Today I want to talk all things clothing for portraits. This is something that I feel is often overlooked or if you're like me, you stress about it for months before your session!
I don't think many people realize the affect your clothing has on the outcome of your photographs. This is definitely something I had never thought of, but when I started looking at photos that I loved, I really started picking them apart to figure out why.
A lot of why I loved some of the images I did was because of the "feel" that the clothing choices and colors provided.
My style of photography is very simple, clean, and timeless. I enjoy vivid, true to life colors in my photos and subtle, minimal prints. Don't get me wrong, I do love a stripe or a floral print though.
Today I am giving you 5 simple tips to keep it true to you + look your best for your session.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
My first tip for selecting your wardrobe is to not stress too much about it. I mean, we dress ourselves everyday right?
Now is not the time to go all crazy and try the new hype for the season. Keep it true to you as far as style and colors you are comfortable wearing.
When we start to try new styles for family pictures, we begin to second guess ourselves and are very unsure if it looks good. You show up for your session feeling far from confident and it will show in your images.
AVOID DISTRACTING CLOTHING
My sister in laws always make fun of my husband's clothing choices he made growing up! He loved to wear a red striped shirt and blue plaid shorts. Certainly not a good mix.
When we dress this way for photos, it makes our images looking busy and leaves your brain unsure where to focus and they will not feel bright and happy like we were hoping.
Again, let's return back to simple.... solid colors, neutrals, and very little patterns to create a beautiful ensemble. I love mixing textures and shades to create dimension like you see in the photo below.
CHOOSE COMPLIMENTARY COLORS
Select three colors that compliment each other and go from there. You don't have to put each person in a separate color, but mix it up. Gray pants with a blush shirt for mom and a gray shirt + jeans for dad works beautifully together!
What about the kids you ask? You can put your son in a light blue shirt with gray pants or even jeans and your little girl in a blush dress or pastel floral top with blush or gray skinny jeans. You can also mix it up and do jeans with colored pants. The possibilities are endless!
Stores that I have always been able to find clothing items I love are H&M, Old Navy, Kohl's, and Zara.
DRESS UP
These images are going to be on your walls for years to come so you want to look your very best. It's always fun to find an excuse to dress up right?
Now I'm not saying you have to wear a dress and slacks, but let's bust out the nicer pair of jeans and perhaps some colored skinnies. If you do love wearing dresses then do it!
I absolutely love photographing my clients in dresses. They are flattering, flowy, and very forgiving in images. For new mamas, dresses are my go-to and I have a full selection in my studio for sizes 2-12. They make hiding that post baby bump a breeze.
If you have booked a Family Session in studio, you also have access to my wardrobe. I can dress girls up to size 12 and little boys up to 4T.
Boys are typically pretty easy to fashion. Put them in a button up shirt with a blazer and it can change the entire look and feel of your image. You can also just leave them in the button up or polo and they look great as well.
MAKE IT FUN
Let your kids join in on the fun by helping select the colors or if they have a favorite shirt you approve of... let them wear it. If not, take them shopping, give them a few guidelines, and see what they come up with! You never know, it might be a gem!
The more they feel involved, the more apt they will be to wear it come session day. When you fight with them all morning to get them dressed, everyone
