Getting senior pictures done is one of the highlights of any school career. Commemorating your achievement is important and the photos are always so fun to share with friends and family! But you may be asking… "What the heck should I wear?!"
Here are the do’s and don’ts for your senior session to have you looking and feeling your best!
The Don'ts
DON'T: WEAR OVERLY BRIGHT COLORS
These colors are HARD to edit in post production as a photographer. It can be fun to incorporate bright, fun colors, but keep in mind, colors bounce around and the last thing you want is a neon yellow face because you wore your “yellow highlighter” shirt for your session.
DON'T: WEAR FLASHY LOGOS OR PRINTS
There is a time and a place for loud, flashy clothes, even in a senior session (see the DO section!). On the whole, loud clothing isn’t recommended because it takes away from what is really important in the session: YOU. You should be the star of the show, not your favorite brand.
![](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/208430113/taylor-061-aa063e74.jpg)
Don't: Wear Black on Black
A little black is fine. Even a lot of black can be worked with. But when you wear a black on black, your blacks aren't likely to match, and it will be noticeable in your photos. Your photographer can try to adjust the blacks so they are the same, but doing so can suck the life out of your clothing or environment. It's best to just avoid layering blacks.
Don't: Wear Something you wouldn’t normally wear
Senior portraits are about YOU. If you wear something you wouldn’t normally wear, or even something you would never wear again, you aren’t presenting yourself authentically. When you look back on these photos, it should feel like you are looking back on your younger self, not someone you were pretending to be.
![](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/577330113/Brendan1-19-27fc81b8.jpg)
The Do's
Do: Wear something comfortable
Senior portraits can be an uncomfortable experience for many people. You will likely be working with someone you don’t know well, who is giving you directions you might not love, all while your mom is crying in the corner because “her little baby is all grown up!” The one thing you can control here is how the clothes feel on your body, so wear something that you are comfortable getting uncomfortable in!
Do: Wear complimentary colors
Complimentary colors are colors directly across from one another on the color wheel. I think we can all tell when colors clash with one another, and they can be so distracting in a photo. That’s never the goal. Wear colors that match one another in shade, hue, and brightness, or even just stick with one color per outfit to really make it stand out! Note, jeans don’t count as a color… most everything will match with your jeans.
![](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/502530113/Miranda-09-bc5d705c.jpg)
DO: Wear something that showcases your true and authentic self
When you look back at your photos I want you to be able to reminisce about the outfits you chose. I want you to say “wow I felt GOOD in that!” And not say “I can’t believe I ever wore that…” What you wear should be true to you, but not draw attention away from you. Remember, your clothes are complimenting you, not the other way around.
DO: Wear something you love
You should not only feel comfortable, but you should love what you are wearing! I want you to be excited to wear that outfit, so much so that you plan to wear it again and again and make it part of your every day closet. You want to look and feel your best on your session day, and the best way to do that is to LOVE what you are wearing!
![](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/641630113/DSCF3666-2208865e.jpg)
Now, when can you wear something flashy with a logo?
When it showcases you! If you want to wear a school shirt, team jersey, or brand you love and wear all the time, you can totally do that! It just shouldn’t be everything featured in your session. Highlighting your interests and passions in your session is a great idea and you can ALWAYS do that! I encourage you to bring items and outfits that tell your story, and if part of your story features a logo, then we should include that!
![](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/510040113/Brendan-047-2c886259.jpg)
A senior session is your time to shine. If you don’t leave feeling positively amazing with every outfit you brought with you, then something isn’t right and we should try again. I want all of my seniors to have an amazing and unforgettable experience, and it starts with what you wear.