Hello Class of 2016, Class of 2017, moms, siblings, and friends alike! Welcome to Day Two of Senior Week! If you missed Day One, go back and read that post first! It’s all about the Michelle Joy Senior Experience, my personal experience with my own senior portraits, and what you can expect when you choose me as your senior photographer. I’ve worked hard on crafting an amazing experience for every senior who works with me, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

On to the focus of today’s post: Outfit Inspiration!!! I’ll share some outfitting tips and show you some of my favorite senior outfits to date. Most of these tips can apply to anyone, not just seniors!

---

1. Wear clothes you feel confident in! Ladies, if you’re not a heels sort of girl, I wouldn’t recommend buying a brand new pair of Stilettos for your senior portrait shoot. Guys, if you’re more the t-shirt type, you don’t need to wear a suit and tie. Try a sweater or plain button-down for a relaxed dressy look. Wear a style of clothes that you’re comfortable in and make you feel like you can conquer the world. When you feel like you look best, that confidence will show in your photos!

Elise loves to be outdoors and has a natural, down-to-earth look. Her earth-tone dress matches her moccasins perfectly and compliments the rugged forest backdrop.

Lauren’s white tulle skirt is absolutely perfect! It brings a trendy, delicate, feminine touch to this woodsy scene. 

Sarah’s vintage style is shown off perfectly with this look!

2. Choose clothes that FIT. If your clothes are too baggy, it will be hard to see your shape and you’ll end up looking sloppy. On the other hand, if they’re too tight, you’ll be able to see every crease and roll. Who wants that?!? Go for structured pieces that flatter your figure. (Ladies, I’ve found that a loose-fitting top with the perfect pair of skinny jeans works on nearly everyone!)

Mack’s blue sweater fits him perfectly, making him look put together but still natural. And Chloe has the perfect figure to rock this white dress! It’s not hugging too tightly, but you can still see how gorgeous her figure is!

3. Lean towards rich, vibrant colors. In my opinion, color always looks more interesting than black! Color adds a pop to your images that will draw the eye in and focus it on you, exactly where it should be! Prints are also a great option. Just avoid super outrageous prints that will be a distraction, and be aware that very soft or tiny prints may not show up well in your photos. If you’re hesitant to wear bright colors, jewel tones are a great option because they are still visually interesting and look great on pretty much everyone!

See how much Kacey’s red scarf causes the image to jump off the page?! The deep blue in Brandon’s shirt does the same thing! It draws your attention right to the subject.

4. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Guys, this means you too. A chunky necklace, fierce jacket, colorful scarf, or fun hat will add an extra level of interest to your images and bring your portraits to the next level.

Sarah’s statement necklace and crochet top tie this entire look together. When you see the image, your eye automatically lingers because there are so many different pieces to look at, but they all work together!

Victoria and Claire both wore structured jackets at their senior session. See how much visual interest it adds to their portraits? Not only that, but ladies, a structured jacket is a simple way to cinch in your waist to achieve a super flattering shape!

5. Show off your interests! Is there something unique about your style? What about sports of hobbies that you love? Choose outfits that show it off! When I shoot senior portraits, my goal is to put your personality on display and highlight your unique characteristics and interests. Senior portraits are all about showing off what makes you YOU!

Sarah loves to paint, and is an incredible artist!!! She brought paint to her senior session, and right as the sun was going down, she just started painting. I love the creativity and artistic feel that we were able to achieve! Also, just to show off how talented she is, I included a few photos of her work!!! It’s so stunning!!!

Claire and Chloe are both athletes, so they brought their jerseys along for a few of their senior portraits. I wore my volleyball jersey for a few of my own senior portraits and I was so glad that I did!

I hope this helps you when you’re choosing outfits for your senior portrait session! If you’re interested in booking your senior portrait session, fill out my contact form HERE! Or, email me your name, school, and graduation year at michelle@michellejoyphoto.com and I’ll get back to you soon!

If you want to apply to be a 2017 Senior Spokesmodel, visit my website and fill out the application HERE! Finally, if you’re a high school junior or senior living in the Columbus area, there is an Instagram giveaway happening RIGHT NOW!! You could win an Easton shopping spree worth over $100… who doesn’t want a shot at that?!? Find the post with the gift basket (@michellejoyphoto) to enter!!! Congratulations seniors!!!