What to Wear in Your Engagement Photos

Are you completely lost and confused when it comes to what to wear in your engagement photos? Picking the perfect outfit can be stressful on the best of days, not to mention when you are getting your engagement photos done. I understand how this process can be stressful. Especially if you have never had your photos taken before! It can be intimidating knowing where to even start. Thats what this guide is here for! To help you figure out what to wear so you can ROCK your upcoming engagement session.

Dress for the season

Nothing looks stranger in photos than attire that doesn’t fit the location or the season. Someone in a bikini in the middle of a snow storm? Extreme example but you know what I mean.

This looks like sun dresses in Spring and Summer. In fall, it means layers, scraves and sweaters. And in winter throwing on your favorite sweater, jacket, hat, scarves etc. (check out this guide for tips on how to plan your winter engagement session.)

Choose a Color Scheme

First you want to start by choosing your color palette. Pastels, cool colors and neutrals are always great options. I’m a huge fan of earth tones, like browns, tans, terracotta orange, etc. But don’t feel like you are limited to those options! Sometimes it helps to start by finding your “hero” or accent color and working around that to make a full outfit. Neutrals are awesome for tying everything together. If you have questions on what colors look good together, let me know! I’d be happy to help work with you to find your outfit. 

Compliment. Don’t Match. 

You want to compliment each other with your outfits and coordinate with your colors. Don’t Match! I understand this is way easier said than done. You want to choose pieces within the same color scheme, but not necessarily the same color. Use the accent color and neutrals to tie everything together. (If color theory has never been your strong suit, or you are curious what colors look best you can check out Adobe Color to get an idea of complimentary colors.)

Pro Tip: When choosing your color scheme and thinking of complimentary colors, make sure to avoid super bright colors like neon or bright orange and even a super bright red. These brighter colors tend to leave what is called a “color cast” on your skin. This is basically where the color you are wearing reflects back onto your skin. So if you are wearing a neon shirt, your skin would turn a weird neon color. This is extremely hard to edit out. So best to avoid brighter colors like this all together.   

Wear something Comfy

My number one tip for picking out clothes for your session is make sure they are comfy! This doesn’t mean you should only wear lounge clothes, just means you should be comfortable in what you wear. Don’t be afraid to dress up! If you feel confident in your clothes – that will come across on camera. Guaranteed. 

Bring a Variety of Options

Can’t decide between a sweater and a jacket? Thats totally fine! Bring different options & layers, this will give you multiple looks in one session! I try and incorporate multiple outfit changes into my session. Adding layers is another great option to add texture into your images. The camera LOVES texture. 

Accessories

This is the fun part of picking out an outfit and finishing off a polished look . Don’t be afraid to accessories and add your personality and flare to your outfit. This will make your photos stand out and feel more like you. Find accessories to add texture and layers. 

Choose clothes that fit

Choose clothes that fit you well. Don’t wear clothes that are too baggy cause you will get lost in them. Likewise, make sure they aren’t too tight either cause you don’t want to have to be constantly adjusting your clothes. If you have to constantly be adjusting straps or blouses, consider choosing a new outfit. 

Choose Clothes You Feel Confident In

Finally, and most importantly, choose clothes that YOU feel confident in. Choose clothes you LOVE, that you ROCK, that you feel CONFIDENT and YOU in. I am all about getting dressed up and rocking a new look for the camera, but if thats not you and you would feel more comfortable in your everyday clothes, Perfect! I love that! My goal for every session is that you leave feeling confident, and empowered and feeling like YOU

There are a lot of tips I could give about finding the right outfit, but at the end of the day, what matters the most is you are confident in what you are wearing cause then you will slay in front of the camera.

While you certainly don’t have to buy a new outfit just for a photo session, it can be a fun little excuse to try on some new looks. Also please keep in mind that these are all just guidelines to help you get started picking out your outfits. Just like everything, there are exceptions to these rules. I hope you found this guide helpful for what to wear in your engagement photos. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Need some more ideas for what to wear in your engagement photos? Feel free to check out my Pinterest board of What to Wear for your Engagement Session!

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