This is without a doubt my most asked question. It’s the thing that first jumps to people’s minds when they’ve booked… but what do we wear?! Rest assured, I am here to take the stress away from this. It is really important to consider what you wear on a photoshoot, so when people ask me the question, I actually love it! It shows that you’re thinking about the look of your photographs and I want to get it just right for you.
There is no doubt about it, what you wear matters. In the photographs anyway (in real life I’m a big believer of wear what you like and own it). The reason why it’s important is because what you wear has an overall effect on the look of the photographs, both in the lighting of the image and in how comfortable you appear on camera.
Effect of Clothing
My aim is to work with you along the way in order to create the perfect, timeless beauty that my photographic style embodies. It’s amazing how much effect what you wear has on the lighting of an image, and the tones involved. It has the ability to really make or break an image and so I want you to feel good about what it is we put you in.
Comfort
Firstly, comfort is key, we must find something that speaks authentically for you and that is why I encourage conversations about outfits from the moment of booking. I understand that a wardrobe (especially a child’s) isn’t bought for a fashion shoot, but it is worth remembering that you will have these photographs forever and want to love them for just as long. I will advise on colours, tones and fabrics and be here to answer any questions you may have.
We love a dress
Let’s start with the basics. Loose, floaty clothes often work better than super tight fitting ones. This isn’t law, but the movement of the clothes photographs really well and often you will feel more comfortable, which makes a difference. There’s nothing worse than feeling like your top is gripping you too tightly, or like the dress you’re wearing doesn’t quite hug you in the way you wished it did. By cleverly opting for clothing that drapes/falls/floats we will minimise the feeling that your body isn’t looking anything other than great. Personally, I am a dress fan. Therefore if you feel comfortable in a dress, I will always encourage it. It invites the ethereal look that makes the photograph beautiful, rather than a corporate headshot. I will often advise a long dress, as on the whole most people feel more comfortable in longer dresses. However this is entirely personal choice and it might be that you have a shorter number that you feel amazing in. A floaty dress will allow movement in your images. Worried about looking wooden and a bit awkward? I promise you the difference you will feel in wearing a long dress and allowing the fabric to create dynamic motion. It gives the kids something to clutch, it gives you something to twirl. We love it.
Don't fancy a dress?
If dresses really are not your thing, that’s totally fine. There are lots of other options. You can get the same kind of floaty vibe with an oversized floaty shirt. I am a big fan of oversized, I think that it’s actually quite a flattering look (although again, this is personal opinion!) I also like how it makes you feel, I’m evidently not one for a tight outfit… I like to bloat comfortably! An oversized shirt in cotton, linen or another light material will sit so gorgeously on you. I think that leggings are obviously a comfort choice, and if they’re plain and neutrally coloured they will work perfectly fine. Alternatively, denim can look so great when paired well (although try and avoid everyone being in blue jeans… it’ll look a bit like a commercial!) But my own personal choice would be to go for floaty trousers. We love floaty trousers. We live in floaty trousers. They’re cool, they’re comfortable and they look fantastic. Okay, so not everyone loves floaty trousers as much as me which is completely fine, but if you do… wear them!
Seasonal Clothing
In the summer you can obviously get away with much looser, lighter items of clothing. The dresses can be floatier and not make you freeze, but there are some amazing winter dress options also. Swap the cotton dress in for a corduroy and you’ve got something that will keep you warm. Wear a vest and two pairs of tights, pair it with your favourite pair of winter boots and, voila, you’ve got yourself a gorgeous fit. In colder weather I will also shout from the rooftops about the value of a good set of knitted garments. A large knitted cardigan slouched over the shoulders, a knitted turtleneck that will protect against even the sharpest of winds. Your softest jumper will invite all the cuddles from the little ones… and we have a perfect photograph in the making before we’ve even started. Knitted ANYTHING. Get your little ones in their long woollen scarves, mittens and the right bobble hat can be super sweet also. If you own pairs of winter boots, I always say these look a little better than everyone in trainers (although a plain pair of white sneakers never is bad so don’t worry if you don’t have boots).
Okay, you're sorted. What about the rest of the family?
Now for the kids and husband. Let’s start with our man’s wardrobe. Now I am very understanding that a lot of men’s (not all men but a lot) wardrobes consists of black, blue and grey. If you break outside of this mould as a man and you’re not afraid to dress more creatively… I salute you! But I understand the comfort of those that don’t. Please do not fret also. My only gentle advice is to opt for the blacks, browns, soft greys, creams and whites of the wardrobe rather than the blues. Blue always looks a little business like and we’re trying to get a more natural feel with these photographs. One of my simple directions is - think autumnal nature. That’s the tones we’re going for. Otherwise, just try and be as comfortable as possible. In line with the anti corporate look, I would try and steer clear of blue business shirts. A shirt is lovely, and as long as its in a more relaxed fabric, it looks gorgeous. But a shirt that you’d wear to the office will look exactly that… like you’re heading to the office. Let’s relax it a little.
