For girls, deciding what to wear for senior pictures can be both fun and overwhelming! There are so many amazing options and looks to go for! I’ll cover a few general guidelines and offer some great ideas to help get you started. Pinterest and Instagram can be amazing tools to help you piece together a cohesive look for your photo shoot. It can be fun to put together your own inspo board to send to me if you want to be sure every piece will look fantastic in photos.

First! A few things to remember:

1. Stick with styles that you love. This isn’t the best time to reinvent your entire look. Have fun with your looks, but make sure that you love how they feel. They should build up your confidence and help you feel amazing about yourself.
2. Don’t be afraid to shop your closet. You might be surprised to find you have some amazing outfits that will work perfectly for senior pictures.
3. Pack walking shoes! If you will be wearing cute shoes for your outfits that aren’t comfortable to walk in, bring along a pair of walking shoes. We usually do quite a bit of walking to get to different areas of our location.
4. Avoid pieces that are too sheer, too fitted, or too revealing. You will be moving around a lot for your session and will want to be comfortable and able to pose easily.
5. Pay attention to undergarments and wrinkles. These can be distracting in your pictures. Try things on ahead of time with the undergarments you plan on wearing to be sure lines and straps don’t show. And a quick steam for wrinkles the day before does wonders for your look!

1. Start with your most casual look

A casual look that represents your day to day style is a great way to show the version of yourself that people see daily. Be careful not to go too casual by wearing old clothing with holes or bleached out colors. But jeans, shorts, sweaters, tanks, boots, tennis shoes, and other more casual clothing look great for senior photos. And I love it if your outfit happens to have pockets. They add a few more fun posing options.

2. Finish your session with the look you absolutely love!

I always suggest finishing off your senior photo shoot with your absolute favorite outfit. By the end of your session, you are more relaxed, posing is feeling more natural, and we are usually in the most beautiful part of golden hour with soft glowing light.

3. Dresses with movement

Dresses that have some movement are so much fun for senior pictures! Whether they are long or short, you can twirl, swish, walk, and sway. Photos that have movement in them are some of my favorites!

4. Don’t be afraid to dress up!

There is no such thing as too dressy for senior pictures! I love it when seniors bring along a more formal dress. It adds a glam look and can be really fun to pose. You won’t regret it when you see your final gallery!

5. Bold colors AND calm neutrals work equally well

Choose colors that work for you! If you prefer a neutral palette of whites, creams, browns, and blacks, then you can absolutely build a fantastic senior session wardrobe around that. And if you love big, bold colors, don’t be afraid to go for it. They look amazing in photos! I do suggest watching out for loud, busy plaids, and too many stripes.

6. Accessories, props, and shoes

Bringing along different jewelry, hats, shoes, sports equipment and uniforms, hobbies, and even a pet are amazing ways to show off your personality and style. And they are a wonderful way to easily switch up your looks and add a lot of diversity to your final gallery.

To wrap it all up – remember that your senior photo shoot is all about you! Select looks you love, have fun with your style, and use your clothing to help build your confidence and show off your personality. Feeling lost and need a little help? My seniors get a detailed senior guide after booking to help them navigate dressing for their senior photos shoot (plus location selection and a lot of other things!). And I always encourage you to get in touch if you need some extra support. I’m always happy to take a look at what you have so far, listen to ideas, and guide you in the right direction.

Thanks for Reading!

XO, Janelle