STYLING GUIDE
Getting dressed for your shoot is probably the most stressful part of the process. I get it! I really do. Dressing one person in the perfect outfit is demanding, let alone your whole family, but when done right, the styling of your shoot can go a long way!
What do we wear?
This is by far the most frequently asked question and the aim of this guide is to help you get ideas and make the process informed, creative and even enjoyable!
When planning your family's outfits for the session, start with your own outfit first. Find a dress that you love and makes you feel beautiful and start building the family’s outfits around it. Look at what you already have in your wardrobe and only start browsing and shopping online if you really need to. Tried and tested dress that feels comfortable and yourself is times better than an online purchase that hangs and gaps (and most probably keeps you anxious if it will arrive on time). Laying everything on the bed is the easiest and most visual way to choose your outfits. Mix and match till you are happy with the combination. Add accessories and look for creating variety with hats and scarves rather than different sets of clothes.
But let’s start from the beginning and see what works and what doesn’t!
First and foremost, be comfortable and confident in what you wear. There is no point of a trendy dress which makes you feel uncomfortable and distracts you during the whole shoot or a frilly frock that bothers your baby constantly. It defeats the purpose of our shoot from the beginning. We have come together so you can enjoy the session and celebrate each other, not worry about the clothing. If you imagine a natural and authentic session, pick items that are truly you. I am not saying that dressing up is wrong, but being true to your own style is the best way to tell your story authentically.
For indoor sessions, take a look at the colours and style of your home and dress accordingly. Fancy outfits will most probably look out of place so go for comfortable, casual clothing and forget about the shoes, and possibly the socks too!
For outdoor sessions, plan around what you know about the surroundings of our location. Most locations in Dubai provide soft, earthy colours as background and staying within this palette can guarantee you a gorgeous collection of photos. As before, consider the location, vibe and comfort. Great ideas how to visualize the location and your clothing is available in the Find Your Colours Guide at the end of guide.
As a general rule for your colour scheme, stay away from fluorescent and really bright, primary colours that would not only steal the attention but also throw colour casts on the faces. Lighter, pale and natural colours look best. Try to keep your colour scheme limited to four colours - one outfit will have the feature colour and the rest will complement that. Do not match the outfits in colour. When two people wear the same colour, their matching outfits blend together and instead of looking at their beautiful faces and expressions, the eye is drawn to the outfits and repetition there. Aim for a variety of complimenting colours and accessories that look great together rather than blend and match. And as you can already guess, all white shirts and blue jeans is a combination to avoid :).
Consider choosing fabrics that are soft and move and flow with you. Maxi dresses that get picked up by the wind or sheer scarves that filter the soft afternoon light are amazing. Think linen and cotton and possibly avoid stiff fabrics. Plain t-shirts in soft, pastel or earthy colours look amazing and for sure won’t need adjusting the whole time as stiff shirts might. Maxi dresses always photograph well as they create movement and interest. They are usually quite flattering as well. Go for neutral colours as they won't steal the attention from you, but if you are a colourful person and love patterns, by all means dress the way that reflects your personality. Just make sure there is only one busy pattern in the family and avoid big logos.
Give some attention to the accessories. Adding hats, scarves, suspenders and belts is a lovely way to create variety, while still keeping it all simple. Be mindful of the watches though. Hands and touch are so important in telling a family’s story, but when there is a beautiful close up with a huge watch or an electronic hand device, things get a bit confusing. It’s all about you and your connection, so I would suggest keeping big watches at home.
TO SUM IT ALL UP:
Stick with light, pale and natural colours and stay away from really bright colours.
Avoid super matchy outfits, everyone wearing the same colour or shades of the same colour.
Layer your clothing and jewellery to add depth and texture - think hats, scarves, vests, suspenders, belts.
Be comfortable - steer clear of high heels and ill fitting clothing. If you feel comfortable, you will look comfortable and vise versa.
Flowy dresses work beautifully not only with mums but also with little girls. They can help us achieve movement and will allow you to play with them and keep the shots more interesting.
Plain v-neck t-shirts are always a good choice for men and boys.
Stay timeless by avoiding logos and branding.
I hope you found these tips helpful and inspiring to start planning your outfits. If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to always reach out with the options and we can decide together.
To get more guidance on how to choose the colour scheme for your shoot and also get some ideas of the outfit styles, have a look at the guide below.
FIND YOUR COLOURS GUIDE
