Remember that TV show “What Not to Wear”? Welcome to a photography version of that hit series! A lot of females (teen or adult) stress out about photo outfits because they want to look/feel the best they possibly can, but the options are overwhelming. We are here to guide you and will be the first ones to tell you that just because a certain look or style of clothing is “in” does not mean it will photograph well. Take off-the-shoulder tops/dresses for example: Hell yes they are as cute as can be! It seems all of the stores have racks and racks of this type of clothing, however, they are a pain to deal with in photos. You will be pulling the shoulders down constantly and won’t be able to move your arms as freely. They restrict the poses and movements your photographer can instruct you to do. Next up: shift dress/tops. Again, these loose fitting clothing items are all the rave, but they give you no shape or definition (which can translate to looking larger than you really are). We always tell our clients, even our teens and high school seniors, to wear something that accentuates the smallest part of their body because it really can make a difference! There always needs to be some sort of definition of your silhouette.
Here are some examples of certain things to stay away from! The first one is a double whammy – off the shoulder shift dress, my soul just died a little.
Things you CAN wear that still mimic styles that are “in” would be draping off-the-shoulder tops that still have straps on the shoulder, t-shirt or shift style dresses that singe or tie at the waist, and loose/flowy maxi dresses that wrap or tie. Crop tops or short belly shirts can work really well in photos if you pair it with a high waist skirt or shorts.
The results you will see after filling out the questionnaire will always be clothing items that are 100% photo session approved. We hope this helps you understand why certain items are never displayed even though they are the biggest fashion hit right now. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules, but our main goal is to help you find something that you love and feel comfortable wearing in your photos. Time and time again we have seen photographers/clients in photo groups, Facebook and blogs, wear items that do not translate well in photos and then are discouraged when they see the finished images.
Let’s recap what we learned!
1) No off-the-shoulder dresses unless there are spaghetti straps on the shoulder
2) No shift dress. Otherwise known as potato sack dresses.
3) Always accentuate the smallest part of your body. Show off your curves ladies!
Happy Styling!
-Holly & Melissa
