What to Wear For Your Senior Portraits

Your Simple Guide For Planning Outfits for Senior Portraits

“I can’t figure out what to wear for senior portraits!”

You’re flipping through the hangers in your closet and you still have no idea what to wear. Nothing seems quite right. The pink dress you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to wear seems like a pretty solid choice, but so do your comfy t-shirt and jeans. After further contemplation maybe that floral romper is a better option? So how do you know what to wear for your senior portraits?

Seemingly endless scrolling on Pinterest to find inspiration has just become overwhelming with an abundance of ideas for senior portrait outfits. Let’s take the stress out of preparing for your senior portraits and make it a fun experience! No longer will you question “what should I wear for my senior portraits.”

Here’s a simple guide to choosing outfits that will photograph best, while making you feel most comfortable and optimistic about your final photos and time in front of the camera.

Girl wearing white dress for senior portraits, twirling in park

casual senior portrait outfit with white sweater and jeans

Choosing Clothing Colors

The clothing colors you choose are an important factor. Smaller patterns and brighter colors often don’t appear the same way that they would in person. You’ll l want to leave that neon green shirt at home, as well as any clothing with small patterns. These patterns can play tricks on the camera and appear in a strange way for your final photos. Neutral colors are a wonderful choice, helping to steer clear of these potential issues. They photograph beautifully and aren’t distracting to the eye like bright colors. Wouldn’t you like the attention to be on you and your great smile, and not on what you have decided to wear for your senior portraits?

Lighter neutral and pastel colors are going to be your best friend. I highly recommend pastels like pinks, yellows, and blues. You also can’t go wrong with the colors cream or light gray. These colors are not location-dependent. They photograph well whether you’re on a beach, in a field, a park, on a school campus, or in an urban environment.

To be dressy or casual…

There are a few ways that you can incorporate more variety into your photo shoot to make the most of your final gallery. Think about bringing a dressy option in addition to a more casual one. However, before bringing multiple outfit changes, first look at the portrait package that your photographer offers to be sure it allows for multiple outfits. Depending on the number of outfits that your photographer allows in a senior session, I recommend bringing one of each. How many times do you have the opportunity to get all dressed up to have a photographer take pictures of you? Girls, is there a flowy dress you haven’t quite found the right time to wear? Guys, are you thinking about a button-down and slacks? I say go for it! This is a great opportunity to get dressed up and look your best. Dressy outfits also lead to more timeless images, while a more casual outfit is greater for capturing your personal style during your high school experience.

Selecting a dressier sweater or blouse to pair with jeans can lead to a more casual feel. A plain t-shirt or flannel would be a good casual option for guys. Avoid any clothing with logos or writing. Also, make sure that the clothing you choose fits well. Clothing that is too big or small may cause you to feel self-conscious and less relaxed on camera, in addition to appearing less flattering. The more comfortable you feel, the more relaxed you are going to look and feel in front of the camera, so make this a priority when selecting outfits.

what to wear for senior portraits in the fall example showing girl wearing beige sweater, jeans and western boots

what to wear for senior portraits for guy

Layering & Accessories

Don’t forget to accessorize! Accessories are another great way to show off your personal style and add more interest and variety to your final images. Think hats, necklaces, earrings, scarves, and cute shoes! If you play a sport a prop such as a volleyball or a basketball is an accessory worth bringing along to better capture your high school experience. Check out my blog post “prop ideas for senior pictures” to get more ideas.

Hair & Makeup

Having your hair and makeup professionally done is another way to make the process more relaxing. If you’re anything like me I can get overwhelmed when tasked with choosing the right eye shadow, lip color and deciding how much makeup to put on for photos. Makeup shows up differently on camera than it does in person, which can make a professional hair and makeup stylist an asset to the process. They know what will pop on camera and make the process much easier on you. Although if this isn’t in your budget, no sweat! Wearing slightly more makeup than you usually do will help it show up on camera.

“What should I wear for my senior portraits?”

The best advice for what to wear is to choose lighter neutral or pastel colors, bring outfits that will create variety in your photos (both dressy and casual), layers, accessories, and of course a big smile. Leave behind your worrying! Your photographer will walk you through posing and can provide you with more specific outfit questions to ensure that you have the best experience possible. You’re only a high school senior once, so make the most of your senior portrait session and have some fun! 😃