so here's the rundown!
Man oh man. I know it can feel kind of daunting to pick what to wear for photos. Here are a few guidelines I've put together to make sure you look and feel your best, while still making sure the images are focused on your guys’ love, not what you’re wearing. Full disclaimer, I don’t know anything about fashion. I wear hoodies and ripped jeans almost every day so there’s a heck of a good chance you’ve got better style than I do, haha! This is just what I’ve found to work best from trial and error from past shoots, they’re only guidelines!
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The most important thing to me is that you guys feel and look like yourselves, how you normally dress, so you can be as comfortable as possible! A lot of people try to go shopping for new clothes for the shoot beforehand but I actually recommend bringing stuff you normally wear, stuff that’s already in your closet that you love and feel yourselves in. An old band t-shirt and ripped jeans? Perfect. Some couples will go shopping for “nicer” looking clothes which is totally fine, but sometimes they regret not just wearing they feel like themselves in. As long as it represented what you guys are like right now, that's all that matters. Plus, guys are usually not all that stoked about putting on a collared ironed button-up with dress shoes if they’re used to wearing flannels and Chacos every day. Pinky promise they’ll be way happier to be at the shoot if you don’t force an outfit he thinks is stupid.
make sure it makes sense :
Think about the conditions and locations we are going to be shooting in and plan around it. If we are shooting on a sandy beach, it would look weird if you’re wearing shoes (ps: heels are almost always a bad idea in most scenarios unless you’re freakishly good at walking in them - we’re just too adventurous for heels!). If it’s freezing cold outside, bring lots of layers and warm clothes with wool socks and boots. If it’s going to be hot, bring clothes that can breathe more so you don’t have sweaty pit stains in the photos. Be as comfortable as you can be!
tips:
If you're in brand new jeans that are still stiff and tight, you might be distracted during the shoot trying to make sure everything stays in place as well as lets you sit and run and move around in - since a large portion of your session there will be movement, like walking, dancing and spinning around. I recommend bringing clothes that are "broken in" so that you'll be as comfortable as possible. I also love when people bring clothing or accessories that can show movement like long skirts and dresses that catch wind because it adds energy to the photos and looks gorgeous!
incorporate texture whenever you can - ripped jeans, jean jackets, sweaters, etc.
I typically recommend sticking with neutrals and earthy tones. Neutrals don’t mean just grays and browns, there are neutrals of every color (mustard yellow, forest green, light blue, burnt orange, etc. Stay away from bright fluorescent distracting colors. The only specific colors I typically recommend staying away from are bright pinks and reds. A lot of the time it results in giving you a really pink/orange skin tone. I always recommend wearing black jeans UNLESS you have a light wash pair, or ripped blue jeans to add texture!
layer up! If you have a flannel or jacket you can layer, do it! We can always take a few with and without your layered pieces.
I personally love the more grungy, casual look instead of a button-down and dress pants… but this doesn’t mean it can’t look “put together”, have a pair of ripped jeans and a t-shirt, awesome! have a Carhart beanie you love and a hoodie you live in most day, perfect!
this is one of my fave examples! light wash jeans, a cute white dress but keeping it casual with the docs, and a cutie little hat!
patterns:
Avoid big, loud, chunky, crazy patterns. The smaller or more subtle, the better! If the pattern is too loud, it will distract from your face. I usually try to avoid pairing more than two patterns together because, you guessed it, it makes the photos feel a little hectic and distracting from your faces and the location (see first photo).
hair + makeup:
A lot of people ask me whether or not they should get your hair and makeup done by a pro. My answer is always "whatever will make you feel best, do that." I absolutely don't think it's necessary whatsoever, because in my personal opinion,
Brides to be: if you're planning to have hair + makeup done by someone for your wedding day, now would be a great time to schedule your trial run for your engagement session
If you're getting hair + makeup done, I recommend you schedule to be done at least an hour before you have to leave for the shoot so you aren't late. Also, if you're whiter than toothpaste like me and want a spray tan, be sure to get a suuuuper natural airbrushed spray tan rather than one from a salon/tanning place. We don't want you looking like an oompa loompa!
props:
When I think “props”, my mind flashes through all of the cringe-worthy Pinterest photos I’ve seen of cheesy chalkboards and hobby lobby props brought to shoots just aren't my style of photos. But props don’t have to be cheesy! Props could be a dominos pizza picnic, a motorcycle, you're dog, blankets, a truck/car, a campfire, a bouquet, a paddleboard, etc. If you have props you wanna incorporate, let me know and we can make sure to incorporate them in a non-cheesy way!
welp, that’s all folks!
If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask! If you’re still freaking out about what to wear, feel free to shoot me a picture or two of what you’re thinking so I can help out! But overall, just wear what you’re comfortable in and feel like YOU in. A pair of Vans you’ve had since 8th grade? Great. A sweater you wore for basically a month straight? Awesome. A hat that you know your mom hates? Perfect. You do you, and I promise the photos will turn out amazing!
If you're in need of something boho/trendy, these shops have some great options :
If needed, here is a little more inspo! 
