What To Wear To Your Engagement Photo Session
My engagement session is coming up and I have NO CLUE what to wear.
Oooooohhh boy do I feel you. I always have SUCH a hard time finding just the right outfit to wear for special occasions, especially when I know my photo is going to be taken. I compiled this list of helpful tips on what to consider when picking your outfit for your engagement session with me!
First of all, wear what makes you feel confident! There’s nothing quite like looking at photos of yourself where you look truly happy and radiant. A lot of that can be conveyed in what you choose to wear!
For my engagement sessions, I always recommend 2 outfits so you have a little bit of diversity in your photos, and have a little more to choose from. Here are some suggestions that I’ve compiled.
Earth tones, neutral, and pastel colors look GREAT on everyone! They compliment the natural colors in your eyes and skin tones, as well as accent the natural colors around you. However, avoid colors that closely resemble your skin tone.
Tie it all together with a color scheme. You want your outfits to compliment each other, but don’t match.
Do not wear extraordinarily bright colors (like neon or crazy bold patterns). Clothing with bold colors, graphics, or logos on them distract from the person wearing them. Subtle patterns like light floral or stripes are just fine.
Flatter your body type. Here’s some expert info from brides.com:
Pear-Shaped: To show off your curves, focus on cinching the waist with an A-line silhouette that flares at the bottom.
Apple-Shaped: An A-line style with a gradual flow from the waist to the legs is always flattering. This shape is also great for a dress with texture and/or a deep V-neck.
Busty: Scoop and sweetheart necklines offer support and open up the décolletage (low-cut neckline of a dress) so the focus is on the face rather than the bust.
Small Chest: Look for textured or ruched styles to create fullness in the chest area.
Plus Size: Engagement photos featuring an empire-waist dress are Martini's go-to. They're super flattering and emphasize the smallest portion under the bust, creating the effect of a slender silhouette from top to bottom
Don’t wear something that isn’t you. Not a dress person? Don’t force yourself into a dress. Not a khakis kind of guy? Wear your favorite nicer jeans! I want this to scream YOU!
Now, let’s get into the specifics, shall we?
Clothing
I typically suggest out of your 2 outfits, that one be a dressier outfit, with a longer/flowy dress, skirt, or jumper, and one outfit be more casual, with jeans and a cute top. Guys, wear what makes you feel comfortable, but not stuffy. Don’t force yourself into a suit by any means! Khakis or jeans and a button down, polo, or sweater are great.
Dressy outfit: Here’s some examples of what my clients have worn to their session.
Casual outfit: Here’s some examples of more laid back and casual outfits my clients have worn.
See how they’re all very different? That’s a good thing! Because they’re your engagement photos, so you should go with what your style is. Go with your version of dressy and casual! You’ll be way happier with your decision!
Makeup
I recommend a full face of makeup for all of my clients, ESPECIALLY lipstick, lip gloss, or chapstick. If you are terrrrrible at doing your makeup and would rather have a professional or a friend do it, I highly recommend it! The pros know exactly what will make you look (and feel honestly) your best!
Lips are often what get the least attention when it comes to makeup. Lips often come across in photos as chapped or the same color as your skin, so it’s important to put something on them that tints them a bit or at least makes them appear less chapped. Ya girl is the chapped lip queen, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at a photo and been like “dang my lips look like crap”, so I’m looking out for you!
Also, I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’ve never gotten a spray tan before, right before your session is NOT the time to try it out! Again, just looking out for you boo ;)
Overall, you want your makeup to look neat and clean, but add your personal dimension and style!
Hair/Nails
Since our session will be most likely be outdoors it’s important that your hair is ready for anything. Again, if you stink at hair and would rather have a pro do it, I highly recommend it! They’ll get you looking and feeling fly AF.
Some of us deal with unruly, frizzy, or damaged hair. To avoid this, try to apply a heated styling tool to your hair in order to tame those fly-aways.
When styling your hair, be sure to apply hair spray! This will help on days that are windy, rainy, snowy, (aka any day in the Midwest). Hair spray will help your hair stay in place, and will allow you to think less about your hair when a gust of wind comes through.
If you frequently dye your hair (lol like me), schedule your touchup about a week before your photos so your roots are lookin’ freshhh.
BRING A BRUSH! Trust me, you’ll thank me.
LADIES: I’m going to be taking photos of your left hand a lot (ya know I gotta catch that bling-bling), so consider getting your nails done by a professional before your session!
Speaking of bling, consider getting your ring cleaned! This will make it shine and really stand out in your photos.
Overall
We want these photos to scream YOU! This is a rare occasion. How often do people get engagement photos? Exactly, so I am giving you permission to TREAT YO SELF before your session. Do all the things that make you feel good so that you come into your session feeling as fierce as a lion! You want to look good and feel good for your photos, because there’s nothing quite like confidence that boosts how you look in your photos!
