WHAT TO WEAR TO YOUR SESSION? 10 Style Tips for Gorgeous results!

May 29, 2020

First, I want to say that you can wear whatever you want to your session. It’s you, it’s your personality and your style. Most importantly, it’s YOUR memories!

Only three things should guide your decision.
1. Your personal preferences.
2. What you have in your wardrobe.
3. The location of the session

This article will concentrate on colours and contrast. I think you can wear any type of clothes and fabric, it is ultimately colour that will make the biggest difference. The goal is to create harmonious images which are pleasant to the eye. This guide will be useful for all type of session, whether it is couples, portraits and branding, or family photos.

One BIG RULE to keep in mind is to always consider the background/landscape in your decision. This is true for every tips cited below

WEAR THE SAME COLORS AS THE BACKROUND

CREATE A MONOCHROMATIC LOOK

Dress completely within the same tones as the background/landscape, without any other accent in color. This will work only if there is only one color in the background. This works well with all colors whether they are neutral, warm or cold. For a completely monochromatic image, use your skin tone as a base.

This look is very artistic and is perfect for branding sessions.

WEAR NEUTRALS

BLACK, WHITE, GREY, BEIGE, JEANS

There are two ways to wear neutrals

Wear only neutral clothes when
– You know the background or landscape is colourful enough.
– You want to create a monochromatic type of image.
– You don’t feel comfortable combining colors.

Combine neutrals with colours

It is especially useful when as a group:
– You are unable to combine colours for the whole group.
– You think it would be too much for our eyes if you all wear colourful clothes.

TIP

Best used when the background is neutral. (Black, white, grey or beige) It makes the subject stand out without being over-stimulating. This is the best way to wear bold colors and it works well with winter and urban scenes.

You can also use the dominant background colour as an accent colour in your accessories, while wearing neutrals.

I suggest this tip for all branding sessions!

Bonus: When the background is neutral, you can be much more free and bold with colours! Plus, you can pair your clothes with your products (or each other when with a group) instead of the background. During our session for Yoga Hero, we always paired the clothes to the yoga mats. Since the background was neutral it was easy and it always worked great.

DARK VS LIGHT OR COMPLEMENTARY COLORS

This is an important one. Playing with the brightness and darkness of the subject compared to the environment will greatly help. If the background is dark, a brighter subject will stand out. The opposite is also true (lit background, dark subject). This can be used with black and whites, but also with colors.

If you want to create contrast with colours, use complementary colours. They are colours who live opposite each other on the colour wheel.

(Green vs Red / Blue vs Orange / Yellow vs Purple)

TIP

COMBINE ONLY THREE COLORS, INCLUDING THE BACKGROUND.

You can choose any colour, and any number of colours you want if you know how to combine them. But if you are unsure, my best advice is to keep it simple.

Once again, the best way to do it would be to use the background colour + a second and third colour. A neutral one can always be added if needed.

Or your group can wear the same colors, with one person wearing an accent color.

ONLY ONE PERSON PER GROUP

You can definitively use a patterned piece of clothing, but if you aren’t alone, don’t over do it.
Only one member of the group should wear a patterned outfit. The others should wear plain colours AND those colours should be same found in the patterned piece of clothing. If more than one piece of clothing has patterns, make sure it’s subtle. If there are too of you, in a couple’s session, for example, only one of the two can wear patterns, the other should wear plain clothes.

TIP

UNLESS IT'S YOURS OR THE GRAPHIC FITS WITH YOUR PERSONALITY OR SESSION'S THEME

Logos are distracting. Imagine if in the top photo here, the man had a "insert brand" logo on his white shirt. It would pull the focus away from the couple entirely, and clash with her.

Situations when logos and graphic fits:

- Branding sessions: ABSOLUTELY!

- You want to both wear "insert fandom" t-shirts because that's you, go for it.

As long as it fits the purpose or mood of the session.

Questions you may ask yourselves: What kind of session is it? Romantic with the focus on connection and love? Edgy and cool? Humorous? (wink* wink* cereal killer!)

Don't be shy to bring accessories. They add to the story of the session, and fashion accessories can bring a pop of color to your outfit, if used as an accent colour or to bring contrast. As a bonus, they can help you make yourself more comfortable if they give you something to do with your hands. You can bring more than you need and make a selection during the session.

But also:

The session can also revolve around the accessory. You play an instrument? Skateboard? Surf? You want a humorous session with masks and costumes? (I'm looking at you dinosaurs!) You want a lifestyle session with coffee and books? Bring it on! Be especially mindful of the colour combinations if you are doing a branding session.

TIP

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, DON'T WEAR ANY!

REALLY!

I'm not kidding! I love doing intimate sessions. Just be sure that your underwear are in good condition. And bring the heat!

And for the daring couples whose underwear aren't in good condition, birth suit up!

SUMMARY

Fabrics and style:
Anything you want! But if you need more direction:

Jeans will work in any location. Long dresses fit well on the beach, in fields, and in parks.

Warm thick wool sweaters are perfect in the forest, in the fall or winter, and in a cozy indoor setting.

Wear clothes you are comfortable in! You may want to avoid skirts, dresses, or pants that are too short or too tight. (ie. If you have to constantly reposition your outfit, it's a no). Because we play a lot, young girls can wear tight shorts under their dress. (So we don't have to scrap good photos because we see her underwear)

Best colours for:

Forest: White, grey, beige, browns, greens, mustard, muted orange.

Mountains: White, grey, beige, browns, blues, greens, mustard, muted orange.
Fields: White, grey, black, beige, browns, blues, greens, gold, burgundy.

Beach: White, grey, beige, blues, yellow, pastels.

Urban: All colours fit. White, black. You can go neutral, or rainbow.

Cozy indoor: All colours fit. You can go neutral, or rainbow, depending on your deco and personality.

Business: Your brand colours, neutrals, blue.

Fall: White, black, greys, browns, purple, teal, blue, mustard, orange, burgundy.
Spring: Pastels, white, grey, beige, yellow, blue, green, burgundy.

General tips:
Be careful with reds, hot pinks, and neon colours. They reflect unwanted coloured light back on your skin when it's sunny. Don't wear distracting logos. Only one person should wear bold patterns. If you are pregnant, do not bring only black, as it hides the belly when you are posing from the front.

These are guidelines, not rules!

So that's it folks! If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask in the comments! Or you can write to me directly if we have booked a session together!

If you want more inspiration ...

WHAT TO WEAR TO YOUR SESSION? 10 Style Tips for Gorgeous results!

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