Boudoir Outfit Ideas: What To Wear For Your Boudoir Photoshoot
The first rule when it comes to what to wear for your Boudoir Photoshoot is this - DO NOT STRESS.
You cannot go wrong, okay?
Whatever you wear, you will look fabulous.
Yes, it’s a Boudoir photoshoot and, yes, we will make sure you feel body confident but the truth is that Boudoir photography isn’t about finding confidence just from your body, but from a deep, grounded self-belief that is born from acceptance and celebrating who you are, as you are.
This kind of self-love doesn’t come from what you wear, so do not let yourself think that the outfits will make or break your experience. They won’t.
Having said that, the outfits you wear for your Boudoir experience are a great chance to express yourself!
It is a fun opportunity to explore your sense of style. Play around with different ideas, do a fashion show for yourself, dig out the outfit you love but never have the ‘right’ occasion for…
After 20 years of doing this, we are brimming with tips that could help you! So, let’s dive into it.
Think about what the CONFIDENT you wants to wear… and then wear that!
When you are choosing what to wear for a Boudoir photo shoot, try to make decisions from a confident place. I know this can be hard if you wrestle with self-doubt around your body, but, trust me, you WILL be feeling powerful by the time your photoshoot is happening and you will want an outfit that matches your energy.
My advice is to use the fact that you have two outfits. One Boudoir outfit can be the look which is - for want of a better phrase - a safe bet. You know you like it, and you know it makes you feel good. The second look should make you go “I cannot believe I am about to wear this.” Do you know what I mean?
You want it to be the type of outfit you have always wanted to wear, but never felt brave enough for.
Divine Divas is a safe, supportive, creative place in which to try these things and go for it! You won’t get a better opportunity. So if there is an outfit in your wardrobe, or hanging in a shop somewhere, that you’ve always wanted to have - then NOW is the time.
If when you try it on the first time, it feels scary - GOOD. Do not talk yourself out of it!
Bring options and we can help pick
One of the most common questions we get is what to wear, so we are used to answering the questions! It’s why we do a styling call with you before hand and, remember, if you find yourself struggling to narrow down what to wear, let us help! The team and your Boudoir photographer can always help narrow down the options too.
Remember you have so much support available to you BEFORE you come in the studio. You have the Divine Divas VIP Group where you can ask fellow Divas for their advice, and you can whatsapp or call the Divas team to talk through your ideas!
However, if you’re still unsure then feel free to bring your Boudoir outfits in and your photographer will help you choose.
Use this to explore your style and personality
This is the amazing Sian, who is a massive fan of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’. For those who aren’t familiar with the game, in ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ you create your own character. Sian’s character is the sorceress Aurelia… and in Sian’s photoshoot, she wanted our help bringing Aurelia to life, which we did! It was the most fun. I show you this so you can know that Boudoir is expansive and unique. There is no ‘one’ way to do it right!
One thing we hear a lot from people who come to us is that they are tired of hiding themselves away. They purposefully wear dark, baggy clothes - not because that’s their style, but because they don’t want to feel judged or seen.
This is your chance to break a habit that doesn’t serve you. To show yourself that you can a) stretch your comfort zone b) wear what you want and not be judged and c) feel good when you wear clothes that actually express your personality!
Fashion and make-up is an amazing, playful form of self-expression. You can have fun conveying the rock chic part of you, the kinkier badass part of you, the super sexy version, the side of you that loves elegant clothes, or the ‘you’ who loves whimsical, hippie outfits. Ask yourself, ‘what would the confident, doesn’t-give-a-f*ck me wear?’ and then wear that!
You don’t have to wear lingerie for Boudoir. You can do casual Boudoir too!
This is connected to the last point. Remember, you don’t have to wear a lingerie set! If lingerie doesn’t feel comfortable for you, or just isn’t your thing, don’t wear it!
Boudoir is not about lingerie, and it doesn’t have to be about sensuality or sexuality, either. It’s about self-celebration, so wear what makes YOU feel good.
You could wear jeans, a white shirt, cos-play, your bikini, your sports gear, your leather jacket, a vest top and shorts, your Doc Martens, your motorbike leathers, your favourite dress… The list goes on!
Lace, cut-outs, harnesses - anything with detail - always looks awesome
The camera loves detail. So avoid outfits that are just sheets of fabric. Don’t forget to consider the back of your outfit in this too! Lace lingerie, patterns, cut-outs and straps all photograph so beautifully and always create fabulous outfits!
You have two looks, so use them to celebrate different sides of yourself
During your photoshoot, you can wear two different Boudoir outfits so make the most of that! We’re all made up of loads of different qualities. Maybe there is part of you that loves to feel glamorous and feminine, and another part that is dark, sultry and dominant? Or maybe you feel confident in your sports gear, but you also love wearing flowy and floral lingerie?
This is linked to other points around self-expression. It’s not about the outfit, it’s about honouring and celebrating the things that makes you feel like YOU. So ask yourself, what do you want to connect with? Elegance? Femininity? Sensuality? Power? Grounded body-positivity? Let this be the spring board for your two outfits.
You can go Nude!
Remember, sometimes the best Boudoir outfit is no outfit! Nude Boudoir is beautiful, elegant and artistic. It is a timeless way to celebrate your body for what it is, and to look at yourself through a lens of body positivity and self-love. It is is simultaneously daring and exciting, whilst also being healing and natural. We can’t recommend it enough!
One tip we do have is that some Divas prefer to do a lingerie/clothed Boudoir experience with us before they do a Nude Experience as they feel more comfortable working up to it!
Don’t try to hide yourself with layers of fabric… If you feel worried about your tummy, Divas tell us that bodies always make them feel fantastic
A lot of people come in for their Boudoir shoot to build confidence, which means they initially feel quite insecure. The temptation is therefore to cover themselves in baggy clothes or layers of fabric. Don’t do this!
This is your time to dig deep, to challenge yourself, and give yourself permission to OWN the body you are in.
Nearly every single woman who comes to us tells us that they feel insecure about their tummy (which no one should be, you do not need to feel lesser for not having a washboard stomach!!). Our aim is for you to feel so powerful that you don’t care showing off your tummy, but if you want an outfit that is very flattering then you may want to look into wearing a body. They always look so gorgeous and people always tell us how comfortable they feel in them!
You can bring in personal things that tell your story
Are you doing this partially as a gift to your loved one? Why not wear a piece of jewellery they have got you? Or, are you wanting a casual, Sunday Morning feel? Why not bring in your favourite book? Or, perhaps you’re going all in and love a BDSM style look? Don’t forget to bring in the handcuffs, shibari ropes etc! Don’t be afraid to go all out. Sometimes the small details make all the difference.
You can also borrow any of your props too! You can take a look at what we have, here.
Find this blog useful? We have other blogs you may want to read! Check them out below.
Plus Size Boudoir Shoots: What You Need to Know
All The Props You Can Borrow In The Studio
How to Choose a Boudoir Outfit that Makes You Feel like YOU
Also, have you taken our Boudoir Quiz before? Answer a few questions and we’ll tell you what Boudoir style we think suits you best!
