Design Consultation! During the Consultation, we'll go over these things and more to make sure that you look and feel your best in your photos! I'm happy to help you plan and choose what will make you look great!