5 Tips To Help You Pick The Perfect Outfit for Graduation Pictures

Hey! Did y’all know I’m graduating in like 3 weeks?! Yup, it’s happening and this week’s graduation shoot really sealed the deal for me. As cliche as it sounds, high school graduation seems like it was just yesterday and now I am about to don another cap and gown. Crazy. If you need help picking out an outfit for your graduation photoshoot, keep reading!

Like a said, on Tuesday I took graduation pictures and in the two hours beforehand I was #freakingout over not having my outfits prepared. Included in my ” photography package” was two different outfits, so I had to decide what they were gonna be, fast. Did I want a dressy option and a casual? Both dressy? Are jeans okay? Heels? In addition to all these questions, I decided to take my pictures with three of my closest friends so that took additional coordination.

While running around I actually looked on Pinterest to see what other people wear to these things. It wasn’t really helpful because people just had dresses on, or school shirts and jeans and honestly it didn’t inspire. I went back to my closet for the hundredth time and finally decided on two outfits: a floral sundress, and a striped dress with a navy skirt on top. In the end I really love what I went with and I think my thought process was really helpful in getting there:

1. Wear something that is you. Easy, right? It is a well known fact that I am obsessed with stripes so I felt that it was necessary to wear some (also why I decided to wear cowboy boots #Texas). But I didn’t want to just slip on my favorite casual t-shirt dress and call it a day, so I layered my favorite navy J.Crew skirts on top.
2. Don’t wear something trendy. Naturally, I tend to wear classic shapes, prints, and styles, but I was tempted to wear the very trendy one-shoulder blouse that I just purchased. While I think it’s cute, these are pictures I am going to have for a long time so I wanted to keep that longevity in mind.
3. Bring multiple shoe options. I brought three different pairs of shoes, and took some pictures in all three. It is a subtle change that gives you more options when selecting pictures that you like in the end.
4. Wear something that will “pop” under your gown. If you’re taking pictures with your graduation gown think about colors and prints that will “pop” underneath!
5. Think about the location. Are you running through fields of lavender? Walking alongside the train tracks? Think about your location and how your outfit will go with your surroundings.

I obviously have to give a shout out to our amazing photography, Jontell Vanessa. If you’re a long time Lysse On Life reader you may remember her. Last year, she wrote a guest post about her photography business! She clearly does incredible work, and after the session, I was joking with her about shooting my wedding in the future (hehe). Yay for working with more girl boss photographers!