You’re getting closer to graduation every day, and you may even have developed a case of senioritis. Senior portraits are the perfect way to commemorate this exciting time in your life, but choosing what to wear for your session can be a challenge. How do you express your personality while avoiding outfits that will look dated in the years to come?
To help you pick the perfect outfits to mark your high school graduation, we put together a few tips so you’re not staring at your closet helplessly on the day of your session!
Avoid bright colors
We love color as much as anyone, but bright colors can distract from the subject of your photos: you. Some bright colors will even wash out your skin and clash with your surroundings. Instead, go with neutral colors or jewel tones (think gray, blue, and dark green) that flatter any skin tone and pair perfectly with both garden or park backgrounds and a more urban setting.
Choose from the clothes you own
The best way to express your personality is through clothing you already own and love. While we definitely won’t stop you from buying something new, doing so means you run the risk of something not fitting or not looking right on the day of your session, and then you have to come up with a last-minute plan B. The perfect outfit for you looks like you. If you have a favorite dress or shirt, wear it!
Stay away from graphic tees
You may love a certain band or movie right now, but who knows what your taste will be even five to 10 years in the future. While a solid T-shirt is a great casual look, a graphic tee or shirt with words on it can really date your photos or even create cringe-worthy images where only part of a word or phrase is shown. The only exception to this rule is a school T-shirt that shows off your mascot or an organization you participate in and love.
Show off your culture
Even if you don’t wear traditional clothes from your culture to school, they can be a beautiful choice for your senior portraits. Whatever your heritage, clothing is a great way to express it and a timeless choice for your images. After all, your session is all about you, and what better way to show your personality than to celebrate your heritage.
Pick versatile—and comfortable—outfits
When taking your senior portraits, your photographer will likely have you in a variety of poses, so make sure you choose outfits. that are comfortable and look good whether you’re standing, sitting, or even lying down. Constantly having to readjust can be annoying, and an overly tight or restrictive outfit really limits the amount of poses available to you. Never choose looking good over comfort—you can definitely have both!
Think about your underwear
What you wear under your clothes is just as important as the clothes themselves. If you’re planning on wearing white, you don’t want brightly colored underwear that shows through your clothes or a bra that clearly shows through your blouse. As for guys, you don’t want your boxers peeking out from your pants or bunching up under your shorts. When you’re choosing your outfits for your session, try them on with underwear to make sure everything looks good and fits right.
Add a little variety
Chances are you have more than one style, and your outfit choices should reflect that. Your best bet is to choose both a casual outfit (think jeans and a fun tee) and a more formal outfit, like a dress or suit jacket. You don’t want all your portraits to look exactly the same, and having different styles gives your images more variety and will give you even more photos to love.
