If you’re in the midst of planning a summer engagement session, you’re going to love today’s post. I invited NJ Personal Stylist Elaine Yu from Simply Chic Styling to give some tips and ideas on what to wear for summer shoots. Let’s get started!
What to Wear for Your Summer Engagement Session
Guest Post by Elaine Yu | Simply Chic Styling
Hi! Nice to meet you. I’m Elaine, a New Jersey personal stylist who works with women to feel confident in the clothes they wear. Welcome to the 2nd guest blog post in my Engagement Photo Style Series with Idalia Photography. For today’s post, we’re talking about summer style tips for your upcoming engagement photos. I personally love warm weather style because there are so many options to choose from; but with all those wardrobe choices come some challenges as well. I’m sharing my style tips with you so you can avoid unwelcome stress and enjoy your photo session as you prepare to celebrate your upcoming wedding. Congratulations, by the way!
While thinking about your engagement wardrobe may not seem like an important decision in the grand scheme of wedding planning, I encourage you to give it some thought. A little planning will make a huge difference in the quality of your photos and plus, you’ll feel more relaxed which will definitely show in your pictures.
Here are my style tips for your upcoming summer engagement photo session. Good luck, have a great time, and I can’t wait to see your pictures!
1. Choose 2 outfits. Your first step is to decide what clothing styles you love to wear and looks you’re naturally drawn to. Check out your closet, browse magazines, flip through retail catalogs and read your favorite style blogs. Create a Pinterest board with favorite styles or use a folder to store all the pages you’ve ripped out from magazines. Once you start doing this, it should become obvious what your favorite styles are. There’s a lot of flexibility when it comes to summer outfits including bright colors, sleeveless dresses, rompers, jumpsuits, shorts, and skirts.
Summer Style Ideas
Your second step is to narrow down your choices to two outfits that you love and feel confident in. Pick two different outfits so you can have variety in your photos. I’d like to recommend one dressy outfit and a casual option. Or, if your photoshoot will be at the beach, you can also do a beach inspired look.
2. Don’t forget the groom! If your fiancé needs help picking out his outfits, make sure you leave time for him as well. Shorts are ok as long as they are crisp and clean.
And remember that your outfits should coordinate; they do not have to match exactly. You should both wear something that feels authentic to you as individuals.
3. Details matter. Get your eyebrows groomed, get a manicure and pedicure, plan out your accessories for each outfit including shoes, and consider wearing a summer hat. All of these little details will make a big difference in your photos.
3. Wear the right undergarments. Summer style usually means showing skin in a strappy dress or tank top so make sure you have the right bra and underwear. A skin tone bra and seamless thong underwear are usually what I recommend and if you’re considering wearing shapewear, be sure to try it on beforehand to avoid unwelcome surprises.
4. Be comfortable, not sloppy. What you wear should reflect who you are and your personality because if you feel uncomfortable, your discomfort will show on your face. For example, if you’re someone who likes to wear solids, don’t suddenly switch to a loud print. You won’t feel like yourself! On the other hand, just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you should show up in your favorite pair of loungy shorts and a sloppy tee shirt. You should feel comfortable and look put together.
5. Don’t wear white. I love white jeans and white tee shirts in the summer but you should save the color white for your wedding day! This is your opportunity to wear something colorful or a pattern you love.
6. Summer textures. Consider the textures of your clothing which can look really great in photos. Summer textures include linens, tulle, patterns, and light summer knits.
7. Try everything on! Please don’t leave this step to the last minute. Just in case you need tailoring or you find a stain, you want to have enough time to get this taken care of before your photo shoot.
8. Avoid sweat stains. The biggest challenge of a summer photo shoot is perspiration. Natural fabrics like cotton and linen breathe better than synthetic ones like polyester so keep that in mind when picking out your wardrobe. Here’s a pro stylist tip: use baby wipes to get rid of those annoying deodorant marks! Bring a small packet of baby wipes in your emergency kit along with all your other essentials like safety pins, bobby pins, tissues, lip gloss, etc.
9. Pay attention to your skin. Summer clothes usually mean showing more skin so be sure to drink plenty of water leading up to your photo shoot and consider using a body scrub to slough off dead skin. Moisturize everyday, including the day of the photo shoot. And if your face tends to get shiny, bring along some oil blotting sheets for touch ups.
10. Your backdrop. Your location is your backdrop so keep it in mind when planning your outfits.
Asbury Park Boardwalk | Beach Summer Outfit Inspiration
Boardwalk, beach, retro vibe, nostalgia. | See this Pinterest Board and mood boards below.
Sayen Gardens Summer Outfit Inspiration
Gardens, lots of green. | See this Pinterest Board and mood boards below.
Laurita Winery Summer Outfit Inspiration
Vineyards, greens, rustic bridge. | See this Pinterest Board and mood boards below.
There you go, ladies (and gents!) – I cannot wait to see what you come up with for your engagement session outfits. Thank you to Elaine from Simply Chic Styling for putting together these tips for our brides! Follow her in Instagram and Facebook for more fashion tips!
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