Happy Friday, Friends! I’m gearing up for a double header wedding weekend with two of my sweetest gal pals in the industry, and I CAN’T WAIT! During last week’s Friday Chatter, I passed the ladies some tips help style their engagement session outfits, and today, we’re diving into style for for the gents. See part one here! 

From suits to socks, I’m offering up FOUR quick tips to help the guys look their best during their engagement session. Let’s get started!

A well tailored suit is your best friend.

I love when guys opt for a well tailored suit because, not only do layers really flatter the male body well, but it gives us options! We can take a few photos with a suit jacket on and can take it off to mix up your look. It adds a bit of a formal flare to your photos and is also a great way to show off your personality or wedding colors (Fun tie or pocket square, anyone?!). The key with your suit, though, is that it definitely needs to fit you well! You don’t need baggy ankles or sleeves that extend beyond your finger tips. There truly isn’t a substitute for a well tailored suit! Though custom suits can cost a pretty penny, some of your favorite brands have off-the-rack suits in store for just a fraction of the price of a custom suit. Opt for a solid shade of gray or navy to complement your gal (more on patterns in a moment!)!

If a suit isn’t your jam, go for a collared shirt and some nice pants! I promise when I say that it will be SO worth getting dressed up a bit more than you usually do.

Avoid tiny, repeating patterns.

A lot of men’s suits come in tiny, repeating patterns. While these look great in person, they don’t often photograph well. From pinstripes to barleycorn, glen check and gingham, I’ve found that these tiny, repeating patterns look best in person and can translate, morph and distract the eye on camera. Opt for a solid colored suit (I love grey or navy!!) or a dark suit with low contrast between the colors of the pattern!

Think in layers.

When it comes to styling, layers are a guys best friend! Not only do layers give us options, when we are out photographing, but they really flatter the male body well. (Think back to point #1 with your well tailored suit!) This also gives you an easy way to change up your look if your fiancé is changing her entire outfit! Simply pop on a new jacket, vest or tie, and your outfit completely changes! Note: your layers don’t have to necessarily be a SUIT! I’ve had men layer winter vests, coats, sweaters & zip-ups. While I usually recommend wearing a collared shirt, you can have fun with what you put on over it!!

Another note on layering: A lot of my guys like to wear undershirts with their outfits. This is completely fine (and recommended, especially on a warm day!!), but you should always try your undershirt on with your outfit before your session. Opt for a look that hides the collar of your undershirt and that also allows your undershirt to lay flat. Oftentimes, a bunched undershirt makes you look a bit thicker than you are, and no one wants that! Try your full outfit on in advance (including your undershirt!) and wear it around for a little bit to see if it passes the test.

Don’t forget your dress socks! 

There is almost a guarantee that you will be sitting, walking and moving around during your session which means that your pants could slide up your leg during certain shots. I always recommend that my guys opt for socks that are the same color as their dress pants! If you aren’t a dress socks kind of guy, please make sure you make an intentional choice to have FUN socks under your pants! (IE: Sports socks or low ankle socks are not going to fly here!) This is a tiny detail that makes a huge difference to help YOU look your best!

Bonus tip: It’s not just the ladies that need to think about their hair!

Guys: please put a bit of thought into your hair! I typically recommend that, if you are thinking about getting their hair cut before you are in front of the camera, that you do it at least one week prior to your session. This ensures that, in case your cut is a bit shorter than you would like, that it can grow just a bit and that you can get used to styling it before your session! If you have longer hair, please be sure to run a comb (and maybe a bit of gel!) through it as you get ready. This will help tame your hair, should we have any wind!

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

FOUR TIPS FOR CHOOSING YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION OUTFITS: PART ONE

FOUR THINGS YOU MAY NOT THINK TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION LOCATION

3 TIPS TO HELP YOU PREP YOUR BRIDAL SUITE FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER’S ARRIVAL