Beyond The Basics

1954 Muse
Styling Guide

I've created this resource that will give you all of the details on what to expect for your session, and tips on what to wear that pairs best with my current editing style.

Planning your session ahead of time is crucial because it allows you to feel
prepared and stress free at your session. If you're stressed, your kids will feed off of that stress and the whole session will not be set up for success. I will help you every step of the way with the planning in terms of styling, location, and any questions you may have along the way.

My sessions are all about telling a story. I will gently prompt you in ways to capture you authentically yet poetically. I will position you in certain ways for composition, but as the session continues and i notice your walls coming down, i direct less and become more of an observer of your family dynamic. I'll be there reminding you to stay connected, keep touching, and asking you questions that will encourage emotive and unique interactions between one another and your environment.

Once you pay your final invoice, I'll communicate with you what my current turn around times look like depending on how busy the season is (anywhere from 2-6 weeks). you'll receive a gallery with 40+ images via an online gallery where you can download and share with your loved ones. There is a print shop connected to your online gallery for your convenience, but you are welcome to print from anywhere of your choosing.

✿ Let your kids stay up late just this once, and don't stress. The Golden Hour is worth it.
✿ Read this styling guide. You're investing a lot of money in this session,
don't leave outfits until the last minute. Styling brings everything together.
✿ Show some skin if it's warm enough out. boys with overalls and no shirt underneath, dresses with low backs,
off the shoulders, or a slit in the leg. if you have tattoos, show 'em off. this creates an emotive mood in your images.
✿ don't stress about your kids "behaving". i capture connection over perfection any day. allow
your kids to simply be kids. i want to know who they really are in a play-based setting.
✿ get ready to embrace one another. connection, touching someones shoulder,
playing with your daughter's hair, cupping your son's cheek, nuzzle your nose into your partner's neck.
✿ every phase of life is worthy of being documented. you don't need to be holding
hands skipping for joy. there is beauty and emotion in simply coming together and leaning on one another.
embrace the triumphs and the struggles. one day, you'll look back on these photos and think, "we made it."

My shooting style involves having you moving around a lot. Make sure to wear something you are comfortable moving in. Flowy skirts or dresses (maxi & midi) photograph beautifully because we can play with the movement of them. If it's windy i want that fabric to BLOW. I know jeans and leggings are comfy and cute, but they simply do not add as much movement and can make photos look stiff. if you are set on pants, consider wearing other pieces that will include movement such as fringe, wearing your hair down, and loose cardigans hanging down your shoulders.

Instead of trying to perfectly match everyone's outfits, think of choosing complimentary colours. we want all the earth tones in the mix. different shades of browns, and then tied in with creams/oats, olive/moss green, and soft rusts. you can also throw in charcoal gray and/or black into the mix if you want your images to have a moodier, edgy vibe to them, but i suggest reaching out to me to help with this because black in certain fabrics can make the editing go downhill.

Incorporating soft patterns and texture will keep your photos dynamic and add visual interest. Choose a soft pattern for at least one outfit. thick stripes and soft floral actually coordinate really well together on opposite people in photos. then for texture think lace, faux fur, linen or cotton gauze fabric, fine knits, chunky knits, fringe, embroidery, ruffles... the possibilities are endless.

Let your hair down so if there's wind your hair will blow with it and create movement. Keep makeup natural - avoid smokey eyes so you don't have "raccoon eyes" in your photos. False lashes are a great way to dress up while keeping it clean and natural.

Accessories add detail to your images and can complete outfits. Think bonnets, fedora hats (NOT baseball caps), suspenders, bracelets, floral crowns, knee high socks. Sentimental accessories such as a guitar to play or a violin if vou're a musical family. I've even utilized an old teddy bear which created one of my best images.

