You all remember that hilarious song, right?!  I have very vivid memories of myself around 8 years of age struting down the catwalk in my front yard singing this song at the top of my lungs.  I’m sure the neighbors thought my parents were the best parents in the world 😉

I’m not gonna lie….sometimes I still strut down the catwalk singing this song at the top of my lungs….

Ok, back to the (very important) topic at hand….how to ROCK an engagement session.  One of the most commonly asked questions I get from my clients in preparation for their session is, “What should we wear?!”  It’s a stressful issue, because of course you want to look AMAZING in these photos and unless you’re Kelly Osborne or you watch What Not to Wear on repeat, you may not know what looks best on camera.  Here’s where I come in.  In an effort to make this process a little less stressful and a little more fun, here are some fantastic tips on how to look your best during your session.

*disclaimer….I am not a stylist, just a measly little photographer.  If you want to get in touch with an actual stylist, check out Sarah at Your Style Hunter.

Consideration 1:  Colors

It is absolutely necessary to pay attention to the colors in your clothing!  Primarily, you want to make sure you coordinate with your partner.  Now, this does NOT mean that you should pick out matchy matchy outifts.  PLEASE DON’T PICK OUT MATCHY MATCHY OUTFITS.  If you both show up in jeans and white tshirts and tennis shoes, you’re grounded.  Instead, you should choose a color you like (or perhaps a wedding color), then build a wardrobe around that color.  Here is an absolutely FANTASTIC color guide to provide you with a bit of colorful inspiration 🙂

Helpful hint:  Use a variety of shades and complimentary colors.  Incorporate these colors into various aspects of your wardrobe, including shoes, accessories, etc.

Here’s a nice example of an outfit built around a pale blue and pink color pallette.  Notice that the color usage is not just in one aspect of their clothing, but in their accessories, as well.  Also, notice that this is not just jeans, a white tshirt and tennis shoes.  Never should it be jeans, a white tshirt and tennis shoes 😉

Consideration 2:  Personality & Environment

It’s important to remember that these photos are representing you, your style, your interests, and this very special time of your life.  Therefore, you do NOT want to portray yourself as someone you aren’t!  Are you a self-proclaimed hipster?  Then, don’t wear a ball gown to your session.  Are you a trendsetter?  Then don’t wear the jeans, white tshirt and tennis shoes (I think you all get my point….just don’t wear that outfit).  Design your wardrobe so that it represents WHO YOU ARE.

Also, remember to take into consideration the environment in which we will be doing the photos.  Are we going to an upscale bar, then taking a stroll through the city?  Then wear something like this…

If we’re going to your favorite park to play with your sweet little puppy, then plan for something like this…

And, if you want to go to the river to compliment your nautical themed wedding, then think about this…

Consideration 3:  Prints

Pay special attention to the prints on your clothing.  First off, you don’t want to wear a print that’s so distracting that it takes the focus away from you and your happiness.  Big, bright, bold prints may leave the viewer staring at your shirt instead of your face.

Another very important thing to take into consideration is the size of a print.  Large prints are fine, but you definitely want to avoid very small, fine prints.  There’s this crazy thing that happens in cameras called chromatic aberration when taking a picture of something with a very small, repetitive print.  If you want to learn about chromatic aberration, click here, otherwise, just take my advice and don’t wear something like this…

Miscellaneous tips for looking and feeling fabulous during your engagement session:

-Wear comfy shoes, as we’ll be walking a lot.  If you want to wear heels, that’s great, but at least bring a comfy pair of shoes for walking, then you can slip into your sexy studs when it’s time to snap the shot.

-Bring multiple outfits, especially if you can’t decide what to wear and want my advice!

-Sometimes, simply changing accessories can change the entire look of an outfit.  If you have a shorter engagement session and you don’t want to waste time changing, bring a selection of scarves, necklaces, headbands, shoes, jackets, etc.  These simple swaps can change the photo entirely.

-Pinterest can be a great source of clothing inspiration.  Try searching something like “engagement session outfit” or maybe even “engagement photos” for even more inspiration.

I hope you all find this little bloggity blog helpful.  Do you have any other tips or tricks to share with us?  Comment below to share your ideas!

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