As someone whose proud fashion icon is Chessie from the Parent Trap, I will be the first to commiserate with you about how hard it is to find an outfit for something as special as an engagement session. After all, you want to look nice, but you also need to be comfortable and feel like yourself. Do you go buy a new outfit? Or do you roll with something tried and true and already loved? Worry no longer – I’m here to help you figure out what to wear for your engagement session, with tips and tricks from a wedding photographer.
Disclaimer: Trust Thyself!
If you find something you love and want to wear that doesn’t align with any of these guidelines – WEAR IT!
I will never be a fashion guru, but I have seen a lot of engagement sessions – and noticed plenty based on what my couples have worn. My goal is to make this process as simple as possible for you, and hopefully ease any angst over the dreaded decision of what to wear for your engagement photos. But if you find something that doesn’t fit these guidelines? That’s fine! It’s so much more important to me that you feel comfortable and excited about your outfit. Everyone’s personal style is so different, and the last thing I want is to make you feel like I’m limiting you.
That said, there is definitely some method to outfits that:
a) photograph “well”, and
b) age “well”.
An easy way to remove some pressure is to bring more than 1 outfit! I never limit how many outfits you can bring, but if you are stuck between 2-3 outfits – bring them all! This adds a great amount of variety to your session.
Comfort
The most important factor is making sure your outfit and setting for your session feels like you. If it doesn’t, it’s harder to get comfortable throughout your session and can ultimately impact your satisfaction afterward. Mostly I’ve found that this applies to a situation like wearing a super formal outfit if you’re not a super formal person, or don’t love that aesthetic. On the other hand, if full glam is absolutely your vibe, this is a great opportunity to embrace that!
If you decide to buy something new, make sure it’s within your style profile. Move around in it first to make sure it feels comfortable (and maybe even wear it out one or twice to test it.) This isn’t the best time ever to try out that new aesthetic you’ve been pondering if you aren’t 100% comfortable with it. If anything is annoying about the clothes that leave you tugging or fidgeting with anything, it will probably feel exponentially more uncomfortable once you’re being photographed wearing it.
Beyond the overall outfit, proper footwear is key! If we’re wandering in the wilderness, make sure you have some walking shoes (even if you want to change into heels). The same goes for the city. If we have multiple locations to visit by foot: bring the heels, but make sure you have something comfortable to walk around in too.
Colors
The overarching rule is to stick with a color palette of earth tones. That doesn’t necessarily mean neutrals, though it does include them! Sky/ocean blues, sage/olive greens, terracotta/rusty orange, mustard yellows, etc. are all fair game.
The other important thing to note with color is that whatever you wear plays heavily with the reflections of color on your skin, as well as the colors surrounding you. For example, if we’re in a heavily wooded or grassy area in the summer, wearing greens might be a lot of green. On the other hand, if we’re in fall foliage, bright reds and oranges might be a lot of red. That doesn’t mean that you can’t wear those colors, but maybe avoid the brightest of them.
Unless you’re really craving a Masterminds-esque, 90’s JC Penny look for your session, I do not recommend matching perfectly or wearing the exact same outfit.
Textures & Patterns
Texture is an incredible tool to add interesting dimensions to your outfit and to your photos. That being said, it’s typically best to avoid any particularly loud or large patterns.
I can’t stress enough that if your personal style already includes a lot of particularly loud or large patterns, please WEAR THEM!
How to Choose?
Vision boarding is a major tool of the trade, and I recommend every couple sit down together to create one for your engagement photos. While you’re at it, make one for your wedding photos too (or really, your wedding day as a whole!) It’s such a helpful tool for planning, but also for your mindset and manifestation. Everything is much easier to picture when you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. I love having the opportunity to see everything you’ve dreamed up together so I can better help bring your vision to life!
My Pinterest page is filled with vision boards and resources for engagement sessions and weddings, alike! It may give you some good inspiration of what to wear for your engagement session.
Ready to plan your engagement session?
I can’t wait to get to know you both and your love story! Reach out at the link below for more information about planning engagement sessions. I’d love to hear about your wedding plans, too!
Looking for more advice? Take a look at more information about Planning your Engagement Session!