For the best possible outcome, try to avoid wearing:
- Short dresses (you can't get on your kids level and play while worrying about pulling your dress down)
- Skin tight clothing (we want FLOW and movement)
- Brand names/Logos such as Paw Patrol, Nike, PUMA, etc. We want your photos to be timeless.
- Bright colours such as neon, hot pink, bright yellow.
- Prime colours such as blue, red, green, yellow.
- keep in mind i de-saturate blues and greens in my editing, so if you do wear blue... it will end up looking almost gray.
-Please AVOID pure white. It can look very harsh. Choose cream/ivory instead.
- Extremely dark colours such as Navy and Black (black is acceptable if you're going for an edgy vibe, more details about this further down the page).
- Running shoes (feel free to bring good walking shoes to change into if our location involves incline
- Baseball caps (Dad's love their baseball caps, but it casts a shadow over their faces so I can't see their eyes and makes the styling in-cohesive. If you must wear a hat, please consider a fedora instead).
- Characters (this falls in line with logos). I know your kids might love unicorns and paw patrol, but try your best to put them in outfits that don't have characters like this all over it.
- Stiff clothing. Stiff clothes=stiff photos. If you can't move around comfortably, it'll put limitations on playing with your littles. do a twirl test! if it flows outwards as your twirl, you're good to go.
- Visible diapers (try bloomers or cute diaper covers in an earth toned colour pallet)
- Harsh, Checkered plaid and busy patterns

Mamas:
free people ($$$)
Baltic Born ($)
Yewen Dress ($$)
Linennaive ($$$)
Vici ($)
Hazel & Folk ($$$)
Jen's pirate booty ($$$)
reclamation ($$$$)
aya sacred wear ($$$)
poshmark ($)
Etsy ($$$)
Neuflora ($$)
Nothing Fits But ($$)
Ivy City Co. ($$)

Kids & babies:
Zara Kids ($)
Joyfolie ($$)
Rylee & Cru ($$)
Simple Folk ($$$)
Lolo & Spence (local) ($$)
Nest & Nurture ($$) *LOCAL
dannie and lilou ($$)
blossom and pear ($$)
quincy mae ($$)
indie blue ($$)

Dads:
Urban Outfitters ($$)
Winners ($)
Mark's wearhouse ($$)
Zara ($$)
the gap ($)
Boathouse ($$)
H&M ($)

These are the vendors i highly recommend checking out because they offer pieces that are created in fabrics and earth toned colour pallets that photograph well. a lot of these pieces are an investment, they are not $5 t-shirts you find at old navy or walmart. if you're on a budget, consider utilizing my client closet which can be found

here

The most important focus when it comes to your session is connection. If nobody is connecting, that energy will show in your images. The second most important focus though, is styling. Wardrobe can make or break a session. Your outfit decisions will greatly impact the entire mood of the final gallery. My editing style is extremely emotive and specialized, so we really want to make sure we're embracing all of the earth tones and browns into your outfit choices. My style has been described as more on the folk side, and my clients seek me out because they love the style I offer so in return, folk is usually their jam, too. My expertise is helpful when it comes to utilizing these styling tools and choosing colours, fabrics, and textures. After reviewing the examples below, I invite you to connect with me on what ideas you may have and what route you'd like to take so I can assist you if needed.

jen's pirate booty

indie blue

Zara

(unbuttoned)

dannie & lilou

(i would suggest no
shirt with this one)

aya sacred wear

mom

simple folk

reclamation

h&m

amazon

zara

free people

joyfolie

zara kids

yewen dress

joyfolie

zara kids

lolo & spence

h&m

simple folk

no shirt

macrame veil - etsy

marks wearhouse

etsy

h&m

indy blue

simple folk

rylee & cru

zara kids

for the families that have a little edge. rock, dark romance, sporty, musical, punk. you're taking the glamour and making it spunky.

this mood is for the mamas who just don't feel comfortable in a dress. we find movement elsewhere. wearing your hair down, fringe in a pleather jacket, and playing with layered patterns and fun textures makes it visually interesting.