What To Wear?

This is one of the most common questions I am asked in the lead up to the day of a shoot, so I thought it was time to write some suggestions! I'm by no means a fashion expert but I love casual outfits that will still look great in years to come.

Tweed Jackets - look particularly great with a pair of long brown boots against a bay horse!

Jackets can also be taken on and off throughout the shoot.

Scarves - can easily be swapped and changed throughout the shoot. A great accessory to ensure you don't look the same in each image!

Headbands and scarves are great and practical, especially during the colder months. Pair them up with some matching mittens too!

Colourful shirts are a must, especially during spring and summer!

Jeans and jackets always look great together, accompanied by long or short boots!

Sarah's polo matched so well with her blue eyes!

Competition wear always looks neat and classy, especially alongside a well groomed horse. Perhaps plaiting your horses mane for the shoot was already part of your plan?

Casual dresses look so pretty. Longer dresses and evening gowns are more suited to well turned out yards and may not look so fitting in other locations such as the woods or the fields.

Planning on some group or family shots? Try and think of a running trend throughout your outfits - be it all wearing white shirts or all wearing blue jeans.

Smart jods and a top - fit in with the equestrian surroundings. You can always change in to jeans or something else later on during your shoot! Sometimes I find dressing up too much puts you out of place with everything else around you but you can't go wrong with johdpurs! (Just make sure they're clean!)

Things To Consider:

What's the weather up to? It's not going to be much fun if you arrive in a polo shirt on the coldest day of the year! A smart jacket accompanied by a scarf or even a knitted headband looks great too!
Too much to choose from? Don't forget you can change your outfit 3 times during a 2 hour shoot!
Short dresses - don't wear anything too short as this may limit the poses we can try!
Wear something you'll still appreciate in years to come. A shoot is an investment that will bring you joy for years to come - think about what you're wearing. Something timeless such as jeans and a lovely top will still look great in the future - perhaps avoiding that loud shirt if you're not sure you'll still like it would be a good idea!
Neutral colours and minmal patterns - try not to distract from the horse too much. Patterns and wacky colours don't always look that well against the horses coat. Instead, find a colour that will compliment your horses colouring.
Safety - shoes! Open toed shoes are not great around horses, reduce the stress on the day worrying about your little toes being crushed and wear something sturdy and practical. Boots are often a popular choice or even pumps.
Accesories - bracelets, earrings, scarves, belts, hair clips and
Scarves and jackets - can easily be put on, altered, used a props or taken off, helping to add some variety to the images.
White - whilst I can remove stains (as inevitable when being around horses, mud and grass!) from clothing - white tops may not necessarily be a wise choice.
Find something that compliments your skin tone - if you're of a paler complection, it may be best to avoid colours that will wash you out such as pastel colours.
Consider your surroundings - make sure you don't blend in!

Wear something you're comfortable in! I want to make sure you feel GREAT when you see your images.

Layers - you can add and remove layers throughout your shoot. A jumper, jacket or blazer over a shirt looks smart!

Ellie co-ordinated her outfit to match her horses numnah and bandages! Why not try and match your shirt or belt to your horses browband?

Whilst I said above try not to blend yourself in to your surroundings, a splash of colour such as the purple from Ellie's top works great with the soft lilac flowers in the foreground of the shot.

I know how you all felt - I really couldn't choose what to wear for the photos of Dolly and I! I took so many clothes with me. I chose my favourite top to wear because I feel comfortable wearing it and it looks quite summery. It was a really hot summers day so I didn't play around with the jackets I took with me. I was trying to find an item of clothing to wear that had a dash of purple in it to work with Dolly's bridle but that's for next time. (Dolly wasn't a fan of standing still that day with lots of flies around and I was busy multi tasking trying to set the camera up for my friend to take a few snaps as well as keeping Dolly's attention. And YES, I did have to edit grass stains from the white!)

Smart jods and a waistcoat - they look super smart, perhaps you could match part of your horses outfit (numnah, flyveil) to match your waistcoat?

Flower crowns - a great accessory for you, and even your horse!

Dungarees - super comfortable and they are very casual, to contrast one of your other outfits, perhaps?

Don't just wear your dress once, it's great fun getting your wedding dress out all these years after the big day!