What to Wear for Your Senior Portrait Session

So yeah, senior portraits. Fun, right? Except for the part where you're panicking about what to wear because apparently these photos are going to haunt you forever. (Kidding. Mostly.)

I remember my own senior portrait session—spent like three hours tearing apart my closet the night before, trying on literally everything I owned. My mom kept yelling at me to "just pick something already!" Classic. If you're currently in that same spiral, searching "graduation photography near me" at 11 PM on a school night... welcome. You're in good company.

Here's what I wish someone had told me back then.

The Color Thing Everyone Gets Wrong

Alright, confession time: I wore a hot pink shirt to my senior photos. Thought it looked amazing. Spoiler alert—it didn't. The color was so bright that my face looked like I had some weird glow situation happening. Not cute.

Darker, richer colors just work better. Navy, burgundy, emerald green, burnt orange—these kinds of shades make your skin look good instead of washing you out or creating bizarre color casts. It's not rocket science, but it makes a difference.

Stay far away from anything neon. Also, pure white is basically the enemy. Cream is your friend. Off-white works. That bright white tee you love? Save it for literally any other day.

Pastels can be hit or miss. Sometimes they're perfect, sometimes you end up looking washed out and pale. Depends on your skin tone and the lighting. When in doubt, go deeper and richer.

Just Bring Everything (Not Really, But Kind of)

Pack multiple outfits. Like, way more than you think you need.

I know someone who brought seven different outfit combinations to their session. Seven! Seemed insane at first, but halfway through the shoot, they were so glad they had options. The first two outfits just weren't hitting right, and having backups saved the whole thing.

You need variety. Something casual that feels like your everyday self. Something slightly dressier for those "official" shots your grandma's gonna frame. And then—this is important—something that's just undeniably YOU.

Maybe it's your basketball jersey. Maybe it's that thrifted leather jacket covered in pins. Maybe it's your doc martens with a flannel. Whatever makes you feel most like yourself, bring it. These aren't supposed to be generic yearbook photos of some random student. They're supposed to be YOU.

Patterns Will Betray You

My best friend wore this checkered button-up to her session. Looked great in person. In photos? Created this weird wavy effect that made her eyes hurt to look at. The photographer tried to explain something about camera sensors and patterns, but honestly I zoned out. Point is—it looked bad.

Stick with solids if you're playing it safe. Small, subtle patterns might work okay. But those big bold prints, the stripes, the complicated designs? They're risky. And these aren't photos you can just retake next week if they turn out weird.

Textures are cool though. Like a cable knit sweater or something with interesting fabric—that adds dimension without being a distracting pattern.

Accessories: Yes, But Also No

Jewelry can elevate a basic outfit from "meh" to "okay yeah, this works." But there's a fine line between accessorizing and looking like you robbed a jewelry store.

I learned this the hard way at my cousin's quince photos (long story). She wore like six necklaces, four bracelets, huge earrings—the whole deal. Every photo, all you could see was JEWELRY. Her face? Barely registered.

Pick one good piece. A simple necklace. Your favorite earrings. That ring your grandmother gave you. One piece that means something. That's it.

Guys—you're not off the hook here either. A nice watch looks sharp. A simple chain if that's your style. Baseball cap if you're doing casual shots. But don't overthink it.

Comfort Isn't Negotiable

You know that gorgeous dress that makes you look amazing but you can barely breathe in it? Yeah, leave that at home.

Portrait sessions take time. You're gonna be standing, sitting, posing, moving around. If your clothes are uncomfortable, it shows. Your smile gets stiff. Your posture gets weird. The photos end up looking forced because you literally ARE uncomfortable.

Wear things that fit properly. Not too tight, not too loose. Stuff you can actually move in without having a wardrobe malfunction.

Test drive your outfits before the session. Seriously, wear them around your house for an hour. If something's riding up, pinching, or just feels off—pick something else.

Think About Where You're Actually Shooting

The location matters more than you'd think.

Taking photos in a park with trees and flowers everywhere? Softer colors and flowy fabrics usually look amazing with natural backgrounds. Urban shoot with graffiti and brick walls? Edgier looks with denim and boots work better.

Most photographers will talk to you about location beforehand. Actually listen to their suggestions. They know what works. If you're looking into photography Richmond VA studios or wherever you're located, they've shot at these spots a hundred times. They know which outfits pop against which backgrounds.

Don't show up to a nature shoot in all black leather (unless that's your vibe, then do you). Don't wear flowy pastels to an industrial urban location. Match the energy of where you're shooting.

Your Face Should Still Look Like Your Face

Okay so picture day in elementary school, right? Remember how everyone's mom would do their hair all fancy and put makeup on them and they'd look totally different? Don't do the senior portrait version of that.

If you don't usually wear makeup, don't cake it on for photos. If you DO wear makeup regularly, don't suddenly go bare-faced because you think it'll look more "natural." Just be yourself, maybe slightly enhanced.

Heavy makeup gets shiny and weird under professional lighting. Go lighter than you think you need to. And that hair style you saw on TikTok that you've never tried before? Maybe don't debut it at your senior session. These photos should look like you, not like you're auditioning for a role.

Shoes Matter More Than Your Photographer's Telling You

"Oh we're just doing headshots, shoes don't matter!"

Wrong. Shoes always matter.

Even if you're told it's just upper body shots, wear proper shoes that match your outfit. Why? Because photographers change their minds mid-shoot. "Actually, let's get a full body shot here!" And then you're stuck in your dress shoes with athletic socks or whatever weird combo you threw on.

Plus—and this is real—shoes affect how you stand. Your posture changes. Your confidence changes. Wear the complete outfit, shoes included.

What This Is Really About

Look, at the end of the day? These are just prints. Important bones , sure. Your parents will surely frame them. You will look at them when you are aged and flash back this weird, instigative, intimidating time in your life. But they are not worth fully stressing yourself out over. Wear what makes you feel confident. Bring provisory options in case your first choice is not working. hear to your shooter because they actually know what they are doing. And for the love of everything, do not wear neon pink like I did. You are gon na look great. Your personality matters way more than having the" perfect" outfit. Show up as yourself just the stylish, most confident interpretation — and the rest falls into place. And hey, indeed if you make some questionable fashion choices, at least you will have a funny story to tell latterly. That is worth commodity, right?