What to wear to your senior portrait session

You’ve booked your senior photo session and now you’re trying to figure out what you should wear. No worries, I have you covered.

Below are some suggestions I provide to my photography clients. Keep in mind that these are just guidelines, not hard and fast rules. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing and that it’s consistent with your personality and sense of style.

With that in mind, here are some helpful tips to planning your outfits:

If your session includes only one outfit, make sure it reflects your personal sense of style and try to hit that sweet spot between overly dressy and too casual.

• Girls might choose a nice but not overly fussy dress (think mid-length summer dress), shorts or jeans with a cute top or a romper.
• Boys might consider khakis/chinos with a polo shirt or jeans and a nicer t-shirt.

If your session includes more than one outfit, you’ll have a little more flexibility. I like to suggest a fancy outfit, a casual outfit and an outfit that speaks to your personality or your plans after high school.

• For the nicer outfit, think about something you might wear on a date or to a special event.
• Nicer outfits for girls might include a long flowy dress, a little black dress or similar, or dress slacks with a tailored top.
• For the boys, this outfit could include a button down shirt, dress pants or khakis/chinos or even dark jeans. Add a blazer and/or tie and you’ll be dressed for success.
• For the casual outfit, think about what you’re truly comfortable in and might wear when hanging out with a group of friends.
• For both girls and boys, lighter-colored jeans, shorts, t-shirts, sportswear or a comfy sweater, sweatshirt or hoodie can all work.
• And for the last outfit, consider something your friends would instantly recognize as “so you.”
• A t-shirt representing the college you plan to attend or branch of the military you’ll be joining can be a good choice.
• If you’re involved in a sport or activity where you wear a uniform, you might build one of your outfits around that. If you do, be sure to bring along any props that work with it (sports equipment, band instrument, etc.).
• If you have your cap and gown or a letter jacket, you can work that in too.

For all outfits, consider them from top to bottom, including your choice of shirt, pants, shoes and any accessories (belt, hat, jewelry, etc.) so your outfit is complete and cohesive. Make sure everything is clean, ironed and in good repair. Wrinkles are never in fashion.

And don’t forget about your undergarments.

• Girls should wear shorts under dresses since you’ll be moving around a lot when posing. Just make sure the shorts aren’t visible under or through the dress. For instance, black shorts can show through white or light-colored fabrics. Also make sure you have the right bra for each top you’ll be wearing to prevent it from showing.
• Boys wearing loose-fitting shorts should consider wearing biker shorts underneath. Also, if you’ll be wearing a dress shirt, I recommend wearing an undershirt. Just make sure it doesn’t show through your dress shirt.

In all of your outfit choices, it’s best to avoid loud or neon colors unless these are important to your particular style. Some colors can be reflected onto your skin and throw off your coloring. Instead, choose neutral, earth tone or pastel colors. Black, navy and white are also classic colors that look good on just about everyone. Also, avoid large logos or graphics unless that's a key element you want in your photos.

Remember, classic styles and solid colors or subtle patterns create a more timeless look. The bottom line is you want photos that won’t appear dated when you and your family look at them five, ten or twenty years from now.

And here's a bonus tip to make sure you always look sharp: If you have a pet, you'll want to bring a lint roller or brush to remove any pet hairs from your outfits. Trust me, no matter how hard you try, there are always a few hairs that seem to find their way onto your clothes and into your pictures.

Are you thinking about scheduling your senior photo session? If so, now's a great time to do so. Use the link below to get in touch to discuss how we can collaborate to create timeless photos that showcase your unique personality.