After selecting the location, planning your outfits for your engagement session is the hardest decision to make. What looks good with the environment? What looks good on you? And what looks good with your partner? What looks good on camera?

Today we’re diving deep into all my tips for what to wear to your engagement session!

P.S. If you’re my client, you’re more than welcome to send me pictures of potential outfits! Send them my way and I’ll be happy to help 🙂

P.P.S. If you read this guide and still need more help, check out my Pinterest board that I created specifically with outfit inspiration! Pay attention to the locations they’re in, the colors they’re wearing, and how the outfits work together.

P.P.P.S. The most important thing I can tell you is to pick outfits that you’re comfortable and happy in. It’ll be a lot easier to enjoy the session and your photos when you’re wearing your favorite sweater instead of a new sweater that’s cute but not comfortable. The more you feel like yourselves, the more comfortable and excited you’ll be 🙂

Options: Your New Best Friend

You don’t have to pick one outfit: bring options!

A lot of my couples choose to bring one simple outfit and one bold outfit, one casual outfit and one dressy outfit, or some combination of all four.

If you want to bring a few options of shirts or bottoms or whole outfits, we can decide on the spot which ones look best depending on the light and location.

To all my couples: I have a popup tent I can bring if you need somewhere to change!

Also, if we plan to hike, consider wearing hiking clothes then changing into your photo clothes at the top!

Colors and Tones

When you wear outfits that compliment the environment’s tones and colors, everything feels cohesive and natural. Try to color match your outfits to elements around you.

For color choices, I typically recommend naturals and neutrals. These include gray, blue, green (like soft forest green), black, brown, cream, white, maroon, mustard yellow, and other earthy tones and metallic colors. I recommend staying away from bright colors like strong pinks and yellows because they tend to distract in a natural setting.

Make sure you also choose colors that are complimentary to your skin tones.

Shapes and Textures

If you’re in a location with lots of textures and shapes, you’ll get lost if your outfit also has a bunch of textures and shapes. If you’re in a location with minimal variations and your outfits are plain, you won’t stand out.

Try to be the opposite of your location: if there are lots of different shapes and textures in a location, go with a simpler outfit, and if the location has minimal texture or big shapes, pick a bolder outfit.

Using patterns

If you want to incorporate patterns, I recommend only having one throughout the whole combined outfits. Otherwise, your outfits will fight each other and your environment.

For example, one of you can wear a plaid jacket, but everything else between you should be plain.

Stay away from big chucky patterns and logos.

Props and Accessories

Props are things you can bring with you to include in your photos. Accessories are things you wear in addition to your clothes.

There are good props and accessories, and there are not-so-good props and accessories.

Good props: dogs, blankets, picnics, cool cars, campfires, flowers, other stylish things

Not-so-good props: anything cheesy

Good accessories: hats, scarves, sunglasses, jewelry, or layers like jackets and vests

Not-so-good accessories: wearing all of the above at the same time

Materials

If you have any pieces of clothing that can show movement, bring it. This might be a dress that catches in the wind, a jacket that can be left unzipped, or an oversized sweater.

Try not to wear anything itchy or uncomfortable, or else you will be focusing on that instead of having fun at your session.

Also remember to iron clothes so wrinkles aren’t distracting!

Shoes

Unless you’re a pro at heels or we’re going to a completely paved or flat area, I’d opt for good walking shoes. Wear cute boots, flats, or high quality shoes that you can easily move around in. If we’re hiking somewhere, consider wearing hiking boots and bringing other shoes to change into (or just wear the hiking boots the whole time if they’re cool!).

Complimentary vs Matching

Lastly, try to compliment your partner instead of matching them.

Complimentary means the variety of colors, textures, accessories, patterns, and tones, all cohesively work together to create a beautiful scene.

Matching looks like early 2000’s family Christmas cards with all blue jeans and white t-shirts.

Try to avoid wearing the same colors. Instead, find complimentary colors: blues with grays, greens with browns, or black or white with anything.

The biggest takeaway is that I want you to look and feel like YOU in your photos. I hope these tips helped you figure out which outfits look best on camera, but now it’s up to you to choose which of your favorite sweaters or dresses will look best with your partner’s outfit and the location you chose.

Again, if you’re my client I will be happy to help you in the selection process!

If you want more tips like this, check out my weddings and engagements tags on my blog!

Want your own engagement session with me? Contact me!

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