LIFESTYLE FAMILY
STYLE GUIDE
Great inspiration for coordinating outfits
What to Wear
Now for the most FUN part and hands-down the most frequently asked question: WHAT DO I WEAR?
Choosing what you will wear for your photo shoot is a huge decision that can make or break your family portrait session! Your outfit selection plays a huge role in the overall look and feel of your family portraits. The right wardrobe can elevate your images and create a timeless, luxurious look.
Trust your photographer’s guidance when it comes to color palettes and styling — we carefully consider lighting, locations, and backgrounds to help you look your absolute best.
So, the Family Style Guide to the rescue! This section will break down my best tips for what to wear and how to style and coordinate your outfits plus LOTS of fun inspiration including a Pinterest link to great ideas!
1. BE COMFORTABLE
The NUMBER ONE, most important thing to remember when planning your outfits: if it’s not comfortable to wear in real life, it won’t make you feel confident on camera!
If you do not like fitted clothing (super tight dresses or pieces that fit awkwardly) then leave them at home! Personally, I try to steer clear of items that are fitted in the tummy area (don’t we all?) just because it makes me self- conscious and I’m constantly wondering if it looks bad.
So, if there are pieces in your closet that make you feel self- conscious or uncomfortable, don’t include them! I also recommend trying to steer clear of anything that you have to constantly adjust or is at risk of being revealing. You’ll be doing lots of moving and posing, so if the outfit is super low-cut…you’re at risk of things slipping while we shoot!
2. BE BOLD & CONSIDER USING COLOR
Use this shoot as an opportunity to have a little bit of fun with your outfits + colors! When choosing outfits for your senior session, try to choose colors that POP and that compliment your hair + skin tones! My personal favorite combo is earthy or neutral solid colors with a floral dress added in the mix. Chef's kiss!
3. ADD LAYERS
In the cold months (fall + winter), adding layers to your outfits always looks STUNNING in portraits! A sweater with a flannel underneath paired with a vest + statement earrings or scarf adds so much dimension to your images and makes for super fun posing options! Even in the warmer months (spring + summer) you can add these layers + dimension by wearing a tank top with a cute sheer cardigan or by throwing a denim jacket over a dress!
4. PLAY WITH TEXTURES
Sometimes textures like furs and 3D florals can be considered too extra…but, in portraits, they are the BEST! Adding texture to your outfit can make a huge difference. I also love to photograph pieces with MOVEMENT: long, flowy dresses with epic trains that move when you twirl. It adds a super fun element to your pictures!
5. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ACCESSORIZE
There is a whole section dedicated to props and accessories coming up in this guide…but it’s honestly one of the most important parts! Adding accessories like jewelry or hats to your outfits really makes them feel like YOU and adds a whole new layer of detail to your senior gallery. I’m a huge fan of hats! When mama pairs her pretty dress with a boho hat, it's beautiful! ALL of these things give us so much more variety with posing + create such beautiful pictures!
THINGS TO AVOID
Now, there’s a few important things to AVOID that are worth having their own section of this guide! As a general rule of thumb, these are the things to stay away from…
1. Pieces that are sheer, too fitted
or potentially revealing
We already touched on this quickly…but it’s important! You will be doing a lot of moving throughout your shoot, so wearing pieces that have to sit just right or that are at risk of slipping aren’t a good idea. And, if pieces are super thin or sheer, it may be see-through in your photos or easily show sweat marks in the summer months.
2. The wrong undergarments
This is something that may slip your mind as you are planning your outfits…but it is SO important! Be sure to bring along multiple bras if you are wearing something strapless or that requires a sticky/backless bra. And wearing a neutral pair of undies is the best way to go to ensure it’s not showing through anything!
3. Pay attention to wrinkles
We will be doing a lot of moving around, sitting, walking, etc. at your shoot. If the material of your outfit easily wrinkles...you may want to be careful. Pay close attention to textures and remember that not everything is as easy to edit out as you may think! Editing out wrinkles from a dress can take hours PER PHOTO...which can result in your images taking a lot longer to get back or requiring additional fees for extensive edits.
This is the fun part...
PLACES TO SHOP
I mentioned it earlier on in the guide, but I'm going to say it again: buying new clothes is NOT required for your session! Sometimes it's actually BETTER to use clothes you already have that you know are true to YOU and your day-to-day style. But if you want to use your session as an excuse to shop a bit - I'm going to share some of my favorite spots!
DRESSING FOR THE SEASONS
This section of the guide is going to help you break down how to prep your outfits according to the time of year that we are capturing your portraits! Another important thing to keep in mind about the time of year is the SUNSET. In the summer months, shoots won't start until 5 or 6pm... but we will need to start much earlier (3-4pm) in the winter months to accommodate the earlier sunset.
WINTER
You may automatically think winter is a bad time for pictures...but it doesn't have to be! You can brighten up any dull background with bright colors, fun textures and lots of layers!
SPRING
My second favorite time of year for portraits...when all of the flowers are in bloom! Some people feel like they need to shy away from color so they don't clash with the blooming flowers...but I disagree! A bright pink against a white floral bush is a DREAM...try coordinating with the colors + add in pastels!
SUMMER
The only downside of summer portraits in Texas is the HEAT. You'll want to keep that in mind when choosing your outfits. Save the warmest outfit (i.e. layers or thick material) for the END of the shoot when it's cooler outside...and consider wearing BRIGHT pops of color to stand out against everything being in full bloom!
FALL
This is my most favorite time of year to shoot! I love the cooler temps, the fall color palette, and incorporating layers into your outfits opens up a whole new set of options for posing. Cute booties, scarves, jackets, cozy cardigans...I'm here for ALL of it!
HAIR & MAKEUP
I highly recommend all of my clients invest in professional hair and makeup. If it is in your budget, hiring a professional for your hair and makeup will make a huge difference in the quality of your photos and portrait experience. You are already making a large investment in your family portraits…so why not
make it the best it can be?! Let’s talk about why it can be such a big gamechanger for your experience:
THEY ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS
When you are investing in a professional photographer, you want to make sure that the images look their absolute best. Professional hair + makeup artists are TRAINED to do hair + makeup so that it photographs well. While your makeup may look AMAZING in person, it can look completely different on-camera, and these professionals are trained to know the difference! They will conceal spots you don’t like, contour your face so it looks the best at every angle, use colors that compliment your skin to make it look flawless, make your eyes POP with false lashes + shadows, manicure your eyebrows to perfection and more!
LESS STRESS
Preparing for your family portrait session can be stressful in and of itself. Trying to do your hair and makeup by yourself can make things even harder. Professional camera equipment is designed to pick up every little detail in an image (even details that the eye can’t see) so hiring a professional makeup artist is the best way to go.
Not In Your Budget? That's COMPLETELY Okay!
You can use these tips to make your makeup look camera-ready yourself:
Plan to wear slightly heavier make-up than normal, including blush and lipstick or gloss that are at least slightly darker than your lip color. I also highly recommend false eyelashes. These can be purchased for very affordable prices at CVS or any pharmacy in the area.
DON'T NEGLECT THE NAILS
And one last tip! In all of the chaos of your session prep - don’t forget to pamper your nails! During your shoot, a lot of the poses we do will have your hands close to your face and in the frame, so make sure that your nails look just how you want. Try to avoid any chipped polish or crazy patterns. French manicures, light/natural colors and even nails with no color at all photograph best.
I can't wait to see you!
We are going to have the BEST time...I promise! If you need me for anything before your session, you can reach me at tiffanydenisephotography.com or through Facebook Messenger.
See you soon!