Let's jump right into the biggest question I get asked during a Senior Portrait design session. "What should I wear?" This one question can cause a lot of anxiety because everyone wants to know how to look their best in front of the camera. During consultations I dig into all the in's and out's of dressing for your portrait session. I love helping my clients select the right wardrobe for their portrait experiences. I even go one step further and send a style guide to all my clients to help them shop and coordinate clothing at home. You'll never hear me say "DON'T WEAR THAT". At the end of the day your wardrobe should reflect your personal style and for every "rule" of what not to wear, we have ways of making it work.

But wait, this is crazy exciting!!

With the help of Maurices in Platteville Wisconsin I was able to style five of my gorgeous class of 2019 senior reps for a fun fashion shoot showcasing some of the brand new summer line. All five looks are photographer approved and I want to discuss why each look works for your senior portrait session. Love the look? Head to Maurices in Platteville and grab it for your summer portrait session! Each girl was styled from head to toe including hair and make-up compliments of Mint Hair Studio in Platteville Wisconsin. It's never a bad idea to let the professionals take care of hair and makeup so you look flawless the day of your portrait experience. Haven't booked your senior portrait experience yet? Now is the time! Let's start designing your session today!

Miss Bri - Beautiful in Blue

This color palette is hard to beat. Even without her summer tan, the navy and cream color palette works amazingly with Bri's skin tone and blonde hair. Pairing a deeply saturated color as the base for your outfit, such as navy creates a beautiful contrast against a paler skin tone. I love this shirt because its simple enough not to distract from what's important, her gorgeous smile, but has subtle details to emphasize her style. Miss Bri, as like many of us, is on the short side. With a vertical stripe on her pants this helps to elongate her legs and I love when clothing can add some "texture" to a portrait. Don't be afraid of patterns, stripes, or bold colors if they're used appropriately. Lastly, pairing her pants with these adorable neutral wedges adds some overall height and allows for the pants to lay beautifully. Heels will always help with your posture and flatter the shape of your legs! This is a great example of how to use clothing, texture, and color to enhance a portrait.

Using deeply saturated colors as a base for your wardrobe is complimentary to paler skin tones.
- Grey
- Burgundy
- Green (varying shades)
- Navy
- Brown
Clothing that's too busy can distract the eye in a portrait. Remember to use textures and patterns thoughtfully.
Vertical stripe pants will elongate your legs and can add needed visual height for a shorter person.
Heels are great for creating height, allowing pants and dresses to lay naturally, and gives you great posture!

Miss Isa - Boho Chic

I'm a sucker for a pretty dress during a portrait session. This was no exception. I love how effortless this dress fits and it photographs so well. Again, with our cream and navy color palette, these colors still looked amazing against Miss Isa's tanned olive skin. The vertical stripes help to elongate the body and the double slit on the leg breaks up the print allowing the bottom of the dress to flow. We paired this dress with a solid black heel allowing for the dress' color and texture to be the focal point. You could easily make this dress look more casual and beachy with a flat sandal. A word of caution, stripes can be a problem if they're too thin as they tend to vibrate on camera. This is an example of a good stripe. I have also found that longer dresses with a print can appear boxy on camera. I loved the slit in this dress as it created an airy and effortless flow to the skirt allowing her skin tone to break up the print.

Vertical stripes will help to elongate your body and make you taller!
If you're a heel girl, pair it with a cute wedge or heel to add additional height, help your posture, and allow the dress to flow more naturally.
Remember: Thin strips can vibrate when photographed. A thicker stripe will add texture to a portrait.
Blue and Brown eyes will pop with a blue ensemble.
Maxi dresses and skirts are great! Just make sure the print doesn't create a "boxy" appearance causing your bottom half to look heavy on camera.

