Senior Portrait Outfit Planning For Girls

When it comes time to start planning your senior pictures, a significant factor comes into play - what to wear! Senior picture outfit ideas from a professional high school senior photographer might be exactly what you need.
Whether you are a senior girl planning your photoshoot or even a junior looking ahead to create amazing senior pictures, what you will wear for your senior photoshoot will determine largely how your photos will look.  This article will guide you through many amazing senior picture outfit ideas and tips that every girl should know, and some of these ideas you might not have considered before. Our high school senior picture ideas will leave you with beautiful photos that you will cherish for years to come.
What are those ideas, you might ask? Let's break it down! Step by step, we will guide you through your decision on the best senior picture outfits: from choosing the best colors, patterns, and amazing wardrobe pieces to our favorite websites to shop for senior picture outfits.
We will finish with the advice on the final touches for your photoshoot look, like hair, makeup, and nails. At the end of the article, you will feel confident and inspired to create your own sophisticated and modern look for senior pictures.  

PLAN YOUR SENIOR OUTFITS AHEAD

Senior picture outfits are something that many girls start planning months in advance in preparation for their photoshoot. They usually create a board with the best senior trends they'd like to recreate or get inspiration from bloggers on Instagram.

It is a great place to start planning your senior outfits and get a sense of what outfit style appeals to you. However, when it is time to narrow down your options to a couple of best senior outfits, you need to go back to basics and take the most critical look at various senior picture outfit ideas.

In 5 easy steps, we will guide you to the best outfit decision for your senior pictures. We do this because every girl deserves to look back at their senior pictures without cringing over an outfit choice and feel confident in their photos.

 STEP 1. CHOOSE YOUR PHOTOSHOOT LOCATION
Have you thought about where you want your pictures taken? Some outfits look better in certain areas, and not so much in others.

From the downtown of a city to the beautiful fields, every style of clothes looks better in particular photoshoot locations. With that in mind, let your photographer know where you want your senior pictures taken. Then they can brainstorm your senior outfit ideas with you. 

STEP 2. FIND THE BEST OUTFIT COLORS

Deciding which color to wear is the most important decision when it comes to styling for your senior photoshoot. Despite the basic rules of what colors look best for different skin tones, seniors should always wear colors they feel comfortable in.
A few colors to consider for your senior outfit ideas are neutral, muted, or specific vibrant colors. We usually prefer solid color senior outfits for pictures because they look more elevated and less distracting. 
However, you should not overlook patterns altogether. They can still contribute to a great high school senior photoshoot. 

NEUTRAL OUTFIT COLORS

Wearing neutral colors with a beautiful background for your photoshoot simply makes your pictures look elegant and timeless. Some neutral color options are black, grey, white, and cream colors like tan or light brown. 
Black is one of the colors every senior girl likes. It is effortless and also comforting, especially when it comes to new experiences like a professional photoshoot.

White looks classy and sophisticated. It stands out great and reflects light onto your skin very well, which is what we love. It would look awesome in your beach senior pictures.

Cream colors guarantee a polished look during your senior photoshoot and make your clothing pieces stand out without taking too much attention from you.

MUTED COLORS FOR A PHOTOSHOOT

When it comes to choosing a muted color, it could be any solid color choice as long as it is subtle. Our favorites for senior picture outfits are light blue, blush, or lavender. These colors are perfect for nature-inspired senior pictures at the garden, park, lake and the beach, where you can pull them off any time of the year.

VIBRANT OUTFITS FOR SENIOR PICTURES 

We always see celebrities wearing vibrant colors, and they do it well. If you wonder if bright colors would look great in your senior pictures, the answer is always "YES!" If you already have a bold color in mind that you already love wearing, share it with your senior photographer before you make an outfit choice, just in case.

It might make or break the senior photoshoot or might be hard to work with, so having your photographer make a final call would be a good idea. Our favorite bold colors are red and yellow.

Colors that look great on everyone’s skin tone are blush, black and red. When in doubt, choose one of these colors, at least for one of your senior picture outfits.

You know what looks best with your hair and skin tones, so plan towards whatever makes you the most confident! The monochromatic trend everyone is talking about is easy yet sophisticated, and we encourage our seniors to shop with it in mind. 

PATTERN OUTFITS FOR SENIOR PICTURES 

Florals and other prints bring something to a picture - texture and a twist to the traditional neutral colors. Here you can see in Victoria's senior session how floral prints in her senior pictures pop!

We usually advise our clients to stay away from striped outfits because they can be unflattering in pictures. But if you have an outfit with stripes in mind, be sure it is of natural not very contrasting colors.

Try it on, take a mirror selfie in it and study your photo. If this outfit elongates you and looks very flattering on you, this outfit could be perfect for senior photos.

Whether your senior picture outfit has bright floral designs or subtle, neutral prints, remember your senior picture outfit should represent you. 

STEP 3. DECIDE ON WARDROBE PIECES TO YOU'D LIKE TO WEAR

When you know your senior photo location and colors that would work best for it, it's time to decide what wardrobe pieces to wear. Here are several ideas to choose from. 

WEAR A DRESS FOR SENIOR PICTURES

Dresses are our favorite senior picture outfit choice! We encourage our seniors to have at least two or three outfits planned, and we believe one of those should be a dress.

There are so many different style dresses to choose from, but our absolute favorite is the maxi dress! Maxi dresses have a beautiful flow and allow there to be movement in pictures.

