Choosing an outfits for your couples session can feel super overwhelming. The colors, style, silouette and textures you choose can set the tone for how you look AND feel at your session and create the vibe and look of your photos.

That’s where I come in. Ive seen it all. Too tight dresses, painful shoes, horrifying patterns and wardrobe malfunctions galore. And don’t get me started on the neon colors <major facepalm>… read on for some major tips and tricks to help you plan your outfits so you will be the star of the show, not your shirt.

What to Wear

a) Be Comfy. First and foremost, if you can’t walk, sit, dance, swing and play… your pictures will suffer! Make sure nothing is too tight or revealing or restrictive. If you’ve seen any of my work, standing still and saying “cheese” isn’t what you are paying me to capture so be ready to live it up! And make sure your clothes allow for some fun…

b) Simple is best. Stay away from fussy or complicated pieces. A flowy dress or jeans and a sweater. Leave the chains, zippers, buckles, sequins and stilettos at home. Think relaxed, easy and effortless. Pick an outfit you would wear to a first date in a park or fair. This isn’t the time for a costume or to make a statement with that funny shirt. Keep it classic and easy.

c) Colors. Stick to neutrals. Can’s stress this enough. Nothing too busy or bright. If one person is wearing a pattern, other subjects should go with neutral solids. The idea is to not let clothes overtake the attention. You should be the main focus, not your neon shirt. Also, try to stay away from red when doing nature shots to avoid it looking like a Christmas session (unless of course, it’s a Christmas session. LOL).

That being said, you shouldn’t be matchy matchy. Its actually better if you don’t. Think coordinating over matching. So if one person is wearing light color, maybe other goes with dark but all in the same neutral family. Pinterest is a great resource to get some ideas. Or ask me and I’d be happy to send some inspo to fit the location!

Bonus tip - be mindful of weather. If its hot and you know you sweat, try not to wear colors/fabrics that will show wetness. This is a HUGE pain and sometimes impossible to edit out so something to keep in mind.

d) Patterns. Keep em small and in a single color palette. No stripes or large busy prints. The only exception would be flannel in fall and winter and even that should be well thought out. Dresses with floral print do photograph well but make sure flowers are small OR blend with dress colors to avoid being too overwhelming.

e) Accessorize! Jewelry is great as long as its small and delicate and meaningful. Nothing too big or heavy or bright. Again, YOU should be the main focus! Hats, Scarves, Jackets, yes yes yes! If wearing glasses, remove the frames or we may just take them off if working against glare.

f) Modesty. Yes I do boudoir, but this isn’t the time or place for undergarments to show. So make sure the outfit you pick works with your undergarments and the two aren’t fighting for camera time. We also want to make sure dresses are so short that we will see underwear when your hunny swings you around!

As with everything, when in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask! I Love this stuff so always feel free to send me an email or text with pictures or add me to your Pinterest board (or checkout my Pinterest for ideas). I will hype up the good choices and veto the bad ones (with explanation of why they won’t photograph well of course) so never be afraid to get my professional opinion!

Props

Yes!!! Props can be anything that tells your story. Signs, a skateboard, champagne, a few beers, a football, your dog, or a whole damn picnic!

This really all depends on you and your unique hobbies but I am all for a unique photoshoot that feels super personal and curated to show off who you two really are- so bring it on!

I can help come up with ideas on how to use your props in new and interesting ways while keeping the main focus on you two.

For maternity shoots, feel free to incorporate sonogram pics, onesies, shoes, hats or small gifts for baby that have special meaning.

How to Prepare.

a) Clean that ring! We will get closeup shots of hands and the ring in particular. make sure its clean and ready for its headshots.

b) Nails. No time for a nail appointment? no problem, Just a fresh coat of polish or trim and make sure they are cleaned up.

c) This is the occasion to go ham on hair and makeup. If you are planning a hair/makeup trial, this is a perfect time to schedule it! Do it right before your session and look super fresh.

Make sure clothes are steamed/ironed and lint free. I always carry lint rollers (hello blonde dog) and safety pins but the less I have to edit out imperfections, the faster you will get your photos back!