What Should I Wear to Our Family Photo Shoot?
What Should I Wear to Our Family Photo Shoot?
I recently met Toni at an event for mums in business and was really impressed by her aproach to dressing with confidence so when she offered to write a guest blog post all about what to wear to a family photo shoot, I couldn't have been happier!
The lovely Toni Carver is qualified as a colour, style, image and makeup consultant through Colour me Beautiful; Europe’s leading image consultancy company. She has her own business TLC Style & Colour and gives women the confidence to dress their best so they can look and feel good every day. For more details of her services, please visit: www.tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk
What Should I Wear to Our Family Photo Shoot?
You’ve just booked your shoot so now you’re thinking about what you need to wear. Fear not, as Toni Carver at TLC Style & Colour is on hand to offer up some advice so you can dress comfortably but confidently.
Clothes don’t just cover our bodies, they make a visual statement when we meet people. When you feel good in what you wear, this confidence shows in abundance. They say a picture tells a thousand words and each time you look at your photos, you’ll remember how you felt as well as how you look.
Colour
Contrary to popular belief, black is not necessarily slimming but importantly, it isn’t necessarily the most flattering for many people.
When choosing colour for your clothes (and makeup ladies), take a look at YOU when you wear it. A simple way to check if it’s the right colour for you is by simply holding the garment under your chin (without makeup). If it lightens and brightens your face, making you appear more youthful, then it’s a keeper. If it casts any dark shadows or stands out too much, then it’s sadly not the best shade for you and is best avoided near to your face.
It can be tough to get out of black, especially if you’re an expectant mum so why not ease out by trying other neutral shades such as charcoal, brown or navy. They will be much more flattering.
If you’re happy in colour, then consider that when you wear clothes all in one shade of colour, or the same colour top and bottoms as it can visually lengthen the appearance of your body and be more slimming. Choosing the right shades of colour which suit your natural characteristics mean that you’ll create harmony between your features and what you wear. You don’t want what you’re wearing to stand out more on the photos than you and your family.
Whilst talking about black, it’s also worth noting that white can be an equally tricky colour to pull off. This is because it’s a little too harsh and has a tendency to wash people out - not a good look for a photo. An off white shade works well for the majority of people, but I’d still suggest adding some colour.
If you’re having a family shot, try and have everyone wearing shades which match and coordinate rather than contrasting looks between you so that you all appear as one unit so to speak.
Shape and fit
Size doesn’t matter but shape does!
Guys have it easier than girls when it comes to body shapes as they tend to be more streamlined. Whichever gender, dress for your body lines and body shape as you’ll be far more comfortable. The fit of your clothes is important as if something nips, tugs or rides, you’ll be constantly pulling and faffing. Be comfortable. It can be tempting to choose clothes which are bigger to try and hide but usually, it has the opposite effect. Instead it draws attention to you and actually makes you appear bigger than you are and this will be highlighted on film.
As a general rule for the ladies; have hems of skirts and sleeve lengths that finish at narrow points on your arms and legs as these will flatter and draw the eye into narrow points. Try to avoid garments finishing on wide points of the body which will merely draw the eyes to your widest points. For the guys; always wear a belt if your trousers have belt loops.
Ladies, if you’re bigger in the bust, try avoid sleeves finishing in line with your bust or wearing stripes as these will both enhance rather than minimise!
A v-neck style flatters most people and will also create the illusion of a longer neck if you are shorter in the neck.
Pattern
When it comes to wearing pattern, take into account your proportions and personality so it’s in keeping with your size and frame, otherwise it will over-power or under power you and your features. But a word of warning, when it comes to the shoot, prints and patterns can be a distraction and cause distortions on camera. In this case, plain and simple is actually best.
Accessories
They can make or break any outfit, but choose wisely. A bit like pattern, too much can be a distraction under the lens. This works for jewellery as well.
Grooming
What better time to have a bit of a treat! On a serious note, simple is best. Ladies, be sure to wear shades of makeup that work in harmony with your features and highlight and enhance them. As a general rule, be aware that dark colours minimise and light shades will enhance so that black eyeliner or mascara might not be best so try a softer shade like grey or brown and a black/brown mascara works for everyone. I particularly like navy mascara on those with blue eyes.
Chipped nail polish won’t look great, so if you’ve no time for a manicure, simple or no polish is better or you’ll have those nails on that photo forever!
For the men; facial hair can be used to either balance out your facial proportions or to create an individual look. But, an unruly beard or wild eyebrows will be forever captured on camera so if you need a tidy and don’t feel confident yourself, seek professional assistance.
Thank you so much to Toni for writing this article. I hope you found it useful! If you would like to book a consultation with Toni, she's currently offering £10 off to my clients so don't hesitate to get in touch.
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