Ah…the dreaded “what should I wear?” It is hard enough to pull out a stylish outfit that you feel great in on a normal day of the week, so it is only normal to feel somewhat overwhelmed when picking out what to wear for your engagement photos.

Engagement photos are one of my favorite things to shoot (besides the wedding!). I love seeing a couple be themselves and be so in love. It is such a great way to get to know my couples, for them to take a break from the stress of planning to enjoy each other and for them to learn how I work.

Here are some suggestions when looking for the perfect clothing to wear for your session.

1. Feel good in what you wear. If you pick out an outfit that you feel sexy/hot/beautiful/gorg in, then it is going to come across in your photos. So if you are debating between something, and you don’t have pep in your step with it on…pass on it. Keep this in mind when picking out clothes that you might not be comfortable in (i.e. those jeans that make your butt amazing when you stand, but the ones you can’t quite sit down in….)

2. Don’t be matchy matchy, yet still match. This might be confusing, but let me break it down. You do not want to look like “twinzies!”, but your outfits should instead compliment each other. For example, if you are wearing a bold pattern with purple, blue and yellow, have your fiancée wear a solid color shirt in one of those hues. This also means if you have on a cocktail dress, your guy’s outfit should be equally as dressy.

3. Pick out clothes that match the style of your location. If you are going to be taking photos at a rustic location, rock those cowboy boots and sundress. If you are shooting in the heart of the city, pick out a sassy cocktail dress and amazing stilettos.

4.  Wear extra make-up. Engagement sessions are the perfect time to do a trial run for your make-up and a great way for you to see how you will look on your special day. If you can’t schedule your trail and session for the same day, then add a little more make-up than normal and put on some gloss or lipstick (but be careful of the color…all the kissing that happens could leave your guy with some color of his own!). I also recommend that my brides-to-be have a manicure since I typically do a lot of up-close shots of the ring.

5. Have an extra outfit. I always encourage my clients to bring at least one extra outfit to change into. I suggest one casual outfit and one more formal outfit. This is also a great way to meet your guy in the middle on an outfit option – i.e. you can bring along those Chicago Blackhawks jerseys for a few shots and still get your LBD and button down look.

6. Dress in layers. Toss on a sweater over your guy’s button down or layer a blazer over your cami. When you wear layers, it slims and adds dimension to your photos (which is amaz!). And if you opt for darker hues they will have a slimming effect, and who doesn’t want that. :)

7. Wear clothes that reflect YOU! It seems obvious, but it is so true. The best photos are when my couples are themselves which only starts with wearing clothes that reflect them (not necessary that super cute, orange skirt that the sales girl at Nordstrom told you was the “it” piece for summer.)

I hope this helps as you dig through your wardrobe for the right outfit, however the most important thing to bring to your shoot in your love for each other….and I think you already have that down. :)