9 Ideas of What to Wear for Your Boudoir Session
I’ve been doing boudoir photography here in Louisville since 2017 and one of tne of the most commonly asked questions I get from my clients is, “What do I wear?” Or “What should I go out & buy?” You might be surprised, but you don’t have to really go buy anything!
I’m not saying it’s not fun to go out and buy new pieces for your boudoir session — you can totally do that as well. But you might be surprised by how many things you already own that you can use, even if you don’t already have much of a lingerie selection.
Below are some tips on what to wear. Some are some sustainable, inclusive brands you can support, but most of them are completely free and you probably already have at home.
You’ll notice that a lot of these ideas can be combined! There’s no rules - you do you & what feels most comfortable to you.
Jeans
Put on your most favorite, flattering jeans. You can wear a sports bra or bralette with it as a top, pose with some flowers, or wear nothing at all on top! It can be hard to find that perfect pair of jeans, so if you have them, take advantage of that and use them for your boudoir photos!
2. T-Shirt
Wear a big t-shirt, flannel or sweater. It can be your partner’s shirt or one of your own. Something that you already feel familiar in can be a nice way to start your boudoir session if you’re feeling all the pre-shoot jitters.
3. Sheet/Blanket
This one is a fave of mine! My guess is that you already have a sheet or blanket at home — I have some on hand too if you need one for your shoot. You can create some really beautiful boudoir photos with something a simple as a white sheet or a cozy blanket by folding it around you. You can be fully nude beneath or use it with lingerie or undies.
4. Nude
Go completely nude! This is probably the most affordable option, am I right? If you’re not comfortable showing *everything*, have your photographer pose you in the right positions and you can always use sheet in this scenario, too. (Not showing fully nude photos on this blog post, but you get the idea!) I highly recommend chatting with your photographer about the level of comfortability you have before your session — this is something I talk about with every client!
5. Props
You could use props that you have around your home, studio or environment. If you’re having outdoor portraits taken, you could stand in a field nude or surrounded by trees. A bouquet of flowers works really well for this, too!
6. Robe
If you have a sickly or lacy robe, let’s put it to use! You can wear a robe by itself or add in on top of a lingerie piece you love. It can bonus as something to throw on between photos, too.
7. Undie & Bra
You can buy a matching cute bra and underwear set, or just already wear a set that you have! They don’t have to match either - both looks can work really well.
8. One piece
A lingerie piece by itself can also be super stunning. You can wear a bodysuit type lingerie piece, or a nightie/dress type!
9. *Fancy* One-Piece
You can get real fancy with the night gown inspired look! Here’s one from Etsy that’s stunning. If you’re wanting to splurge a bit more on yourself, this is a gorgeous option.
I’m pasting a few more options below in case you’re wanting to go the route of buying something new. I’ll also recommend that if you’re going to buy something new for your boudoir session, do a quick search on color theory and find your “season” if you don’t know it already. Here’s an article and there’s also tons of stuff on TikTok about it, in case you’re like me and want to go down that rabbit hole.
Girlfriend Collective - Their undie & bra sets are simple too (can you tell I like simplicity yet?), but they’ve got different color options that are super cute. (Disclaimer: if you use that link, I’ll get a free pair of leggings if you spend $95 or more.)
Depop — Depop and other places like Poshmark also carry boudoir options. Bonus points for vintage lingerie!
For Love & Lemons — They have the dreamiest lingerie pieces … it’s been on my bucket list for years, maybe sometime I’ll splurge and get some but for now I’ll just hope one of my clients wears it sometime!
Only Hearts - A sustainable & adorable lingerie option if you’re wanting to go the new route. If you want more sustainable options, read this article here!
Look at you go - now you’ve got plenty of ideas for sustainable and/or affordable outfits for your boudoir session. Do you know of any sustainable brands or ideas that I missed? Drop a comment!
Want to book a boudoir session with me? Let’s do it!
About Kendra
Though my first love is wedding photography, boudoir comes in at a close second. I’ve been doing it since 2017 and being able to show you how beautiful you truly are is why I do what I do.
I live just outside of Louisville, Kentucky and provide boudoir photography there and to the surrounding areas, including outdoor boudoir photography in Red River Gorge, Kentucky.