Miss Verity - Pretty in Pink

Let's talk popping a fun color! I'm a fan of mixing fun prints and colors. You always want to do this thoughtfully because again you don't want to distract from what's truly important in the portrait, you! I have a few tricks for complimenting colors and patterns in an outfit. Miss Verity is wearing an adorable white tank top with a small floral print. This tank is great because it's flowy fabric paired with two different denims allows for a visual change in texture. Pulling color from her tank top we paired it with these adorable pink skinny jeans. I love this pop of color. The white of the tank top needed to be paired with a deeper color in order to make the overall look appear balanced. I believe in layering an outfit. Layered outfits will always look more interesting on camera. The denim also helped break up some of the brighter colors in this outfit. Too much white or too much bright color can be distracting. White can also cause you to look paler and heavier in a portrait. Using a denim jacket or darker solid to "ground" the color palette will create a cohesive look that compliments the use of bold colors and patterns! Lastly, we selected a neutral brown wedge for something a little fun and girly.

Pairing harder and softer textures creates a visually pleasing outfit.
When popping colors and patterns in an outfit remember to choose a darker or neutral solid to create balance.
Layer, layer layer! Layering outfits will always look more interesting on camera.
A lot of white and exposed skin will draw the eye. Depending on skin tone, a lot of white can make you appear paler and heavier on camera.

Miss Emilie - Summer Chic

Every girl should have a fun romper in her wardrobe for summer. Why do I love this romper on Miss Emilie? This beautiful mustard color goes amazing with her skin tone and brunette hair. If you have amazing legs then a romper is absolutely a must for your senior portraits. You always should be mindful of how much skin is showing as exposed skin will draw the eye as well as look heavier on camera. With the exposed leg, I love that this romper has a three quarter sleeve. If this would have been a sleeveless romper I would have suggested pairing it with a denim jacket or solid cardigan. Emilie is by far my tallest of Senior Reps which is why we also choose to pair this fun romper with a flat. If you decide to add a fun heel remember to check how high it raises the hem of the romper. You may end up with more leg than you anticipated showing which will cause problems posing and possible wardrobe malfunctions during your portrait session. Maurices also offers a line of different colored bralettes. These are awesome for popping a complimentary color at the neck or bust line. Lastly, we selected a delicate necklace to break up the v-neck line.

Rompers are so in trend and a great way to mix up your wardrobe selections. They're easy to dress up or down by adding simple accessories or layering
Darker hair and warmer skin tones look amazing with "fall colors". Selecting wardrobe with warmer tones can make it easy to switch up your look from summer to fall!
Too much exposed skin can be distracting and cause you to appear heavier on camera. Be mindful and layer if necessary.
Rompers can be too short if paired with a heel. Make sure to bend in front of your mirror before deciding if it's a good fit for your portrait session.
Don't forget to accessorize! Necklaces, bracelets, etc... can be a great way to pop color or break up exposed skin. Be mindful of how many accessories you choose. Simple can sometimes be better.

Miss McKenna - Dressed to Impress

I love how polished Miss Mckenna looks in our final outfit. This outfit also proves that some rules can be broken, if done appropriately. Again we paired a flowy delicate top with white denim jeans, mixing textures to add visual interest. I love this dark floral tank and it's neckline embellishment, no jewelry needed. Pulling from the top we selected to layer this outfit with a three quarter sleeve cardigan. More often than not, a lot of white is frowned upon. However, paring these denim jeans with a dark top and popping color balances the visual interest without causing the eye to fixate on the white. For some added sass, we paired this look with a black wedge and added a little bling with the bracelet. Head to toe this is the perfect outfit for a young professional and a great way to dress up your portrait session.

If you have multiple outfit changes during a session, try planning one that's a little dressier. This will add variety to your overall gallery of portraits.
White is okay, if done appropriately. Balancing the white with a pop of color and a darker color will create visual harmony.
Layering is a great way to pop some color into your wardrobe selection.
Adding some bling to your accessories is a great way to add a little bit of your personality into your overall look.

Remember, if you love these looks head to Maurices of Platteville, Wisconsin. Tell them Candid Touch Photography sent you. Chelsea and her team will be happy to help style you from head to toe for your next portrait session!

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Maurices Clothing - Senior Portrait Style

Miss Bri - Beautiful in Blue

Miss Isa - Boho Chic

Miss Verity - Pretty in Pink

Miss Emilie - Summer Chic

Miss McKenna - Dressed to Impress

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