Boudoir Outfit Ideas & Inspiration for 2023: How to Pick the Perfect Boudoir Look

You might be surprised to hear this but…the honest truth is, and I’m not even close to exaggerating here, the wardrobe is not that important for the way that I take photographs! So, please, please, PLEASE don’t stress out over your Outfit ideas Perfect Boudoir Look for your photoshoot. Don’t feel the need to run out and buy all new lingerie or sets!

I really can do a completely versatile and perfect photoshoot with a single scarf, sheets, or a sweater. Truly – PLEASE don’t stress about it!

I compiled some wardrobe tips & outfit suggestions to ease your nerves and help you decide what to bring to your photo session…

 MY NUMBER ONE WARDROBE RULE IS:

DO NOT BRING OUTFITS THAT YOU DON’T LOVE!

 I can’t begin to tell you how many women show up with outfits that prompt them to say, “I really don’t like the way I look in this one, but I’ll leave it up to you!”  Let me be a bit blunt, if you don’t like the outfit, it’s likely that you won’t like photos of yourself in the said outfit – leave it at home.

Lingerie is not “a must” for boudoir:  Say what? It’s true! Don’t be afraid to get creative! For a boudoir style shoot, a garter belt and thigh-high fishnets pair great with a cropped sweater or a graphic tee. A gorgeous bra can be paired with a long flowing skirt and your favourite tank top can be paired with no pants. A sheet can be used for everything! Your 20-year-old favourite tee paired with cheeky bottoms will get the job done just perfectly. This is about you and your authentic personality, not about being someone you aren’t.

If wearing thigh-highs, buy them 1-2 sizes too big according to the size chart on the back: Buying thigh highs in a size that supposedly “fits” according to the package size chart, will likely cause a bit of thigh muffin top 😉 We can manage to keep them up for each “pose,” or you can wear a garter belt to keep them from slipping.

If you will be wearing lingerie, get professionally fitted:  I recommend going to a local lingerie boutique or Nordstrom to have yourself fitted. OR, if you’re interested in online ordering, True & Co. has an incredibly helpful website and quiz which will help you to determine what styles & sizes work best for you.

Avoid tiny busy patterns:  They are often lost on-camera and a bit distracting, so try to avoid them. Some embroidery detail is nice but an all-over floral print on a whole bodysuit ends up lost. That being said – sometimes it makes sense to break the “rules”! Sometimes neons look amaaazing on people or in a specific piece, so if you find something you love, go for it! Have several outfits picked out so that we can go through them together before your shoot to determine what will translate on camera best?

Try to incorporate a variety of pieces: Having 5 different bra and panty sets won’t allow for a whole lot of variety in your photos. Rather, have something formal, something casual, something super textured, something fun, something more modest, something black and sleek…you get the idea! We want variety!

It doesn’t have to be complicated – in fact, I welcome simplicity! I love working with pretty scarves, sheets, white button-down shirts, jackets and coats, or whatever items you love.

Pretty & Pressed: Make sure your wardrobe selections are ironed to avoid wrinkles and be sure to cut all the tags off your sheer items prior to arriving.

Consider Artistic Nudes. For a super easy, low maintenance, and free wardrobe option 😉 There’s also bodyscapes/nudescapes!

When in doubt, bring in some of your favorite wardrobe items and let me style them for you! It’s part of the experience and I’m very happy to help.  Keep in mind that we will have time for 3 outfits during your hour and a half long session – nude counts as an outfit if you’re wondering!   

Flattering All Figures

There is no “right” body here, just the banging body you have – that we get to adorn in beautiful, sexy items and celebrate with your shoot! I encourage you to bring items that are the right fit and the right size, as it’s the best way to feel confident in yourself. So, plan ahead and try different items on – and if you can, get professionally sized! It’s amazing what the help of a professional can do for your bra fit.

Host a fashion show at your home before your session, with your mirror as your audience. Create a “no” pile, then make a “yes” and a “maybe” pile and then… bring them all!! I am so happy to help style you on the day of your shoot.

Here are some suggestions that will flatter all figures:

Curvy Bodies: BRING ON THE FORM-FITTING ITEMS!!! I adore bodysuits, tight dresses, and nothing at all…. especially for voluptuous bombshells. We often see curvy women trying to cover up more, but often that has the opposite effect they think it will. I’ll be there to help you pose appropriately so that we can see your figure and celebrate it is the way to go!

Flat Booties: Thongs tend to make a butt look fuller than full-coverage bottoms or G-strings. I also really love cheeky bottoms. Play around in the mirror with different styles to see what you like best. And don’t worry, I’m a PRO at creating curves in posing where there aren’t any otherwise! I can get a killer booty shot with any level of the curve (or lack thereof!)

Thin/No Curve: That’s all in the posing, girl! Form-fitting options or simply nothing at all work great as I can pose the heck out of you to make you look and feel bodacious.

Small Chest: Underwires and balconettes are lovely options, as well as NO BRA AT ALL (which is my personal favorite option for small chested women!) And, by the way, small boobs rock. So please don’t feel the NEED to create extra “oomph” unless it’s something that really concerns you.

Mom Boobs: If your breasts are a bit lower or “floppier” than you’d like them to be, just be sure to snag a bra with some great support, or a form-fitting bodysuit to flatter them. Posing will play a huge role here, and I’m very good at that, so…bring your mom boobs my way and let’s embrace the hell out of them!

Surgery Scars & Stretch Marks: My personal belief is that scars tell a story! Sometimes, clients wish they didn’t have to be permanently reminded of that story, and other times, clients embrace their scars and say they’re a part of them. For this reason, I will never edit out a scar or stretch mark unless a client specifically requests it…and if they do, request that retouching, there may be a small additional fee. This is a VERY personal topic and it’s not my decision to make.  Just know that I welcome scars and stretch marks, but I want to support women at every stage of her self-acceptance/self-love journey. I will meet you where you are.

Confidence & Clothes

I want to reiterate what I said at the start: wardrobe is not that important!! The way that I shoot is all about highlighting your beautiful body & posing you perfectly. The focus is really on bringing out your inner supermodel, which is why I’m so happy to shoot you in a flowy sheet or your most memorable tee-shirt – whatever helps you get there!

When you choose something that makes you feel good, it will help ease those natural shoot day nerves, so, I encourage you to pick something that makes you feel like a total badass, fearless, triumphant, and that really feels like you.

What’s your lingerie personality?

So now you know where to buy all this scrumptious lingerie…but now what do you buy??

To get some inspiration for your lingerie, try this fun lingerie personality quiz!

Want More Than 3 Outfits?

I get it – having ONLY 3 outfits if you’re a lover of lingerie sounds HARD. But I have good news – when you set up a Payment Plan for your Artwork Collection, you get access to exclusive bonuses to use on your session or products. And one of those bonuses is an additional outfit!!

So if you don’t think you can narrow it down to only 3, book a session and prepay for a Collection to be able to wear another outfit during your session!

What is that particular item or outfit that when you put it on just makes you feel incredibly HOT?!