Suddenly, you’re staring at your closet like it has personally betrayed you.
You're wondering whether you should look timeless, fun, editorial, effortless, romantic, or like someone who just “threw this on” in a very calculated way.
"What do I wear?" is an age-old question, and one I get a lot. So here’s my biggest tip: your outfits help decide the mood of your photos.
If you want something a little more classic, formal, or muted, neutrals are always a safe bet. You really can’t go wrong with black or white. They photograph well, they’re timeless, and they tend to give your photos a more polished feel.
If you want the photos to feel more playful, bold, or expressive, color is your friend. Brighter tones and statement pieces can bring a lot more personality into the gallery and shift the whole vibe.
As you can see, neither is really "better". It just depends on what you want your photos to feel like.
That’s really the question to ask yourself: what vibe are you going for? Once you know that, the outfit part gets a whole lot easier.
Also, a practical note from someone who has watched people suffer for beauty: if we’re shooting in the desert, on campus, or anywhere with a decent amount of walking, please bring comfortable shoes. I am begging a little.
You can 100% wear heels or whatever shoes you want in the actual photos, but having a pair of Birks, tennis shoes, or something easy to walk in will make getting from spot to spot way less miserable. Especially if we’re dealing with gravel, dirt, stairs, or a longer walk than expected.
If you’re planning on doing an outfit change, keep in mind that there may not be a bathroom nearby. That’s especially true for more nature-y locations. I do try to make sure we’re near a public restroom or your car when possible, but sometimes it just isn’t realistic to walk all the way back and forth in the middle of the session.
So if you’re bringing a second outfit, make your life easier and choose something you can change into without a full production.
And above all else, wear something that actually feels like you.
I can always tell when someone is wearing something they feel confident and comfortable in. I can also tell when they’re wearing something they saw online and are now trying to emotionally survive in.
It shows.
The best outfits are the ones that match your vibe, photograph well, and still feel natural to wear. Because at the end of the day, you want to look like the best version of yourself, not like you lost a fight with your own wardrobe.
