What to Wear | Georgetown, Washington, DC Engagement Photographer

Happy Thursday, Lovelies!

Time and time again, I’m asked, “What should I wear to my engagement shoot?”  The answer is so hard because photos are so personal!

There are a few “don’ts” but there are tons of dos.  First the don’ts.

• Don’t where a white shirt.  A cream cable-knit sweater is fine, or a white button down under a sweater under a blazer… great.  But, when you wear a white shirt, even a white button down, it reflects all the light in the photo.  Let your face, and not your white shirt, be what shines in your photo.
• Iron your shirt and carry it with you.  If you’re wearing a button-down or a shirt that wrinkles, carry it with you on a hanger to our shoot.  I want to edit until you’re happy, and I have no problem removing a pimple or editing out a cigarette butt on the ground, but I won’t iron your shirt with my editing software. 
• Don’t wear clashing colors.  If you plan to wear maroon, make sure your beaux doesn’t wear purple or orange.
• Use black sparingly.  Black absorbs all light, so it’s hard to see the curve of your arm, the separation of your legs, etc.  To avoid looking like you have a floating hand and no arm or looking like a black-finned mermaid, consider other colors than black.

There are so many dos!

• Wear something that makes you feel special!  What would you wear if we were going out to a girls’ lunch?  What about a date with your beaux?  You know those jeans that all your friends say make you look so cute?  Yeah, wear those!
• Consider a second outfit!  My engagement shoots are long enough for an outfit change, and the couples that take advantage of the outfit change get two shoots in one.  Think: one dressy shoot and one dressy-causal shoot.
• Think about the details and layers.  Layering texture on texture gives depth and warmth to an image.  The photo below is a perfect example!  Scarfs, textured jackets, patterned shirts, jeans, boots, snazzy buttons and chains, the perfect earrings…. LOVE!
• Consider going extreme.  This is your Vogue shoot; don’t be afraid to let your peacock out.  Want to shoot on a horse farm even though you’re a city-dweller?  Let’s do it!  Want to trounce around the monuments in a ball gown or sashay through one of the Smithsonian art museums in tulle skirt?  Done!  Let’s make your engagement session a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Now, here is another test drive from last weekend… If you can’t tell, I just love the buttons with chains, boots and earrings!