What to wear to photoshoots: 3 tips for women

One of those most frequent questions I get asked is "What do I wear for the photoshoot?!" What if I told you it was easy as 1-2-3? Would you believe me?

I'll definitely write about tips for men on another blog post, but for now, let's consider the three Cs for women: 1. Comfort, 2. Color, and 3. Communication.

Ellen is looking SO comfortable in her favorite dress.

1. Comfort
Want to look really bad in your photos? Wear something that's uncomfortable - I promise it will work! (Ok ok so that's a joke, but this tip is very real!) Many women make the mistake of going shopping for a new outfit prior to a photoshoot. There's nothing wrong with this, but just be sure that you're NOT purchasing something that makes you uncomfortable. Is it too tight? Is it too trendy and you feel like you don't have enough confidence? Is it too loose? Do you feel like it makes you look frumpy? Do you feel like it makes you look too young or too old?

While comfort certainly does apply to clothing, it also applies to makeup, hair, shoes, and accessories. Consider your look when you're most comfortable, and then start from there when planning your photoshoot outfit. For example, I love to wear black and white, flat shoes, minimal makeup, and I think I look best with my hair down. Those are all easy rules to follow (while still having lots of styling options) while preparing for a photoshoot.

2. Color
When people make color mistakes, it's usually one of two things: lack of contrast or being too matchy-matchy.

Contrast means being different from something else, so in the case of  a photoshoot, you wouldn't want to wear a bright green dress if most of your photos will be taken in a park with green grass and green trees. you're looking for contrast. Consider your backgrounds at your photoshoot location as you plan your outfit.

Once upon a time in the late '90s, the cutest thing a family could wear to a photoshoot was white shirts and khaki pants. All of them. Every single person in the family. This may have been cute for a few years, but if you don't want your coworkers laughing behind your back when they see your family photos, let's make sure you're not going to be too matchy-matchy. While you shouldn't match exactly, making sure that there is some coordination is key. Look at the families above to see how they did a great job at sticking to 2-4 colors for the whole family.

Sarah had just gotten a new haircut, so showing it off was the right move!

3. Communication
Always be sure to chat with your photographer about any final questions, concerns, or preferences. Did you just twist your ankle and don't want your Ace bandage to show in the photos? It will be avoided! Do you really love the earrings you're wearing today and want to show them off? Consider them featured! Do you hate a birthmark on the side of your arm that you don't really like? It can be removed! Don't sit in silence and hope the photographer will avoid certain parts of your body or flaunt others - we talk about these things all the time, and are comfortable hearing what you need!

Happy posing! :)
Autumn