Olive Photos by Lauryn Brook: What to Wear Wednesday-Build on your Basics

Welcome to our first 'Wardrobe Wednesday'! I have people all the time asking me what they should wear to their sessions and any tips I may have. Well, now I'll be answering your questions week by week! This week our article is from Morgan Dawson Photography and we're going back to basics! I know when you are investing in photos sometimes investing in a new wardrobe for the family to wear in them isn't practical. Here's were we build on our basics! We'll take on the women first!

I admit it – I have a uniform that I wear almost every day.

{dark jeans and white tank} + {X over tank} = {my outfit}

If it sounds lazy – and some days, ma

ybe it is! – remember that people like Bobby Brown and Vera Wang also have “uniforms” (have you EVER seen them wearing something other than black?). The trick to keeping this highly functional outfit fresh is to change up the {X}. For example, I can throw on a cozy sweater in the morning to wear while I edit with my coffee, swap the sweater for a white cardigan and fun necklace when I head out for a shoot, then make one more change into a fitted jacket and a pair of hoop earrings before meeting friends for a drink.

How easy is that – three totally different l

ooks by changing out one piece of clothing and a few accessories!

Will this idea work for your next photo shoot? Absolutely! Rather than spend money on separate head-to-toe outfits, you can either save some dough by only picking up a few new pieces, or splurge a little on one or two killer tops. The other reason I love the idea of wearing a uniform to your shoot is how easy it is to change your look. You can bring along a small bag and make a quick change without having to look for a bathroom or car to change in. Not only will this get you more looks for your shoot, but your photographer will love knowing that the location for your session doesn’t need to revolve around a nearby spot to change.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking abo

ut, I put together a few different outfit ideas that will look great over your jeans and tank. But let’s make sure we have the basics set first.

The white staple tank shown below is my all-time favorite, can’t-live-without-it, should-have-bought-a-few-more top. No lie. I actually bought one for my Mother as part of her Oprah’s Morgan’s Favorite Things Christmas gift (which included a p

air of pants from Lands End that I wear all the time – message me if you’re curious). While a white tank is something you can pick up anywhere, I love this one because:

the material is thin enough to layer and not get warm, but thick enough to not be see-through
wide shoulder straps mean your bra straps won’t show (a no-no for any picture)
you can wear this multiple times without it stretching out (great for travel!)
wash after wash it still looks great

Ok – enough about the tank!

Jeans. Everyone has them, but just make sure what you’re wearing actually fits you. If they’re too tight or sag in the butt (you know what I’m talking about), you really should invest in a new pair. I secretly hate shopping on my own, so I like to go to a store where the salespeople will be brutally honest and not let me leave with a pair that looks bad. With SO many options – low rise, mid rise, skinny, bootleg, curvy – you can definitely find a pair that fits you. And for color, a darker wash always looks good, and can transition easily to an evening pant.

Since the majority of your outfit is set, have fun with your {X} top. Be bold with colors and patterns. Wear some sweaters or tops buttoned up (maybe with a belt) or open and layered. Mix in fun jewelry and accessories like a scarf or hat (I’m obse

ssed with newsboy caps lately) – and voila! Picture perfect outfits in a snap

SHOPPIN

G GUIDE:

I recently asked our amazing Wardrob

e Wednesday Facebook fans to tell us what clothing shop they love that many people don’t know about. Thanks to them, I now have even more online shops to drool over. You’ll see that I p

icked out a few items from these new-to-me stores. If you’re not familiar with them, I highly suggest you check them

out!

TOPS:

Ultra Soft Square Neck Tank – White House Black Market ($24.50)

Chic Merino Cardigan (yellow) – Boden ($88)

Fairy Dance Top – Anthropolo

gie ($98)

Perfect-Fit Mixed-Tape Cardigan (blue) – J.Crew ($49.50)

Com-pleatly Contemporary Top – M

odCloth ($54.99)

Navy Blue Striped Cardigan Ruffle

Trimmed with Pockets – La Posh Style ($41.99)

ACCESSORIES:

Polka Dot Bangle – Down East Basics ($7.99)

A Flying Swallow and Branch Necklace – Etsy ($26.50)

Teardrop Earrings with Crystal Detail – Maurices ($10.00)

Now for the men!

In my last Wardrobe Wednesday post I talked to women about building your outfit around two closet staples - a white tank and jeans. But what about the guys? Let’s start with the same basic idea: start with what you already have and go from there. In this case, I chose jeans and a white dress shirt.

It can really work, too, without being even a bit boring!

First, the basics.

Let’s start with a pair of dark wash jeans that really fit well. Again, no saggy pants or faded dad jeans. If your man doesn’t have at least one pair of nice darker jeans, get thee to a store pronto and make him TRY THEM ON. I’ve absolutely made my husband try on jeans before buying them, only to have a few women critiquing his figure to make sure the fit works. Might he be embarrassed for a minute or two? Perhaps. Will he leave with a killer pair of jean? Absolutely. Totally worth it.

(Husband’s note: You get used to hearing your w

ife ask the other women to check out your ass.)

The white dress shirt. Again, this MUST fit well. The good thing is that no matter what his size, you can find a cut that works. I suggest going to a store like Men’s Wearhouse where they have a large selection of special cuts (like athletic or slim). My other suggestion – and this comes from the wife of someone who wears a white dress shirt five days a week – is to buy one that is wrinkle or iron free. These aren’t a myth or made of some weird material. I honestly haven’t ironed a dress shirt in YEARS. My newest favorite white shirt can be found below in the shopping guide.

Now, let’s jazz this up a bit.

Even if he only wears the jeans and white shirt, little things like great shoes, a belt and watch can make a huge difference. I almost always suggest rolling the sleeves. Not only will this make the look a little more lived-in and real, but it will also make him feel a little more relaxed. Show even more style with a pair of geek chic glasses or a light scarf.

Consider taking the outfit one step further by adding a loose tie (or bow tie for the adventurous). Again, you can make it more casual by keeping the top few buttons undone on the dress shirt. Keep in mind that this is a great opportunity to show a little color, or compliment something that another person is wearing. The trend in ties now is skinny, skinny, skinny.

Don’t be afraid to layer things over the shirt. Vests look cool and can be worn with or without a tie. If the example below is a little too modern, consider a basic sleeveless golf sweater vest like this from Nike Golf. Button-down and full-zip cardigans are hot now, but you can’t go wrong with a zip-neck mock sweater as well. And finally, jackets. These can look super cool and casual with a slightly unbuttoned dress shirt and jeans. Depending on the material, you may even be able to roll up the sleeves a little. Go with a more formal look by adding a simple tie and maybe even cufflinks.