How to Get Dressed for Group Grad Photos
First of all CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Not only are you GRADUATING after working your ass off for years… but you also have enough cool and fun friends to agree to get your senior pictures done together. Hehe. That’s already a feat in and of itself. You’re killing it. But now, you must figure out how to get everyone dressed and cute and match… but not match too much… and look effortless… but look nice… but stay authentic to yourselves? Wow, that’s a lot. Here’s my go-to suggestions to help you all look
adorable
put-together
effortless
cohesive
LIKE YOURSELF
General Guidelines
(If you don’t read anything, read this section!)
ABOVE ALL ELSE, I want you to feel like yourself. I want you to look back on these images in 30-100 years and be brought back to this moment— how you feel, who you are, what you actually looked like. When picking your outfit, think about something that feels like you- but a bit elevated (like what you would wear on a nice date or as a casual wedding guest). Perhaps this is a dress, nice jeans, cool pants, a nice & clean shirt, a fun skirt, or something that is beautiful to you. When it comes to shoes, be yourself. Don’t force yourself to wear heels or dress shoes unless that is absolutely your vibe! Clean sneakers are totally allowed.
The other Most Important Things:
Be physically comfortable! I want you to look like your happy, carefree self!
Avoid big logos and graphic tees
Avoid bold patterns (abstract, geometrical, too bright, etc.) but more chill patterns are cute!
Avoid any visible undergarments (or undergarments that might become visible if you move around too much)
Avoid super tight or super short clothes that you have to be adjusting… I personally love these looks but when it comes to photos, you do not want to be distracted by your clothes. You will be moving around a lot. I am NOT SAYING to dress like a nun but rather to assess your own comfort level!!!
If you have any questions at alllllllll please ask me (or your photographer) immediately! There are no dumb questions! I live for this!
HAVE FREAKING FUN!!!!! YOU’RE YOUNG AND COOL AND LIVING THE DREAMMMMM!
Keep reading for ~the formula~
Step 1: Pick an inspiration piece
This could be many different things. This could be an article of clothing that someone in the group already has and has their heart set on wearing… if it’s a pattern, that makes things easy because the rest of the group can draw on that to develop the color scheme. If it feels unfair or impractical to base the whole group’s outfits based on one person’s (valid), you can also select another inspiration piece such as…
A piece of art you all like such as a painting or an album cover
A picture from Pinterest or from anywhere
A special item that relates to your circle of friends (example: a grad stole, a certain flower you all love, a drink you share on occasion, etc.)
A meaningful location that represents a shared experience
A movie or show or fictional character
The main focus here is to find something as an anchor for at least the color scheme if not the overall “vibe” you’re going for. If this step is confusing or feels too abstract, that’s ok too, feel free to skip to step 2 ;)
Step 2: Make a color scheme
When narrowing down your color scheme, consider the location of your shoot! If you’re shooting in the hills of SLO county, avoid wearing light greens or golds. If you’re shooting at Cal Poly, don’t pick grey or busy patterns. The idea is to avoid blending into your surroundings and instead, compliment the location.
I’d recommend choosing 2-3 colors for your color palette, and then have variations of those colors, like darker or lighter shades of of a given color. If you’re not sure, chat with your photographer! I personally LIVE for the planning process and would be so happy to give feedback on anything you’re scheming up!
Create a visual and share this color scheme with your group. This might sound like overkill but check on your colorblind friends! HA… seriously. (My husband is colorblind and once bought me a light yellow bike and said “Nadine, it’s teal— your favorite color!!!!!!!.. For the record, I loved the yellow, absolutely no complaints here…BUT it just wasn’t teal)
Step 3: Rough draft!
Disclaimer: It’s ok to skip this step and step 4! These next steps might be overkill in a larger group! Feel it out and do what feels right. You could totally skip this and just show up. Just make sure everyone understands the general guidelines listed at the beginning of this article, the color scheme, & that you decided as a group on a general “fanciness level”.
Now it’s time to make things happen! Consider an outfit or two for yourself that fit within the scheme. Once you have a selection for each group member, you can start mixing and matching outfits and making sure they all go together in a group message or a get together at someone’s house.
A Note on Patterns: I recommend keeping patterns to a minimum. Less than half of the group should be wearing patterns. When mixing patterns, members of the group wearing patterns should check to be sure they don’t clash. Ideally, patterns share at least one color and one article has a larger print while the other is smaller.
Step 4: Bring it all together
After you have landed on a favorite outfit for each person, lay out each outfit next to each other or send them in the group text. Is there too much of one color? Sub for a complementary color or a different shade. (It’s ok to have a lot of people in white though!). You get the idea. You will all be standing in a picture together (duh) so make sure it works :)
The end result should look cohesive but not overly-planned or matchy looking.
