What to Wear for Your Outdoor Portrait
Your Wardrobe Should Fit and Flatter
- Nothing flatters more than clothing that fits properly.
- Please try everything on in advance.
- If you aren’t sure, it isn’t the right size.
The Clothing You Choose is Important!
- We encourage dressing your best, dressy casual at the very least – dark colors are slimming, stand the test of time, and ensure we photograph you at your very best.
- Styles come and go and for many, this becomes the most elegant portrait they will possess in a lifetime.
- In a portrait, your face and eyes should draw the attention, not your clothing.
- Because not everything that feels right photographs well, following our recommendations is essential to your successful session.
Let Your Family Shine
- Arrive well rested and well fed; you can’t hide a bad mood, or fake a good one.
- Details count. If you see it, so will the camera.
- This is where you have control over how you will be remembered in 20, 40, or 100 years.
- Dressing your best as a family means you won’t look back on a missed opportunity and experience the regret of wishing your family had dressed up more.
Remember the focus of this art piece…a beautiful portrait that showcases the relationship and personalities of each person in the portrait.
Be Stylish and Dress Up
This artwork will be treasured for a lifetime and beyond – we hope your great grandkids will cherish it!
Styling your clothing means you will look your best. This is your family’s “night on the town” where everybody looks and feels their best.
Since these are very special portraits that are designed to be heirloom pieces, we request you come in clothing that is classic and less likely to go out of style. Choose timeless clothing with character, personality, and style.
Likely, this will be one of the most beautiful portraits you will ever own, so we invite you to use this opportunity to do something just a little different. If you dress too casually, it’s just going to clash with our goal, very similar to walking into a 5 star restaurant in shorts; it will just feel out of place.
For most clients, their natural makeup and hair styles work best, and it’s not necessary to see a makeup artist prior to your session.
Essentials for Everybody
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Arrive with well styled hair.
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We recommend that you don’t cut your hair less than a week before the session.
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Hair should not block the eyes.
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Bangs should be short enough to allow both eyes to be seen.
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Eyeglasses should have a non-reflective coating.
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Clothing texture adds dimension and interest.
Essentials for Ladies
• Dresses photograph exceptionally well and flatter most women.
• We recommend dresses that fall below the knee.
• Manicures and pedicures matter.
• Your makeup should reflect you at your best.
• If you color your hair, be sure to get a touchup before your portrait session.
• Tasteful jewelry enhances your look.
• Little girls look adorable in party dresses – bonus points for darker colors.
Essentials for Gentlemen
• Coats and jackets are required for men.
• A dark black or grey dress shirt looks great under a jacket, especially with dark slacks.
• Layering adds depth and dimension. If you choose not to wear a tie, a dark jacket with an open neck shirt is a great choice.
• Men and little boys always look best in dark suits or shades of black, navy or grey.
Choose Clothing in Darker colors, that work within a palette
For a timeless look, we recommend choosing a palette of colors. Alternatively, everyone could have on a different shade of the same color – bonus points for textured fabrics!
Blacks, navy and greys always looks classic and timeless. Dark colors tend to make you look slimmer.
Short sleeves are fine, but we suggest that long or three-quarter length sleeves are more flattering.
Our lighting is tailored to render your portrait as a timeless work of art and requires dark, muted clothing to ensure that your family’s faces and features are the center of attention.
For that reason, with the exception of a white shirt under a dark jacket, we recommend clothing be either black, grey, navy or otherwise very dark in tone.
Choose shades and tones of black and grey and add a pop of color so colors never clash!
Our Vision Board
CLICK HERE to check out our original Vision for these portraits on our Vision Board – direct links to where clothing suggestions that can be purchased are included
Not sure what to wear?
We’ve made it easy! CLICK HERE to visit our Pinterest Board for Direct Links to clothing
Pick a palette from our Clothing Guide For Families PDF
Not sure what clothing palette to choose? CLICK HERE to see palettes we recommend
What Not to Do
• Clothing with white, light and mid-tone elements won’t make you look good, and is a distraction.
• Avoid busy patterns, stripes, and clothing with words, logos or pictures.
• Polo/golf style shirts and casual cotton pants should be left at home.
• Don’t forget to apply common sense to your outfits.
• Everybody should not wear the same thing.
• You can’t fix clothing that doesn’t fit by rolling up the sleeves.
