For some reason, a lot of people find nailing the perfect outfit for their photo session to be this daunting task. We are here to tell you that it absolutely DOES NOT have to be! Instead, it can be fun and made into part of the experience of booking a session in the first place. Of course, we are not fashion experts and we too have our days of fashion “no-no’s,” like REAL “no-no’s.” But it’s okay! The first step is being prepared so that your “no-no” will not be documented and will hopefully remain in the comfort of your own homes…hopefully.
We have gathered as much of our experience and knowledge related to outfit planning and coordinating to make the process that much more enjoyable for you- and to show you it’s actually not that bad! Here are our top tips to nailing that perfect outfit:
Color is everything
We always suggest starting with a simple color pallet. Color pallets are a set of 2-4 colors that are pretty much guaranteed to look great together. You can have cool toned, warm toned, earth/neutral toned and even pastel toned color pallets. Some are better depending on which season your session is booked in. Once you have landed your color pallet you will be able to feel confident that your outfits will all correlate! If you are feeling stuck, feel free to check out some of our favorite color pallets here!
It is usually best to start with the youngest of the group. For example, if you have a toddler or newborn it is best to put them in the color from the color pallet that stands out the most. This will allow them to be the focal point of the image and will also keep them from being overlooked. You will then be able to put outfits together from the other colors that you have on the pallet. Do not be afraid to use pops of color from the first outfit that you put together- this creates consistency in the photos! You can even add in different textures or patterns. We are always a fan of one person in the family wearing stripes or plaid- just to add a little variety in there!
Comfort will forever be key
Before deciding on any outfit, it is always best to remember that comfort is key. If you are not comfortable in the clothes that you are wearing, you will not feel confident and it will more than likely show in the end result or final images. What we are saying is dress absolutely comfortable. Wear what is typical to your individual style. We cannot stress this enough. Comfort is key.
Coordinate, don’t match
We would never, in 100 million years, ever tell any of our clients to match. Coordinate? Absolutely. If and only if we were going for awkward family photos or something along those lines would we ever ask you to 100% match. It just almost never turns out right, no matter how much you want it to, and usually just end up look like a hot mess. When in doubt feel free to reach out- we are here to help make sure your photos turn out perfect!
Pull out the iron
Next is the fun part- picking your outfits! We know how exciting it can be to go out and buy all new outfits, especially for photos! But in our opinion, this doesn’t always work out like we think it will. Our first suggestion would be to go through all of the clothes that you currently have and find outfits that go with the color pallet. This pretty much guarantees that the clothes will fit correctly because they have already been washed and worn in. You know how they fit and there will be no surprises the day of the shoot. Obviously don’t pull out something that is extremely dated, or that was balled up in the back of your drawer for the last 3 years. More like your current go-to pieces that really show who you are, this moment in time!
If you still can’t gather what you are looking for and need to purchase a new wardrobe from the local Target, it is usually best to do this weeks in advance after wearing and washing the clothes a few times to make sure they do not shrink up in places they shouldn't!
If you are needing inspiration, the best place to look is over on our Pinterest! We have come up with seasonal outfit boards to help you land the perfect stylish threads for your photo session with us!
Carbone Photo Co. LLC is a Wedding Photography company based out of Richmond, Virginia who travels the entire east coast for weddings. Carbone Photo Co. LLC offers photography for weddings, bridal portraits, engagement sessions, events, senior portraits as well as family portraits. This Virginia wedding photographer specializes in capturing the most sentimental moments using a photojournalistic approach to document raw candid moments of you and your loved ones.