The first questions I typically get asked during the planning stages of a clients portrait session is, “What do I wear?”.  I wanted to take a quick second out to say, I understand and feel your pain.  Even with my own portrait sessions, I have had to figure out what I was going to wear.  I started with “what do I have in my closet?”.  Then I took to Pinterest for some visual inspiration. I gathered up some of those visuals for you, see below.  This Wardrobe Inspiration Guide is for everyone looking to have their photos taken during the fall.  Some of the tips can certainly be applied to those having their portraits taken during other times of the year, but as we approach those times of the year, come back here to the blog and look for that seasons “Wardrobe Inspiration Guide”.

What To Wear

Feel free to wear what you’d like! This is only a basic guideline to help you out. I can also offer more personalized suggestions at your request.

I strongly encourage outfit changes and backups. You’re welcome to bring extra clothing for mixing and matching outfits. Go ahead and get creative! Bring your hats, cute shoes, jackets, jewelry, scarves, ties – anything goes. Have an amazing dress? Bring that too. Unsure about something? Bring it anyway!

Visual Guides

Need a visual guide? Check out my pin-boards at Pinterest for some great visual ideas!

General

• Keep your body type in mind.
• Stick to fitted clothing. Baggy clothing makes you look larger in photos as well as messy.
• You can never go wrong with layers.
• Remember to bring complete outfits. You’d be surprised how many people forget about their shoes!
• That being said, give your shoes some extra thought. They usually end up being highlighted in a few shots.
• Make sure your clothing matches the location and season of the session. It’s hard to look warm and happy in the middle of winter if you’re wearing a tank top and sandals.
• Don’t forget about your fingers and toes! Your nails will probably be making an appearance – so don’t forget to touch them up.
• Feel free to bring props; books, blankets, vintage suitcases, “Thank You” or “Save the Date” signs, etc. (And we LOVE dogs!)

Try To Avoid

• Busy patterns. Busy prints take the focus off you.
• Clothing with logos. Unless you’re wearing your school logo or are an athlete with a huge sponsor, avoid plastering a logo across your chest. You don’t really want your family photos to be an advertisement for Old Navy, do you?
• White. (Unless you’re a bride, of course!) If you want the soft, airy feel of white, we recommend wearing pastels instead. They give the look without the harshness of white.

Couples & Families

• Think coordinating or complimentary colors (i.e. jewel tones, brown tones, varying shades of the same color, etc). Make sure everyone dresses in the same level too – either dressy or casual. You want to make sure you all have the same ‘feel’ with your outfits. And we always love fun shoes!
• Please avoid dressing everyone matching clothing (i.e. jeans and a white or black shirt. In fact, avoid white altogether if you can.) We feel that it’s outdated and boring – and we know that’s not you! Wear clothing that shows your personality.

Heather Keys

Along with being an “elder millennial” wedding and lifestyle photographer, I’m also a family gal. I’m recently engaged to my best friend of 10 years, mama to a rad teenage daughter (who happens to photograph weddings with me), the owner of (2) cute little pups, and driver of a yellow Dodge Challenger. On non-wedding days, you’ll most likely find me in the gym by 7:30 am getting my cardio on and then hitting up my favorite local San Luis Obispo California hotspots with my fiance, daughter, and friends. Traveling adventures are my jam, there’s no place I won’t go with my camera in hand.