Unless you are a professional model, it’s very unlikely that you are having photos taken of you every day. When getting ready for your engagement session, you may find yourself at a loss for what to wear for engagement photos.
Let me tell you this – you are correct! You are overthinking it. And that’s okay. It’s easy to overthink things we’re not used to – I am the king of overthinking.
That said, let’s jump right into what to wear for engagement photos!
What to Wear: Engagement Photos
It’s important to note that it doesn’t matter what you wear if you do not feel confident. You can take all of these tips for what to wear, but if you do not feel confident in what you are wearing, it will be as clear as daylight. Though this article may share some tips on what to wear – ultimately you should strive for confidence.
1. Fit Over Style
When considering what to wear for engagement photos, don’t think about style. Instead, think about how your clothes fit. An oversized shirt can give an appearance of sloppiness, but too tight can be unflattering and restrictive in movement. (And trust me, during an engagement photo shoot, you want to move!)
Often, the fit of clothes is more of an issue for men rather than women. If you have an outfit you love but it doesn’t fit right, consider having it tailored! For additional tips on how clothes should fit, visit howclothesshouldfit.com.
2. Compliment. Don’t Match.
We’re not going on a family trip to the beach, so let’s ditch the same color shirt and pants idea. Instead, try to dress in ways that complement each other. If he is wearing a dark navy shirt, she can compliment him with an off-white shirt with accent colors. This is one of the few instances where I will say Pinterest can be helpful for coming up with an outfit.
3. Consider Neutral Colors
You may be an individual who loves bright, vibrant colors – and that’s great! Bright colors, however, are very reflective. During an engagement photo shoot, you will be standing in close proximity to your partner. This means that lights will reflect the color onto your partner’s face – leaving him or her with unnatural-looking skin. Neutral colors or even pale colors will eliminate this problem.
I’m also going to advise against white. For your wedding, white is fine, but white tends to blow out on camera (meaning there is no detail) and is also an incredibly reflective color. Not to mention sweat sticks out like a sore thumb.
4. Accessorize
Accessories can give your hands something to hold onto while also adding a layer of simple complexity to your outfit. A simple watch, or pairing of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces can add just enough interest to an outfit to keep it from looking bland.
5. Wear Classic and Simple – Try Not To Be Trendy
Mullets are back in style, but they’ll phase out again. Then there will be a repeat of what most people said when they went away the first time…”Why on earth did I wear my hair like that?”
The fact of the matter is trends tend to age themselves, and when we look back on photos later, we don’t focus on the memories surrounding the photo. We focus instead on how ridiculous we look.
6. Bring An Extra Outfit – Maybe Extra Underclothes?
If there is one other thing I want you to take away from this, is to do what you can to keep from rescheduling your engagement session. Your photographer is setting aside a specific time of their life to serve you – so embrace the idea of the potential for adventure.
While you may have an elegant photo shoot planned, it’s possible for pop-up showers. Embrace the rain, and then change into your next outfit.
Aside from potential weather (or even a spontaneous moment of jumping in the water), it’s nice to have a second outfit to have two style: formal and casual.
7. Dress To The Season
It would be ridiculous to expect you to dress up for a summer session in the middle of the winter. If it’s cold out, wear a nice jacket or shaw. Layer up if needed! And if it’s hot, dress accordingly. It’s important that your session is real and allows you to connect with each other. If you aren’t comfortable, you won’t be able to focus on the connection you are looking to establish during your engagement photo shoot.
8. Professionally Style Your Hair
Don’t just go to a franchise hairstylist – make an experience of the day and treat yourself to a professional spa experience. Guys, go to an amazing barber. You want to look your best when having a photo shoot, but we also want to experience the excitement of getting intentionally ready for your engagement session.
9. Hire a Professional Makeup Artist
The same holds true for having your hair professionally styled. Hire a professional – this is also an opportunity to experiment with your wedding hair and makeup artist!
10. Think About The Shoes (For Height)
One final thought that nearly slipped my mind…consider the shoes you wear. If there is a significant height difference between the two of you, wearing heels for certain parts may help bring the two of you closer. Bring a pair of flip-flops or sandals to walk around as well as to get around comfortably.
On the other hand, if you are about the same height, wearing heels may not translate well in photographs because it will add to the height difference, rather than shorten it.
