What to wear

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GENERALLY

When deciding what to wear for your portrait session, the number one thing to consider is comfort!  Make sure that your clothing feels good and makes YOU feel good wearing it.  That confidence will come across in your photos.

Below you’ll find what I think are some good clothing ideas and bad clothing ideas for all kinds of portrait sessions . . .

NEWBORNS and BABIES

Newborns and babies are easy: they photograph best in their birthday suits!  I’ll take mostly nekkid shots, but if a diaper is eventually necessary, you might consider substituting a cloth one for plastic one.  Another good idea: a simple white onesie, or any other cute little onesie you’ve been dying to get his or her photo in.  And hats make great accessories for babies.

TODDLERS and KIDS

Good ideas:

• Bright, bold colors
• Big patterns — bright stripes, large polka dots, or whimsical prints
• Jeans!  Jean skirts are also great for girls
• Layers, such as skirts with fun tights, or shirts with cute jackets
• Pretty dresses for girls, especially white cotton or eyelet dresses
• Sweaters with hoods, for both boys and girls
• Overalls without a shirt, for boys
• No shirt at all, for boys
• Jammies
• Hats — stocking hats, tasseled hats, straw hats, cowboy/girl hats, etc.
• Tiaras, tutus, butterfly wings
• Superhero capes
• Ribbons and bows in the hair
• Funky rain boots, or bright-colored cowboy/girl boots
• Winter coats with fur on the hood
• Bring along a teddy bear
• Striped socks
• Bare feet

Not-so-good ideas:

• Shirts with big logos or characters
• Tops with words on them
• Very small patterns, like skinny stripes or tiny polka-dots

FAMILIES

These are tips for moms and dads who want to be in photographs with their kids.

Good ideas:

• Go casual!  Dressing everyone in their “play clothes” will allow everyone to feel like themselves and have fun.
• Everyone wearing similar, coordinated tones, like light and dark blue with some pink and white mixed in — but NOT everyone in the same color!
• Everyone in jeans

Not-so-good ideas:

• Everyone in the same color
• Matching outfits
• Dressy, “church clothes”

COUPLES

For an engagement shoot, I recommend that both of you bring at least two outfits — one dressier, one more casual.  Just make sure your styles match!

Good ideas:

• Solid colors or patterns that are easy on the eyes
• Fitted clothes — that aren’t too baggy or too tight
• Jeans!
• Ladies: pair your jeans with a dressy top.  Men: pair them with a button-down.  Or both of you put on your favorite worn-in T-shirts!
• Layers — vests, blazers, jackets, etc.
• Ladies: your little black dress
• Dresses in bright colors or with large patterns look great on women
• Big chunky necklaces for ladies
• Women: Bright-colored pumps that contrast with your outfit
• Hats, scarves, or sunglasses
• Aim for hip, trendy, high-fashion in urban, modern, or grungy locations
• Aim for sweet and romantic in nature-y, outdoorsy locations

Not-so-good ideas:

• Clothing with very small patterns, like skinny stripes or tiny polka-dots
• Solids in super-bright colors, like bright orange or lime green
• Horizontal stripes
• Clothes that are too baggy or too tight
• Super-low cut tops or short skirts
• Tops with words on them
• Watches and rings — other than your engagement ring
• One of you dressy, one of you casual

MATERNITY

Good ideas:

• Your pre-maternity jeans–unbuttoned, of course!
• Black or white solid-colored tank tops
• Yoga pants
• Pretty skirts with belly bands you can push below your belly
• Button-down shirts left unbuttoned over your belly
• A form-fitting black dress
• Wear a belly band as a tube top
• A long, chunky sweater jacket that you can leave open to expose your belly
• A pashmina to wear around your neck and drape over your top like a scarf
• Sun-dresses
• A pretty bra and panties
• Going topless (with strategic hand placement!) or with no clothes at all!
• A manicure, because your hands will be in a lot of photos

Not-so-good ideas:

• Clothing that is too baggy — you gotta show off that bump!

FINAL TIPS FOR EVERYONE

Your session fee includes unlimited clothing changes, so please feel free to bring more than one outfit along!  We can experiment to see what works.

Finally, I recommend that everyone bring chapstick so that your lips don’t look dry!