Are maxi dresses not your style? That's okay! If you prefer a mini or midi dress, wear it!
Regardless of which style you end up choosing, having a dress in the lineup for your senior picture outfits is always a good idea.

It gives you a classic senior portrait that you will look at in the future and still love because wearing a dress in your senior pictures is timeless.

ROMPERS & JUMPSUITS FOR SENIOR PHOTOS

Did you think to yourself after reading the last section, "Dresses are not for me…"? That's okay because they aren't for everyone! If you feel more comfortable and confident in a romper or jumpsuit, that is another excellent option for one of your senior picture outfit ideas.

Floral romper Is a perfect solution for a senior photoshoot, because it offers elevated look yet familiar style you'd wear every day.

Solid color romper or jumpsuit is another trendy monochromatic outfit idea that effortless yet chic. If it has a train, it would provide the fabric movement photographers love. So definitely be on the lookout for those.

A romper is a casual one-piece outfit that consists of attached shorts and a blouse. It will make you feel more flexible and allow you to have more fun during a senior photoshoot than a short dress would.

Jumpsuit, on the other hand, is more formal and with longer pants than a romper. It can elongate your body and look very flattering in pictures. Which one would you rather wear? 

TWO-PIECE OUTFIT IDEAS FOR SENIOR GIRLS

They say two is better than one, and for a good reason. Two-piece senior outfits are the biggest fashion trend that we think should stay forever.

Matching sets are the photographer's dream because they are easy to put together, which makes senior outfit decision-making so much more effortless. The senior just needs to pull a pretty two-piece outfit out of the closet and she is ready to go to a photoshoot.

No color coordination means no drama and no hassle. Because top and bottom match, they create a high school senior look that is sophisticated and well put together. Matching sets also elongate the body which is always a very flattering choice for senior girls.

But you don't have to wear both pieces together. You can mix things up by pairing a top or a bottom with another complementing piece. Two-piece outfits should not intimidate you even if they may seem like a lot of work. Especially if you already picked a dress or a monochrome two-piece outfit for the first look. Just think about two strong pieces, one of which can be something you already have in your closet anyway.

Do you want to take advantage of summer weather and wear your favorite pair of shorts for senior pictures? Now all you need is a perfect blouse. Do you love your stylish wide-leg pants? Pair them with a cami for that "going to a brunch" look, which is perfect for high school senior pictures.

WEAR UNIFORM FOR SENIOR PICTURES

Have you considered wearing a uniform as one of your senior picture outfits? If you have a hobby you are passionate about, why not make that uniform one of your outfit options!

Capturing you being YOU is our goal, so put on your dance leotard or surfing wetsuit (any uniform you may have). Let's have even more fun capturing your senior pictures!

STEP 4. ADD ACCESSORIES TO YOUR SENIOR PICTURES

Is there an accessory that is your staple piece, or do you have an accessory that completes your outfit? Here's an idea - wear it with one of your senior picture outfits!

WEAR A HAT FOR SENIOR PICTURES

We love when our seniors ask, "Is it okay if I bring a hat?" The answer to that is always "YES!"

ADD SCARF TO YOUR HAIR

Another senior picture outfit idea when it comes to accessories is to add a scarf to your hair. With minimal effort, it can transform your high school senior look and add texture and color to your photoshoot.

Simply take a square silk scarf and turn it into a classic headband by folding it on a diagonal. Then rock it with your hair down during your senior photoshoot.

At Lola Marie Photography, we encourage our seniors to practice putting the hair accessories in before their senior pictures to make sure the colors match your outfit and that you are comfortable with your choice. Still, it is always fun to add something extra to your senior picture outfits!

PICTURES IN YOUR SUNGLASSES

Another accessory for your senior photoshoot could be sunglasses! Suppose you want to go for that "Instagram blogger style look" as an inspiration for your senior pictures.

Why not add your favorite pair of sunglasses that is an essential element to your high school senior outfit! We don't want all of your portraits to have sunglasses in them because we want to see your face, but it is an option to consider for your senior picture outfit ideas.

Do you have any vintage accessories that are important to you? If so, then we want you to consider those as a part of your senior outfit ideas.

Whether it is a necklace from an older relative or a trendy pair of sunglasses your mom wore that is coming back in style, adding that special accessory makes your senior pictures more unique, but more importantly, even more special!

SHOES FOR YOUR SENIOR PHOTOSHOOT

We all have our preferences and styles of what we like to wear. With that in mind, every outfit has certain shoes that match it best. As we mentioned before, it is best if you send your outfit ideas to your senior photographer.

If you are wearing an outfit with patterns and prints for your senior pictures, you may want to avoid wearing a pair of shoes that also have designs and prints.

On the other hand, if you are wearing solid colors, it could be a fun pop in your pictures to wear shoes with a unique style or color pattern! You can always go for color-coordinated ankle-strap heels. 

It is important to remember that you are the subject in your pictures and not your shoes. Your shoes should not be too distracting because the focus is on you!

STEP 5. SHOP FOR YOUR SENIOR PICTURE OUTFITS

So do you already have your outfit already in mind? You, of all people, know your personality and the best ways to express yourself! Now is the time to go shopping.

Here are places senior girls like to shop for their picture outfits: ASOS, Nordstrom, Ralph Lauren, and Amazon Fashion.