Senior Style Guide- Guys
Choosing your clothing on a normal day is difficult, but when you want to look your best for senior portraits, it’s even more so! This handy guide will walk you through the important things to consider when planning your outfits include flattering your body type, choosing your style (or styles), selecting complementary accessories, hairstyling tips, and a shopping guide.
Wearing fitted clothing is important, but wear your size, not the size you wish you were. Tight clothing that shows rolls, bulges, and cellulite is never flattering. The key is to be COMFORTABLE so you feel good about yourself and it projects in your images. Consider where you want your images to be taken and plan your outfits accordingly.
Bring multiple outfits so we have choices and can pick the best ones for the scene- something light, something dark, something sophisticated, and something fun! If you need more ideas than what I’ve got below, check out my Pinterest board.
Three Levels of Style
When planning what to wear, you should bring 5-7 outfits in a variety of styles.
Dressy- Think of this outfit as what you’d wear to a wedding or an awards banquet. This outfit should be parent-approved and be classy such as a suit, blazer, or jacket with jeans. Be sure to include a tie!
Casual- This outfit could include jeans and a nice shirt, but please keep the shirt free of logos, as they draw attention to the logo instead of your smiling face. Although this outfit is less formal, it should still be neat, clean, and wrinkle-free (including jeans).
3rd outfit- This outfit should highlight your hobbies such as a jersey or sports uniform.
Go For Classic Style
Trends come and go so it’s always best to choose classic looks over trendy styles that will be outdated in a few years. Do you want your kids and grandkids to cringe at your senior portraits?! At the same time, you want to look and feel like YOU, not some fake version of your best self.
Be sure to choose solid colors for at least a couple outfits, as patterns distract from your face and that’s what we really want to see! Busy prints and large prints are very distracting so avoid them. Jeans are always a good idea and very classic. Dress them up with a jacket and nice shoes or go casual with a tee and sandals.
Accessories
Sunglasses, hats, watches, shoes, vests, and scarves can make great accessories! These add dimension to your look and can accentuate your look. Check out Classy Men Collection and The Tie Bar for some great accessories.
If you play a sport or are involved in extracurriculars, bring your uniform from HEAD TO TOE! Don’t forget the important items like shoes, bat/ball, instrument, trophies and ribbons, puck, hats, books, et cetera.
A note on glasses: If you normally wear glasses, please bring a spare set with the lenses removed. It is very difficult to edit out glare.
Where To Shop
When choosing your senior outfits, it’s best to try everything on well before your session to be sure it fits and that you have all accessories. I’ve listed some of my favorite places below. For last minute items, I recommend Amazon Prime since you can usually get 1-2 day shipping and return items that don’t fit or look good.
Amazon, Kohl’s, Gap, H & M, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Abercrombie, American Eagle, PacSun, Express, Aeropostale, Banana Republic, LL Bean, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Buckle, J. Crew, ASOS, Target
Hair and Skincare
It’s important to look your best in your photos which includes your hair and skin.
Even men need good looking fingernails! You’ll want to get your nails done a day or two before your session, including a pedicure if you’re wearing sandals or planning to go barefoot for any images. Nails should be clean, cuticles pushed back, and surrounding skin should be free of hangnails.
Hair should be cut and styled 1-2 weeks out from your session date to allow for any changes if you don’t love it. Choose a look that is a little nicer than your everyday school look- think Homecoming dance, not prom or study hall. Again, it’s important to avoid a trendy look unless you want your portraits to look dated in a few years.
Healthy looking skin is essential to making you feel and look good. Drink a couple large glasses of water 24 hours before your session to help your skin look bright and avoid drinking pop and eating fried and sugary foods, as these can create bloat and greasy skin. I can edit acne, but you’ll make it easier on both of us if you use lotion to remove dead skin including chapped lips. Please…NO FAKE TANNING!! It will make your skin look orange and it’s very difficult for me to edit. I charge an extra fee to make orange skin look natural.I can’t stress how important it is to have a natural color to your skin. PLEASE also avoid the sun for a few days prior to your session so you don’t have tan lines or a sunburn.
A Final Note…
Don’t stress too much- this is supposed to be fun! I’m here to support you so if you have questions or need more ideas, check out my Senior Portraits Pinterest board, my Senior Portrait Style Guide for guys, my Amazon ideas board, and feel free to message me!