What to Wear (and What to Pack) for Your Senior Session


"What do I wear?" is hands-down the most-asked question I get before a senior session. More than "where are we shooting" or "how long will this take." And I get it. What you put on can genuinely make or break how comfortable you feel once the camera's actually pointed at you.

So here's my real answer, the same one I give every senior who asks.

Bring two outfits, not one

Seriously, don't show up with just one outfit picked out. Bring two.

The first should be something dressier — the kind of thing you'd wear to church, a nice dinner, homecoming even. Guys, that's a button-up with slacks or nice jeans, maybe a blazer or vest if you've got one. Girls, think a dress, a nice top with dress pants or a skirt, a jumpsuit — whatever feels a step up from your everyday. This is usually the outfit that ends up as the big canvas print on the wall years from now.

The second outfit should just be you. Your favorite jean jacket. A band tee. Your jersey. Boots you actually wear. This is the stuff your friends will look at and go "yep, that's so you." Honestly, these end up being some of my favorite shots to take, because that's usually when you finally stop thinking about the camera.

Having both gives us range — polished portraits and shots that feel like your actual personality — instead of a whole gallery that looks the same.

What else to bring

Beyond the outfits themselves:

  • Shoes for both looks, plus any jacket or layering piece
  • Props if you've got 'em — letterman jacket, an instrument, sports gear, cap and gown, your car if we're shooting with it, a well-behaved pet
  • Bobby pins, hair ties, a small brush
  • Blotting sheets or powder (shine reads way stronger on camera than in a mirror)
  • Lip balm or gloss
  • Deodorant, a small mirror
  • Phone charger
  • Water and a snack — sessions run longer than people expect
  • Sunscreen if we're out in the middle of the day

A Quick Note on Color and Skin Tone

Not every color reads the same on camera for every complexion, and it's worth thinking about before you pick an outfit.

If you have a fair or rosy complexion, very saturated reds, hot pinks, and bright oranges can sometimes fight with your natural skin tone on camera — they tend to pull out redness rather than compliment it, which can leave your face looking a little flushed or washed out in photos. Cooler, richer tones like navy, emerald, pastels, neutrals, or soft blues usually photograph more flatteringly against fair skin, letting your face stay the focal point instead of competing with your shirt or dress.

If you have a deeper complexion, the opposite is often true — bold reds, warm oranges, and rich pinks tend to look vibrant and striking rather than overpowering, and can be a great choice if you want an outfit with some real color impact.

There's no single "right" answer here — it really comes down to your own coloring, not a hard rule. If you're ever unsure, feel free to text me a photo of the outfit before your session and I'm happy to give you my honest opinion.



For the guys

  1. Get your haircut a couple weeks out, not the morning of. Fresh cuts need a couple days to settle and look natural instead of "just left the barber." My grandpa always said "the difference between a bad haircut and a good one is a week."
  2. Same goes for facial hair — shave or trim it a day or two ahead so any redness has time to calm down.
  3. Pick a shirt that actually fits through the shoulders. Too baggy looks sloppy, too tight might look borrowed from your little brother.
  4. Solid colors and simple textures beat graphic tees and big logos every time — they don't compete with your face.
  5. Iron your clothes the night before. Wrinkles that look fine in your bedroom mirror show up loud and clear on camera.
  6. Match your belt to your shoes if you can. Small detail, but it pulls the whole outfit together.
  7. A jacket, vest, or blazer as a layering piece is an easy way to get outfit variety without a full change.
  8. Clean up your hands and nails — they end up in more shots than you'd guess, adjusting a jacket, resting on a shoulder, holding something.
  9. Wear your glasses if you normally do. We'll just angle a couple shots to dodge glare — no need to leave them at home.
  10. Sleep well the night before. Tired eyes are one of the hardest things to fix in a photo.
  11. Practice smiling in the mirror a couple times beforehand. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it beats a stiff "picture day" smile every time.

For the girls

  1. If you're doing your own hair and makeup, do a trial run a few days ahead — not for the first time the morning of.
  2. Go a little bolder than your everyday makeup. Cameras wash out subtlety, so what feels like "too much" in the mirror usually reads as just right on camera.
  3. Break in new shoes before session day, or bring a comfortable backup. Comfort shows in how you walk and stand. We may do some walking so you can always change to another pair when we get to where we are going.
  4. Pack hair ties, bobby pins, and travel hairspray for touch-ups — wind and humidity are common in Kansas.
  5. Choose jewelry that adds to the outfit instead of competing with it. Skip anything oversized, noisy, or overly shiny.
  6. Pick colors that actually flatter your skin tone over whatever's trending right now. You'll love these photos in ten years too, not just this season.
  7. Clean up your nails if you can — hands show up constantly, adjusting hair, holding flowers, resting on a shoulder.
  8. Skip stark white and busy, high-contrast patterns. They're harsh in bright light and pull attention away from your face.
  9. Moisturize your skin in the days before your session. Dry patches show up more on camera than they do in person.
  10. Bring a cardigan, jacket, or a couple hair accessories as easy layering options.
  11. Practice your actual laugh and some natural movement — walking, a little twirl, looking back over your shoulder. It photographs way better than a held, posed smile.

Last thing

Don't stress about being "photogenic." That part's on me, not you. The best senior sessions I've done are the ones where someone shows up comfortable, wearing something that actually feels like them, and just lets themselves relax for an hour.

Got questions about what to wear for your specific style or the spot we're shooting? Ask me. I'm always happy to help you figure it out before the big day.