Choosing what clothes to wear for your portrait session can be frustrating. We’ve put together some tips below to help you out.

In general it is best to keep things simple but whatever you choose, be true to your own style. We want your portraits to reflect who you really are. Wearing high heels if you’re a cowboy boots kind of person will make you feel uncomfortable and that will reflect in your portraits.

For a classic, timeless look, jeans, plain tees and simple dresses are good choices. Solid colors in subtle tones work well for this style.

For a hip, trendy look choose brighter, bolder colors. Patterns can be fun but often distract from the subject being photographed. We strongly suggest avoiding busy patterns, cartoon characters and logos.  Wearing these types of clothes often clashes in your portraits, making them look like snapshots rather than being the artistic portraiture that you come to Honey Bee Photography for.

We suggest keeping any white you are wearing to a minimum as it reflects light strongly and can leave you looking washed out.

While wearing the latest trend can be fun, keep in mind that it can also date your portraits very easily. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just something to keep in mind.

Accessories can be fun additions to your session. Hats, belts, sunglasses, shades, etc are all great.

Bare feet are fun! If you are wearing shoes, make sure they are in good condition and not dirty or scuffed, and match the outfit you are wearing.  Yes, your shoes/feet will probably show in a few images.

Choosing outfits for a family session can require more planning. Everyone does not have to be dressed identically or even need to wear the same color. Choose colors that complement each other. Keeping within the same ‘family’ of colors will help you. An example of a color family is pastels, bright, cool or warm colors.

However, if you are looking for an image that is pulled together, something to accentuate your family’s closeness, then we recommend wearing black, long-sleeved t-shirts (Lands End is a great place to look for these) and nice jeans, and black casual shoes.  Also, cream colored turtlenecks are good too (light enough to be “white” in black and white portraits, but in color doesn’t wash you out).  If you are looking for a more organic look, choose sweaters that are knitted with bamboo in a medium neutral color, and keep hair loose and natural and makeup to a minimum.

Your hands and feet (with shoes or bare!) will show in some of your portraits.  Please take time to moisturize all body parts that will show, and use lip balm several times a day prior to your session.  Taking the time to get a pedi and mani with natural colors/French nails will make a nice touch.  Another suggestion is to get your wedding rings cleaned if you already feel they need it.  Every time you look at your portraits from Honey Bee, we want you to look at it with pride and love, instead of that nagging sensation that you wish that you’d done these recommendations.

If you are unsure, take another look at our website for ideas or give us a call. We can help you out over the phone as well as suggesting you bring several outfits to your session where we can further assist you.