Style Guide

The Style Guide / What to Wear

Your Style

First and foremost, these photographs are all about you. They should convey your personality and style preferences. If you’re bohemian and casual, stick with that. If you prefer glitz and glam, play it up. It’s important to be yourself during your session, so wear something that reflects you.
Word to the wise: If you wear something you’d typically never put on, you’ll probably feel uncomfortable.

Plan Your Outfits

I recommend finding one piece that you love and working from there. Then choose coordinating outfits, not necessarily matching. You can choose pieces from the same color scheme. You can also choose one piece with a pattern and pull the other colors from there. Limit logos and patterns that may compete with each other. If you have more than one pattern, make sure they are subtle and complimentary. I personally prefer medium and lighter colors for a Hawaii setting.

Make it Pop

You can still have fun and amplify your personal style by playing with colors and textures. Find a nice mix of neutral colors and then add a few pops where you can. In this example, I chose a bright yellow dress for my daughter and I’m wearing a yellow necklace and belt to tie the color scheme together. Or try neutrals with splashy blue and green accents. Always lay all of the options out together to see how they will look next to each other.

All About Location

For your family session, we will be shooting on location. If you chose a lush green backdrop, avoid wearing green so you can stand out from the background. If there are a lot of trees, solid colors will probably look better. Light and medium colors look great on the beach.

Details

Feel free to wear accessories, as they can really add to an outfit. Just keep in mind that children aren’t always going to want to wear things like hats, ties, and bows. Be flexible and make sure they are still comfortable. Happy, comfortable kids make for better photos.

Pressed and Polished

A few nights before your session, lay out all the clothes you’ll wear. Make sure everything is pressed, ironed, and clean.

Weather

Hopefully we will have a perfect, lovely day with nice light, but take the location and weather into consideration. It gets windy at the beach, so plan accordingly for your hairstyle and outfit choice.

Aloha Prints

We are in Hawaii and it’s traditional to wear matching Aloha wear for special occasions. I do have a few suggestions if you want to go this route. Break up the pattern by having some solid colors as well. If everyone is in the same bold print, everyone blends together and it is not as flattering. Big bold prints also take the attention away from your lovely faces.