What to Wear for a Brand Session

As a company that proudly offers brand photography as part of our services, a question we get a lot is, “What do I wear for my brand session?” This is often on the mind of business owners when they realize their session will consist not only of flatlays and product shots – but also pictures of them in their business context or modeling their services or merchandise. After slightly panicking and frantically ransacking their entire wardrobes, clients have periodically reached out and asked us what on earth they should pick as an outfit for their brand session.

And, let me assure you: this is a great question. There is no single answer nor one-size-fits-all approach to styling yourself for a shoot to celebrate and feature your brand. But I do think there are cues to keep in mind, which I’ll be sharing with you today!

1. What are you trying to convey? 

Naming the purpose of your branding session will help you determine the visual details, including your clothing, that will make your intent come to life. As you prepare for your session, take some time to consider what you are trying to convey through this collection of images about your brand. Think about your brand aesthetic – is it bubbly and feminine, casual and sporty, moody and serious, edgy and innovative, cozy and traditional? You’ll want your clothing to match the correct tone. Your outfit, ultimately, will be a visual representative of who you are as a business, and who your ideal client is. 

 

Likewise, think about what you want people to feel when seeing these images. If you want to communicate to potential clients that your product is accessible to all, steer clear from overly formal attire: you want to emphasize approachability by wearing everyday clothing! 

2.Think about colours and materials

Consider the colours, visuals and textures that best align with your services. Look into a clothing that matches or complements your brand pallet and vibe, to increase brand awareness. 

If your brand tone is traditional and dainty, play off heartwarming themes, light and muted tones, and materials like lace. 

If your brand tone is moody, go for earthier tones.  

If your brand is flirty and fun, consider vibrant colours and texture accents like sequin.  

White is always a safe choice –but there are many ways to reflect or complement your brand through your outfit’s colours and textures. Be creative (in the wise sense)!

 

3. Prioritize your comfort and test it out

 

It is of utmost importance to think about what will be most comfortable for you to model in. We get you to move around a lot during brand sessions, to yield a wide variety images. We maximize modelling poses and viewpoints to portray your product or service in more than one way. For this reason, it’s best to pick clothing that won’t restrict movement nor require you make constant adjustments. 

 

To make sure your clothing is adaptable to sitting down, standing up and being active, we’d encourage you to try on your outfit beforehand –especially if you will be wearing something you don’t normally wear (a new outfit, for example!). Practice some poses, sitting, and moving around, to ensure you’ll be comfortable spending an hour or so being photographed in this set of clothes! 

 

Remember that you want to feel confident during the session. Buying a new outfit is by no means necessary – but you do want to opt for something that you feel fabulous in, not worn out or stained items! 

 

Don’t wear something that is too tight, ill-fitted, or a color that makes you self-conscious. Choose something that feels like YOU and that will not make you want to shy away from the camera lens! 

 

4.Bring multiple outfits

 

It’s always a good idea to bring multiple outfits so we can diversify your images. You can entirely switch up the type of attire throughout your branding session: for example, a shoot featuring jewelry can include a model wearing both formal and casual outfits. This communicates to viewers that the product is versatile, and can be worn in the house and dressier settings alike! 

 

Think about different settings in which you could display your product or service: outside, during a workout, lounging at home, in a bridal context or other life event… The options are endless! Our hope is to convey to potential clients a wide range of settings where your work is used – so make sure your outfits reflect this sentiment, and bring them with you. 

 

5. Accessorize!

 

We love accessories. Accessorizing can easily switch up your outfit and make your images more interesting. A hat, a kimono or a jacket are great options. Jewelry is also a wonderful way to add to your outfit –although we do recommend you keep it simple so it does not distract potential clients from your product! 

 

Overall, accessories add personality to your brand session, as do other props such as business cards, confetti or an everyday work tool like a laptop! Collect these various items and bring them to your session, and we will coach you throughout our time together on how to best utilize them. 

 

We hope this helps you as you figure out your look for the brand session! Keep it simple, and choose something that screams YOU! 

If you haven’t booked a session yet, now is the time! Click here for all the details.

xo Victoria & Levi