Style Guide
A Simple Guide to Looking and Feeling Your Best for your Photo Session
Now that your session is booked, you may be asking:
"But what should we wear?"
Choosing the right outfit for your photoshoot can feel like a big decision, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. In this guide, you’ll find helpful tips and suggestions that will make getting ready for your session feel easy and fun. The key to beautiful images lies in keeping it simple—choose clothes that make you feel like yourself and showcase your love in a natural, elegant way. Let’s focus on capturing moments that are raw, heartfelt, and effortlessly beautiful.
First and foremost: Be true to you!
The most important thing is that you feel comfortable in your outfits. Choose clothing that feels natural and authentic to you, not something you would never wear in real life. Your photos should reflect your true selves, so avoid anything too trendy or stiff. Go for pieces that make you feel like your best self.
Embrace Neutrals and EarthTones
For a timeless and cohesive look, I recommend opting for neutral, muted, and earth toned colors. Think soft whites, creams, beige, warm taupes, gentle blushes, muted rusts, soft grays, and muted greens. These colors create a calm, romantic, and sophisticated atmosphere that complements natural backgrounds and creates a beautiful connection between you and your surroundings.
Choose Subtle Patterns
Opt for light patterns like small florals, soft stripes or delicate checks. These add texture and interest to your outfit without overwhelming the image. Stick to soft, muted tones to ensure the patterns blend seamlessly into the overall aesthetic of the shoot.
Floral prints, especially in soft, neutral tones, can work beautifully in outdoor settings, creating a harmonious connection with the environment. Just be sure to keep it minimal and understated, so the patterns don’t compete with the natural beauty around you.
Create Movement and Texture
Materials like linen, cotton, and silk photograph beautifully and add a sense of flow to the image. For families, soft textures can help create a relaxed, natural vibe. Avoid stiff fabrics like denim or heavy leather unless they’re a key part of your style. Layers and flowing skirts or dresses also add a sense of movement that can enhance the overall aesthetic. Textures—like lace, knit, linen, or velvet—can add beautiful depth and dimension to your photos without being distracting. These materials create visual interest while keeping the focus on your natural connection.
Layers and Accessories
Adding layers and accessories can help personalize your look and add depth to the photos. Scarves, hats, cardigans, or jackets can elevate an outfit and make it feel more polished.
I would recommend you to stay away from wearing watches though, as often times hands are used for expressing a lot of the emotion and feeling in the image, and any big element there would simply be distracting.
Hair and Makeup
Whether or not you should have your hair and makeup done by a professional ahead of the photo session is entirely up to you!Go for natural, effortless hair and makeup that feels like you. Light, glowing makeup often works best for photos. If you’re unsure about makeup, consider hiring a professional to help you feel more polished, but remember that less is often more. For hair, avoid dramatic styles that feel out of character. Soft waves, a casual updo, or simply wearing your hair as you normally do will make the most timeless and authentic images.
Shoes Matter
Shoes are an often-overlooked detail, but they can make or break your look. For couples, choose shoes that complement each other in style and color but not identical. For families, make sure everyone has comfortable shoes that allow them to move around easily, especially if we’re shooting outdoors.
Relax, Enjoy the Process
Lastly, I want you to enjoy this experience. Trust that the most special moments come when you’re just being yourself. Take a deep breath, focus on one another, and let’s make some magic happen together.
The goal of this session is to capture you—your connection, your love, your real-life moments. With the right clothing choices and styling, we can make sure those memories are beautifully preserved. Keep it simple, comfortable, and most importantly, true to who you are. I can’t wait to document your story!
What to Avoid:
- Bright or neon colors, as they can distract from the mood and theme of the photos.
- Bold patterns or logos, as they can draw attention away from the moment and make the photo feel less organic. Be aware of your location when picking patterns - plaid on a bold brick wall may be too busy together, but plaid in a field is a classic.
- Small lines. Think pinstripe lines. Those close together, thin lines don’t photograph well and almost appear in photos like they are dancing. It doesn’t look well on a computer screen and it prints funky.
- Sunglasses and baseball caps - we want to be able to see YOU!
Think Coordinated, Not Matching
It’s tempting to match colors exactly, but your photos will feel much more natural and dynamic if you coordinate your outfits instead. Pick colors that complement each other without being identical.
Recommended Shops:
Rylee + Cru (young kids)
Abercrombie + Fitch
Altar’d State
Free People
Zara
bohme
Baltic Born
Vici Collection
H&M
Joyfolie
Piper and Scoot
Three Bird Nest
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