STYLE GUIDE
Thank you so much for taking me on as your photographer in capturing those special moments that we will create together! One of the first and most stressed upon questions/topics I tend to carry on with my clients in preparation for their shoot is what to wear. While your smiling faces, love, and emotion are going to be the main focus of our session, your wardrobes will put that perfect finishing touch on your images. Consider me your style consultant and send any outfit ideas my way!
xoxo, - Tara
What to wear, how to style, what colors work best, etc.
Let’s dive into the details below.
TIPS ON WHAT TO WEAR:
Steer clear of fluorescents. Fluorescent colors tend to color cast on faces, necks and hair. They can be quite harsh at times. Versions of primary colors and neutrals are the way to go!
Stay away from wearing a lot of green when having photos taken in grassy/wooded areas. It’s just too much. You want to stand out amongst all the greenery you’re surrounded by. Green, however, is excellent as an accent color in these outdoor settings.
To get the flow going with wardrobe for your family, start with one outfit that you really like. From there, build out your attire for everyone else.
Dads, believe it or not, rarely look their best in POLOS. They’re boxy and give out a “Hey hunny, I’m heading to the office.” vibe. Gravitate towards basic t-shirts (long sleeve for in the chillier months), button up collar shirts, and sweaters. And no carpenter bottoms if you can help it!
Wear what you feel good in! Moms and dads, this tip is for you specifically. If you aren’t comfortable in what you’ve chosen for pictures, it will show. If you can’t find a dress you feel good in, but you rock a good pair of skinny jeans, do that. If you can barely walk in heels, there’s no harm in doing cute boots or booties (I love booties!). BOOTS for cozy and HEELS for fancy are great options!
COLOR COMBO IDEAS FOR SPRING/SUMMER SHOOTS:
Aqua, coral, navy
Blush, tan, black, white
Gray, blue, blush/pink
Seafoam, pink, tan
Denim, pink, cream
Yellow, navy, brown
6. Layer, layer layer! Styling this way adds dimension and depth. Layer your dress with a cute belt and pendant necklace. Cardigans, belts, statement necklaces, scarves, hats, blazers, etc.
7. Purchase clothes to fit. And fit well. I know we all have a hard time buying clothes for our kiddos that don’t leave a lot of room for growth, seeing as they do grow so fast. However, keep in mind that for pictures, too large of a shirt, saggy ill-fitting jeans or a jacket that’s falling off the shoulders looks sloppy. You’ll most likely be purchasing outfits specifically for pictures, so choose something that fits perfectly, or even just a little bit snug. A nice tailored look. Go a size smaller in jackets, cardigans or blazers. A too-big jean jacket will not compliment shape. It hides hips and waist for moms. If you typically wear a size medium jacket, try on the small. Even if it’s just a little snug in the shoulders, it should lay nicely around your hips and waist.
8. Matching is out. Coordinating is in. And anything goes nowadays! We know your family is together. We’re photographing you together! Wearing the same colored shirt, pants, shoes, etc. looks a bit awkward. Coordinating color is what really brings wardrobe together. I usually choose two to three main colors of wardrobe, and maybe one accent pop of color. Also, mixing stripes with plaids and tweeds is okay! Expression is important. We want to see your personality through your wardrobe.
9. Dress for the weather, and be flexible. We all know too well that it can go from 30 and cloudy one day, to 75 and sunny 12 hours later (especially in October/November...). Be prepared to switch it up last minute. If you have plans for a cute dress for your daughter, and the weather ends up being 20 degrees colder than you were anticipating, switch it up a bit by adding layers. Tights, boots, scarf, slouchy hat, cardigan. Dress appropriately for the weather that day, even if it doesn’t go with your original plan. If your child is sweating profusely in a sweater during his shoot, he won’t be happy. And on the same token, if your child is wearing
a thin dress and the weather dips too much, she’ll be a grump, and it’ll reflect in the final images. I speak these words from experience. There are a couple of instances
I can think of that I should have taken this advice with my own family!
10. Cozy OR Fancy can work for photos! How cute is flannel and boots together?! How beautiful is a formal dress on mom and a blazer on dad with some sparkles in there too?!
11. Shoes are a very important part of wardrobe and often times forgotten about entirely until you’re just about to walk out the door to head to your shoot. If you have the cutest little trousers and button down for your son to wear for pictures, but slap his favorite pair of Disney tennis shoes on, it makes the whole look lose cohesiveness. Stay away from character shoes, flip flops, and Crocs. My recommendation for shoes are boots, Toms (or flat canvas/boat shoes of any brand), Sperrys, Joyfolie, Mary Janes, and Willits.
12. Hair piece tips. For babies, toddlers and older girls, I always recommend keeping hair accessories simple. When they are too big (think “gerber daisy” big), it distracts from their faces. The only time I think you can get away with a bigger hair accessory is when the child has a lot of hair, or long hair. Even if your baby girl doesn’t have a ton of hair, don’t feel the need to hide that adorable head behind a huge head piece that makes her pull it off every few seconds. Simple and dainty is just as pretty and understated.
COLOR COMBO IDEAS FOR FALL/WINTER SHOOTS:
Denim, maroon, mustard yellow
Navy, Ivory, mustard yellow
Yellow, purple, and black
Red, black, ivory
Black, yellow, red
Tan, red, blue
