What to Wear for a Boudoir Shoot – Our Top 8 Picks

What to wear for a boudoir shoot is probably our number one question after clients book a session with us. It can be intimidating to pick your pieces without knowing what photographs well and what doesn’t. Don’t worry; we got you covered in this post!

At Elevated Boudoir, we offer a Style Consultation after clients book a boudoir session with us. We walk you through all of the options in our Client Closet (complimentary to any Elevated clients!) and give you time to try stuff on and see what pieces look best and what colors and fabrics most compliment your coloring.

If you’re not local to Salt Lake City, Utah, but you’re considering a boudoir photoshoot, we can easily schedule your Style Consult on the day of your shoot! In the meantime, let us break down your options and what works best for a flawless session. If your boudoir studio doesn’t offer a complimentary client closet, we’ll link some options for you along the way. And most importantly, there are lots of pictures of them in action so you can see how they look on different figures and shapes. 

Bra & Panty sets

A matching bra & panty are a staple for boudoir images! It’s a classic yet customizable outfit choice. Depending on the overall mood of your boudoir shoot, you can play around with this combo.

A cut and sewn set in lavender are perfect for a romantic and sweet vibe. Bright red lace push-up bra and thong set the tone for a sultry photo. At the same time, a Calvin Klein cotton sports bra and panty can resonate with your sporty side. 

Any color that goes well with your skin tone is guaranteed to look great in your boudoir shoot. Feel free to bring a variety of solids, lace, textures, unlined, push-ups, bralettes, etc. 

Panties come in all shapes and sizes. A high or low-waisted cheeky thong is our favorite choice, although there are plenty of other great options that can photograph well! Ultimately, we want you to feel good in whatever setting you choose.

Teddy / Bodysuit (our FAVE)

We highly recommend bodysuits! Bodysuits are incredibly flattering on ANY body type and photograph well. They’re all about revealing and concealing the parts of your body you want to flaunt or cover-up.

Bodysuits are sexy and provide more coverage than a bra and panty set without sacrificing style. With soft lace and mesh, many bodysuits are suggestively sheer while being super comfortable. For women who want a little more support, plenty of bodysuits have underwire built-in to accentuate your breasts.

They come in many styles and look great with and without sleeves. Whether you want to show a little or a lot, bodysuits are a great way of making that happen. They also have an incredible way of making you feel incredibly sexy and sensual while wearing them!

Our clients love going through our extensive collection of teddies and bodysuits and typically have difficulty choosing which one they want to wear. But don’t worry; we’ll help you make the best choice during your style consultation if you’re our client. Elevated Boudoir clients never worry about what to wear to a boudoir shoot.

Nearly Nothing

Depending on your comfort level, you can wear next-to-nothing or nothing for one of your looks. Many clients like to end a session this way, almost as a progression of undressing throughout the shoot.

Implied nudity is when you don’t show any actual private parts, but through the use of a sheet or a particular pose, it appears that you are nude in the photograph. Implied nudity is an elegant style that captures a very authentic and natural vibe. We have white, red, and black satin sheets in the studio for your use.

At Elevated Boudoir, we capture tastefully topless images where you can show full breasts or the ever-alluring side boob. In addition to topless photos, we specialize in fine art nude boudoir photography. We don’t capture highly erotic images but photographing the female form in its original state can be the pinnacle of expressing your femininity or true self.

Hosiery

Thigh-high stockings are a great addition to almost any lingerie outfit. Stockings can be worn with or without a garter belt. We recommend all varieties of thigh-highs: black, white, fishnet, lace – you just can’t go wrong. Not a fan? No worries – bare legs look great on camera too! We recommend sizing up one to two sizes, as the elastic band at the top of your thighs tends to be extra tight and unflattering in photographs. 

Something Casual

Not all of your pieces need to be lingerie! Wearing some fun items are sweaters that slip off the shoulder, a button-up shirt with some panties, a tank top, and silk shorts can be an excellent option for boudoir shoots. 

We love the concept of wearing a man’s button-up, but in photos, it can look frumpy. We find it’s best to bring a similar shirt cut to fit you (women’s button-up). Consequently, the same goes for men’s sports jerseys. If you want to display team pride in your photo, bring a women’s shirt that fits you well with their logo, which will do the trick!

Robe

Lace, satin, or flowy robes never let you down and can be worn with or without anything! They add some classy vibes to any image. We have a few lace options in our client wardrobe ready for use.

Baby Doll

Typically, babydolls are fitted around the chest, like an underwire bra, and open up with a fabric that flows down to the hips making the panty choice important! If you purchase a babydoll with a generic g-string, toss it out. Why are they always so big?!

At Elevated Boudoir, we prefer a chemise because it hugs your figure more and photographs better. A chemise gives you the classic look of a babydoll while accentuating you in all the right places.

However, baby dolls are the perfect piece if you’re doing a maternity boudoir shoot and want to show off your bump. 

Corset

Corsets lace up the back and can cinch your waist and give your chest a lift. Whereas bustiers only do the latter. For more miniature figures, either will probably work fine, as long as you can fill out the bra cup. For voluptuous figures, the corset is best. If you have more questions about the difference between these two and what would be best for you, we’ll be happy to clarify them at your style consultation.

What to Wear for Boudoir Photography Made Easy

We hope this guide gave you some helpful tips on what to look for when choosing what to wear for your boudoir session. Ultimately, the most important thing is to pick what makes you feel the best and most confident!

Lingerie comes in various styles, fabrics, and colors; the world (and our Client Wardrobe) is your playground! Don’t be afraid to try something new or unexpected. You never know what pieces you’ll love or what colors make all of your best features pop.