One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “which clothes are most flattering in photos?” … and I love it.

I don’t come at this from a stylist point of view…you’ve probably seen how I dress and I know I could definitely do with some help myself (or learn to step away from blue jeans and converse once in a while), however I know what looks good on camera.

I look at this as a test of how we can get you looking the best you can, with a mixture of clothing, posing and amazing lighting.

But there are definitely some things I have found that don’t photograph well…no matter what you look like. So instead I like to look at….

Which clothes are the least flattering in photos

Silk

I love silk, but unless you have an iron on hand…it has a tendency to create really badly and often in the most unfortunate places. I once had to photoshop an unsightly crease off a clients bum and boobs… in every single photo.

So yes, I’m thinking of myself too in this one!

Tight shiny clothing.

This sounds obvious really, doesn’t it. But even if you are toned within an inch of your life, once you put on something shiny and tight – I promise you’re not going to be happy with how the light picks up every lump and bump.

Plain black or dark charcoal clothing

Really dark clothing can be very flattering (And let’s face it, most of us wear it to hide our shape) but in a photo it will just look like a block of colour without any definition. You won’t spot the details of the outfit, the camera will just pick up a black lump.

Obviously it will give you a silhouette that might be more flattering but for the majority of your photos you’ll be sat down..or doing something.

Black or really dark clothing also doesn’t suit everyone. It make you look pale and tired too if it’s close to your face (so wear jewellery or even a coloured scarf to help). That’s why it’s definitely on my list for which clothes are the least flattering in photos.

Overly baggy clothes, especially chunky jumpers

you know those photos of teenagers with a chunky knitted jumper, hair up in a bun, just casually Holding their coffee in a New York apartment… we’re unlikely to be able achieve that.

Instead what happens is that you wear a chunky jumper that hides your figure, add bulk to your frame and has a tendency to leave you looking like your Aunt Mable…

Wrap over dresses

I love wrap over dresses. They’re easily the most flattering type of dress for most body shapes.

But only if you wear good underwear and potentially bring a safety pin to close the gap…or we’ll be spending hours trying to photoshop your bra out of the images.

Cardigans

You hope you’re going to look a little bit boho but end up looking like you’ve squeezed into your 7 years old school cardigan or worse your cardigan is huge and you could fit three people in it.

I’m definitely not saying that you shouldn’t wear them, but caution is definitely advised. Often instead of making a dress look more dressed up (or because you want to cover your arms…they can be a bit frumpy).

So…what does look flattering in photos?

Jackets

I go on a lot about jackets…denim, leather, smart, casual , military…the list goes on. They’re so versatile and if you feel like you want to hide any lumps and bumps (Arms and tummies usually) …they’re perfect.

Colour & more colour

Choose your branding colour…choose your favourite colour. Use colour as a way to tie your photos to your brand.

Choose a colour because it makes you feel confident or speak with a professional like Anna Mewes and let her find your perfect colour (you’d be amazed at what a difference the right colour can make to how you look in a photo).

Flowing dresses

Outfits that skim over your body and give movement and confidence are ideal. It could a be a skirt and a T-shirt or a full dress. You can wear a jacket or on its own.

Accessories

Hats, scarves, jewellery (chunky so we can see it), hand bags, all add to the final look of your photos.

Well fitting jeans….

No matter your shape or size, well fitting jeans and a flattering jacket will always look classic (and be unlikely to date too much so you won’t need new photos for a while).

Choosing your shoot outfit

The great thing about having a professional shoot is that we can plan all of this before the shoot. So the only thing you need to remember is to turn up and feel fabulous and if you need any help figuring out which clothes are the least flattering in photos you know where to come!

And when you’re ready, here are three ways that I can help you:

1) Visit my blog for tips on VISIBILITY.

Every week I discuss strategies to improve your visibility, get over your fear of visibility and my latest shoots.  Read here

2) Plan a bespoke photoshoot.

We can plan a shoot based on what you actually need (read more) or you could join me at a Branding Day.

3) Join ‘Visibility School’.

Visibility school is a membership group where you get 12 months of photoshoots, a fab little Facebook group and lots of bonus content too (new for 2023 members) . Read