Boudoir Wardrobe Tips and Moodboards

What Should You Wear for a Boudoir Photoshoot?

This is almost always the first question I get. Sometimes it comes up in conversation before even "I'm thinking about booking a session."

Not knowing what to wear or where to even start can be the whole reason someone hasn’t reached out about doing a photoshoot even though they really want to do one.

Here's the short version: you don't need a closet full of lingerie, and you don't need to already know what looks good on you or what you want. That part gets figured out together, before your session, not the night before in a panic.

Do I need to buy lingerie for boudoir photos?

No. Some women do and that’s great. If you want to, by all means go for it!

But a session works just as well with what's already in your closet.

An oversized t-shirt. Your favorite bra and undies.

A sweater or favorite outfit that's actually yours, not a costume version of you.

The goal is photos that look like you, not photos of an outfit you bought for one afternoon and will never wear again.

What if I don't want to buy anything at all?

You don't have to. We almost always pull from the studio wardrobe: sheet sets, robes, fabric, white button-up shirts, etc. You could show up with nothing extra and still leave with several completely different looks.

Is there one outfit that works on every body?

The white sheet set. I bring it into almost every session because it isn't sized, so there's nothing to fit into right or wrong. You decide how much it covers, and the smallest change in how it's draped changes the whole look.

It's the one I come back to most, because it photographs well on every body. It’s magic.

What if I do want to buy something new?

Bodysuits are the easiest place to start. They come in nearly every size and style, and they tend to photograph well regardless of shape.

If you're ordering online, give yourself more time than you think you need.

Order a size up and down if you're unsure, and plan to return whatever doesn't work.

Sizing online is inconsistent. There's nothing wrong with sending half of it back.

How do we decide on a look together?

Before your session, we'll put together a moodboard, typically a private Pinterest board where you drop in anything you're drawn to: a mood, a color, a pose, a type of shot.

None of it gets copied directly, it just gives helps us stay on the same page for what you're after, whether that's dark and moody or soft and bright, modest or not.

If you're not sure where to start, that's normal. Most women aren't. We'll work through it during the planning process.

Wardrobe is one piece of the bigger picture. If you haven't read about what a session actually looks like from start to finish, that's covered on the The Complete Guide to Boudoir.

Ready to talk through your session?

Schedule a consultation and we'll go over wardrobe, location, and everything else before you ever have to decide what to wear on your own.