Why Wardrobe is so Important

As my client’s know I am incredibly particular about wardrobe.  It has recently occurred to me that all of my clients have just trusted the advice that I gave them with respect to the “What should I wear?” question and no one has ever questioned WHY?

So this is my why!

When I first started my photography journey, I would receive constructive criticism from very talented photographers stating that the wardrobe was just not working and was in fact, taking away from the image rather than complimenting it.  If I put more thought into what my children and clients were wearing, it would be a much stronger image.  It would frustrate me to no end.  This is what my kid wears, this is how my client’s showed up for their session, this is how her hair always looks, this is their style – I have no control over these things!!

Little did I know at the time, I actually do have control over these things and started educating my clients about the importance of wardrobe because it really does make a huge difference.

I learned the usual do’s and don’ts of wardrobe:

Avoid large patterns or prints,
Solid colours are best,
Avoid matching each other but rather compliment each other….

I would give the same advice and just hope for the best.  Sometimes it would work out and sometimes it was tragic.  Wardrobe is now discussed with my clients from the minute they make their initial inquiry.  I stress that, to me, wardrobe ranks second on the importance scale, next to light of course!!  Meeting my clients before their session gives me an idea about their style and provides the necessary info needed to properly style their session.  Where do they like to shop? What colour are the walls where they are intending on hanging their portraits?  What does the room look like?  

It is important to me that the wardrobe compliment my client, the location and the home in which these images are going to hung. These are all questions I need to know before DETERMINING OUR LOCATION for the shoot.

Jean jackets and vintage tees are the style of this trendy family and that is fabulous.  Just maybe not in a wooded location.  We were able to retain this family’s style with a classic white tee and a simple lace dress and have it suit the location chosen. Some simple wardrobe changes turned an “ok” image of two children into a gorgeous, classic portrait that will not become dated over time.

If this family really wanted to photographed wearing their vintage rockstar motif, then I would have shot them in an urban setting, like in this image of my two children.

I also want to make sure that the wardrobe & location will compliment the living space as well. If my client’s home is full of warm, neutral colours then I will definitely not want them to arrive at my session wearing bright, jewel tones. Pay special attention to the tones in the image and make sure they are not against each other.

The style of the room is also important to keep in mind. I will not style a family in t-shirts and capris if the room is more formal and vice versa. It is really important to me that my images compliment my client’s home and blend in beautifully rather than stick out like a sore thumb. To be safe, I always ask a week or so before our session what my client will be wearing. If I don’t think it is going to work, I will tell them. They are trusting me to create the best image possible of their family and wardrobe plays a large part. I have routed through many a closet now picking out my client’s wardrobe. I have even been brought along shopping via text messaged images.

When preparing for your next session, whether you are photographing or being photographed, follow these tips to ensure everyone is looking fabulous!

~ Make sure that colours and tones of the wardrobe work with the location.

~ Be sure that the style of the wardrobe works with the location as well as the home. If the home is sleek and modern styled with glass and metal, then I will not photograph this family in a beige grass field wearing sundresses and khakis.

~ You do not want everyone matching! This tends to look like you are trying too hard. Choose a couple of colours that work well together and start mixing and matching within those. To test if your complimenting each other, put all outfits chosen on a bed and you should be able to pull one item from each and create one wearable outfit from all.

~ Start with the husband and work from there. Husbands don’t generally have large wardrobes so I usually select their wardrobe first and then build on that with mom and the kids.

~ Shoes, shoes, shoes!! Everyone forgets about shoes. The last thing you want is a beautifully styled family in a complimentary location and a child wearing white socks with orange shoe laces. Run out and purchase some darker socks if needed and replace the laces. You can always put the laces back after the shoot!

Here are some of my favourite sessions with respect to styling!

Corrie Lindroos Photography