What to Wear 
& 
What Not to Wear

Finding something to wear to your photo session may seem like the most stressful part, BUT, I am here to tell you all the tips and always here to help you. Let's talk about a handful of things that you may want to keep in mind when going through your closet for an outfit. First, let me start off by saying I have a slight obsession with clothes.. okay who am I kidding, it's a very large obsession. With this being said, I absolutely love to help pick and choose outfits for my clients when my help is needed AND I am not picky on how many outfits you bring to your session. Just please keep in mind your time slot and we can figure out a game plan for outfit changes from there. Okay, let's talk all things clothes!

What to Wear & What not to Wear

First thing's first, colors. The color combination you choose is so very important. The colors will have a large impact on what the final product of your photos will look like. Scenery and background will also play a huge role in the final product. First, do some thinking, are we shooting during the summer when everything is bright and green? Or in the winter when everything is brown? 

I highly recommend to try and keep your outfits very neutral. Wearing neutral colors will keep your photos smooth, cohesive with pretty much any background and they are very easy to pair with different pieces as well as match with anyone that may be in the photo with you. With the way I edit my photos, I have found neutrals to look the best and most cohesive.

If neutrals are simply not your thing, that is okay!! Some other amazing color palette options I recommend are Earthy tones, Warm tones, and Berry tones. These as well pair very nicely with anyone's editing style and look beautifully in photos. Please try and stay away from reds. Reds tend to be very difficult to edit and our cameras are extra sensitive when it comes to shooting with reds. You should also try and stay away from bright and neon colored pieces. Bright pieces tend to over power the photo and take away from the subject which is you!

 If you need examples of what these color palettes look like, I have photos on my Instagram highlights, please check them out!

Now you might be wondering what time of year do I wear these colors? It's simple! Any time of year! The only thing I would stray away from is blending into the scenery. If you know you're shooting where there is a lot of brown trees, instead of wearing brown, go for white, cream or another color. If your scenery is bright and green and you would like to wear green, go for more of a sage green or yellow-green instead of the true toned green.

Patterns is another thing to keep in mind when choosing an outfit. Pattern is okay but do not over-do it. Try and stay minimal. When you have a very patterned outfit, it also tends to over power you as the subject and can make the photo look 'messy' and 'busy'. Stay away from large logos as well.

Let's talk pieces. If you have been following me for awhile, you should know I ADORE anything flowy and all things dresses. I cannot express to you enough how beautiful flowy dresses in photos look. They add that perfect touch and can count as a prop! If you are in the market for the perfect dress for your shoot, please reach out to me! I have a handful of boutiques and shops I adore that sell dream dresses that are affordable! If you are not so much into dresses, another great option is jumpsuits, another one of my favorite clothing pieces. They are so comfortable and there are so many different styles to choose from. The amazing thing about dresses and jumpsuits is you don't have to spend too much time pairing pieces. 

If you're the more casual and jeans/pants type of person, my number one tip would be to not over think it! You don't have to layer and accessorize a bunch, keep it simple! Throw on a cute top or sweater and a good pair of shoes and you're all set. Keep in mind the words balance or proportion. If you want to wear skinny jeans, maybe go for a flowy top/sweater. If you wear a pair of relaxed pants, go for a more fitted top. It doesn't have to be skin tight, but I recommend more fitting. This will keep a balance between the top portion and bottom portion of your body. 

SHOES! Please make sure you wear a comfortable pair of shoes. We may be walking a lot depending on the location you decide on. Also please keep in mind what the ground will be like. If we're shooting in a field, there may be branches, stumps, holes, etc. It may be harder to walk on a rough ground with heels or an uncomfortable pair of shoes. Last thing I would ever want is for someone to get hurt! Another thing to think about is MUD! Ohio seems to love to keep mud around during any season or weather we have. It never hurts to bring an extra pair of shoes just in case. I will always try my best to find the driest locations and keep you clean!

While we're on the topic of accessorizing, let's talk about what to wear and what to not forget. Hats, hats, hats. I am a huge lover of wide brim hats! They are just the cutest and easiest way to finish up an outfit. While they add that extra touch, they add as a prop as well. We can use your hat for so many different poses! Be careful with ball caps tho. Sometimes they may angle down too much over your face and create shadows. Keep your jewelry simple and dainty,  nothing too flashy. Too many accessories can overpower your outfit which will overpower you in your photos. Keep in mind before shooting to always check your pockets for keys, phone, wallet and anything else.  This will create a bulk and is very hard to edit out afterwards. I always have my bag with me and you are more than welcome to stick them in my bag for me to hold while we shoot. Another thing to check is your wrists for hair ties and scrunchies! This, I know, is a huge habit a lot of us have and tend to forget about!  

Lastly,  let's talk about how to pair outfits for two or multiple people. I want to start off by saying ditch the perfectly matching outfits! It 100% doesn't have to be perfect. I actually love when my families show up wearing different colors and styles! Mix it up, trust me you'll love it! Find a color palette that you love and work from there. For my families, find the parents outfits first, then base the kids colors and pieces around you. I have found this is the easiest way to find cohesive but not perfectly matched outfits. For my couples, a popular choice for men would be a flannel or button down. If he is wearing a pattern, make sure your outfit has no pattern or very little pattern and vice versa. Like I mentioned above, too much pattern can over power the photo and we do not want to take away from your power as a couple! 

This may have seemed like a lot to take in for just choosing outfits, but I promise it is not as overwhelming as it may seem. The most important thing you can do while choosing your outfits for photos is to choose something you feel 110% beautiful and confident in! I want you to feel the most beautiful you have ever felt while shooting with me and as comfortable as you can be. SO, if you take any tips from me within this post, please take this tip, BE YOU! Let yourself shine and you will rock your photos!