Time to focus on the little ones! The stars of the show, the rascals of the photoshoot. All of the above advice can be applied to the kids also. We want them comfortable, we don’t want them looking like little business people. We want them relaxed and happy… but of course we want them looking their best. I am a not so secret lover of anything old fashioned, so if that is a style that you enjoy, I will do shrieks of joy when I see you. I’m talking dungarees, bloomers, little pinafore dresses, knitted jumpers and cardigans. I think that on kids, material is just as important. Knits are going to be lovely against the skin… especially for indoor shoots. There’s something about a large knit jumper that just means no one can look bad in it. In warmer weathers, keep it simple. Light cotton t shirts and plain shorts/trousers. Again, dresses dresses dresses. The kids will twirl around in them, the material will fly and it will just look beyond gorgeous.
Advice on Fabrics
Fabrics that feel gorgeous to touch will be gorgeous to photograph. Soft linens, cheesecloths, cottons, corduroy, suede, wool and knitted garments are going to be your friends. Try to stay away from logos and bright, clashing patterns. If in doubt, keep it simple, the photographs want to be as timeless as possible, and not something where you look back in years to come and wish you hadn’t worn that particular jumper!
Advice on Colours
Now for the most important part… your colour palette. Now, this is probably the most powerful in changing the look of the images. More powerful than all of the above. The colours you wear, will effect the look of the images. Even if everyone was just in plain trousers and plain t shirts, the colour of the those t shirts would be important to consider. As you will be able to tell from my work, I am a big fan of neutral tones. I think that this aids in the timeless nature of the images, and they do just compliment everyone. When I say neutral tones, I’m talking: whites, browns, creams, nudes, greys, fawns, beiges, charcoals. Anything that is neutral in colour. It won’t take the attention away from yourselves, but it will nicely compliment your look.
If you’re wanting your photographs to GLOW then lighter tones, you’re wanting the whites and creams, watch as that light pours out of your images. Now let’s say we want to introduce some colour… we want to stick to warm colours, often in the form of what we call ‘muted off tones’. Basically, colours that are not Primary Colours. Deep, rustic, rich, musty, muddier, grown up tones. They work well because they reflect the natural world. They’re the colour of the golden leaves falling in autumn, the dusky pink hue of late summer sun, the deep red of soil on the ground, the chocolate brown of a well made coffee. So: reds, browns, rusts, burnt oranges, soft pinks.
If you’re confused… give Google a search for ‘earth tones’ and you’ll be gifted with a whole range of these kinds of colours. As mentioned before, avoiding blue is something I really try and encourage. It is much cooler in its tones, meaning the photographs won’t glow in quite the same way, and it also has quite a corporate feel to it.
Newborn/Maternity: Photographing the Body
If we are in a warm setting and we are doing a newborn/baby photoshoot, you might want some of the photos to involve less clothing and more a celebration of your body. I am a big advocate for how beautiful the human body is, in all its shapes and forms. Therefore, if you make the decision to show yours off, I will be your biggest cheerleader. Human skin is the most natural thing and it can add a tenderness and a sense of authenticity to your photoshoot - if it is something you want to do.
Some Mums like capturing the intimacy of feeding (both breast and bottle) and this is a good opportunity for it. This is, of course, a very personal choice and may not be something you are wanting to consider for your photoshoot at all! It will be a question I ask at the very beginning of the photoshoot, and we can go from there.
Final Thoughts...
Right, so if you’ve got to this point of the blog… congratulations! I know it’s a lot of information, but you must remember that it is there to be taken only if you decide to take it. The last thing I want to do is to confuse anyone, or stress anyone out. The information is made up of lots of answers that I have given people over the years, when they ask what to wear. It might be that you already have an idea of what you’re going to wear, in which case, great! If not, then I am here for constant communication over what might be the perfect outcome. I can advise on particular shops which I really like to shop at, individual garments which might work and simply just choosing between one of your outfits and another. You can always ask me any questions regarding outfits, and I’ll be happy to talk it through with you.
My advice is always only there to make your end result the most beautiful it can be, it’s up to you if you decide to take it! If you decide you’re super stuck and don’t think your wardrobe has the right items to offer, I do also have a client wardrobe which I can send you a brochure of. This consists of a small range of gorgeous items that I have personally sourced for the purpose of the photoshoots. They’re items that I am very proud of, and love, so I know they’ll always work. This wardrobe is yours for the taking for the duration of your photoshoot and we can talk through the various options within that.
The most important thing to remember is we are there to capture your love, your joy in being with each other, your story. The rest comes secondary.
Photos by Ruby
I’m Ruby: Buckinghamshire-based photographer, artist, lover of people, adorer of light, searching for those quiet, golden moments in life. Want to chat about a newborn, family or maternity photoshoot? Get in touch over on my contact page, I'd love to hear from you!
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