The Autumn/winter shoot style guide

It's September, and in my world, this marks the final fading month of summer; the greens are beginning to soften, preparing to give way to those glorious autumn colours, the air is feeling a little cooler, and the horses are just beginning to loose the sleekness of their summer coats. Now if you recall, back in April, I wrote a blog titled "The Spring/Summer Shoot Style Guide", and when I wrote that, I made a note in my diary that I would write another style guide for the autumn/winter shoot season, because the cooler months bring in a very different energy for a shoot, and we need to dress accordingly.

Now, by all means, if you want to go for a more summery look for an autumn or winter shoot, go for it! This blog is simply a guide for those who are unsure, or wondering what else they need to consider, but definitely not gospel for how you should dress. Shoots are all about creating something beautiful, and creativity should never be reined in!

Now, I will likely repeat myself from the last blog a little, as some points may be in need of a refresher for you lovely readers (April was quite a while ago now!), and also it just helps to tie the blog together more thoroughly.

Considerations

Now, the first thing to take into consideration is what kind of feeling you're going for on your shoot - if this feels like a bit of a foreign concept, don't worry, your photographer will be more than happy to discuss and guide you through this well before the big day. 
Did you want a more serious, sophisticated look, or are you feeling a little more of a fantasy vibe? Or perhaps something a little high fashion? Or even, perhaps, you might want a specific theme for your shoot?
Do remember to keep in mind that you can definitely go for more than just one look - with my Horse & Rider package, I include unlimited outfit changes so my clients don't feel restricted and get the maximum amount out of their shoot.

You'll also want to think about colour choices: what works best with your horse? What colours suit you best? Will certain colours clash with the shoot location? This last one is less of a worry in winter when all the leaves are gone and backdrops tend to be more muted, but in autumn, you may want to avoid certain colours to would conflict with autumnal tones. 

Asking yourself these questions as you rummage through your wardrobe can really help to give you the clarity you need to make the best decision for your shoot, and it may also inspire you to buy a few new outfits or accessories for your shoot. 

Outside of these questions, you want to make sure you choose clothes that make you feel good.
Wear clothes that fit your body the way you like, that make you feel as fabulous as you really are. If you choose an item of clothing or outfit that clings awkwardly, or you feel really "wrong" in, it's going to A) show up in all of your photos as you wont move and pose with the same confidence. And B) Put a real dampener on your shoot experience. A shoot day is all about feeling like the star of the show, so you want your clothing choices to remind you of this.

Luxe Layers

With this time of year being cooler, you'll be more inclined to dress a little more warmly, and layers can be perfect for this without making you overly bulky. 
If you're layering, think about what outfits will shape you well. Fitted gilets or coats are great option as they give you warmth as well as elegant shape. A puffy coat without something to cinch it in the middle is likely to make you look shapeless and is totally unflattering, so make sure the coat you choose is fitted in a way that works for you. 
Teaming heavier/thicker upper layers with a good fitting pair of jeans and smart boots then adds more balance to this look, especially if you opt for long boots - although short boots can look gorgeous when styled right too. And always remember, if you're wearing a belt, keep it a similar colour to you boots, if there's too many different tones it can make an outfit look chaotic and overwhelming. 

Have a good think about what you'll be wearing as a bottom layer, matching the tones with your overall look. Did you want long or short sleeves, perhaps a turtle neck, or a round neck jumper, or even a collar? Did you want something more fitted, or looser? There's a lot of choice when considering this, and it shouldn't be overlooked, this is the base of the look, and something that we can strip down to to change up the look.

When considering layers, another wonderful accessory is a scarf that pairs well with the colours you've already chosen. Scarves also give you a few different options on the way you wear them, you can opt for something a little more lightweight to loosely bunch around your neck, or a thicker, heavier scarf to be draped over the shoulders. Scarves also make for the perfect posing prop, giving us even more options when we're shooting.

Timeless Tweed

Autumn and winter are definitely the seasons I associate heavily with tweed, it's like the rural uniform for the colder months. And whilst it's super functional, it's also effortlessly stylish, pairing perfectly with the natural colours at this time of year. 
A smart tweed coat, or tweed blazer, teamed with well fitting jeans once again, and long boots or stylish wellies gives the ideal look for a rural shoot in the cooler months. The tweed colours are soft against an autumn or winter backdrop, with a flash of denim from the jeans gives enough contrast without being overwhelming.

This look can also be teamed with a flat cap or wide brim hat, to finish off the look if you're a hat person - and just like a scarf, a hat can be used for posing cues as well, adding a further element to your images. 

Brilliant Ballgowns

Winter doesn't exactly spring ideas of long flowing dresses to mind, but a carefully chosen gown can make for some truly epic images against an autumn or winter landscape. 
With the colours in winter being far more muted, we have a lot more choice when it comes to the colours in your outfit. During the summer months, we have to contend with incredibly vibrant greens, slightly restricting our choice for fear of clashes, however in winter, the trees are bare, the grass is much more subtle in green, and there isn't a flower in sight, which means a brightly coloured dress is going to pop magnificently against that dulled backdrop. Just imagine vibrant purple atop the moorland, or emerald green drawing your eye in surrounded by winter forest - see what I mean? It just gives us to much more freedom to work with a greater array of colours. 
With the autumn tones we're slightly more limited than in the depths of winter, but as long as that colour isn't going to clash with oranges, yellows, and browns, then we still have a lot of choice.

Now to deal with the colder weather, I would highly recommend a chic shawl, you could opt for faux fur to give that luxury, high society feel, or something more subtle, but whatever it is, make sure the tones work with your dress of choice.

Dresses always give a slight fantasy feel to any image, and the words "I've brought a dress with me" always light me up. It adds a touch more magic to a shoot, stepping outside of the mundane, day to day clothes we usually wear, and opening the door to something a little more glamourous and exciting. For the time that you're wearing that dress, you get to feel like total royalty, with the added excitement of knowing that the images we're creating are going to be something super special.

Feeling Fantastical

Continuing on from the idea of a little fantasy, you do always have the option of a themed shoot. Perhaps you want to play dress up and style yourself and your horse as wild warriors, or you ride western so wanted to go for a more country and western look, or perhaps it's Halloween so you wanted to try something a little spooky in the woods!

Whatever you have in mind, there's no doubt that most photographers would get super excited about your idea - it's a total step outside the usual, and getting to shoot something so outside the box is always excellent fun.
If you're planning on a themed shoot, you need to start planning well ahead of time, deciding on how you want everything to tie together, giving yourself enough time to order anything in (And return anything that isn't quite right!), to test any makeup looks, think about any extras you want for your horse (Think special tack, accessories you might want plaited into the mane), and if you plan on something that is a bit outside the norm for your horse (such as wearing a flapping cloak), you'll want to take the time ahead of your shoot to ensure he's comfortable with it.

Themed shoots do tend to take a little extra planning that a regular look, but the payoff is huge, so it's always worth the effort.

Hair, Makeup, and Accessories

Once you've decided on what outfit(s) you want to wear for your shoot, take the time to decide on hair, makeup, and accessories. Did you want your hair up, or down? Will it need curling or straightening? Did you want to get it done professionally to add a little more glam to your shoot? You need to decide on what's going to work best for the outfit(s) you've chosen, what makes you feel good, and if you need to do a test run ahead of your shoot should you be trying a new style. A test run also helps give you a gauge on the timeframe you'll need to get yourself and your horse ready for your shoot.

When it comes to makeup, I myself am a minimalist, mainly because the realms of amazing makeup skills appear to have eluded me, so if I were having a shoot, I would either consider hiring a professional MUA (Makeup Artist), or stick with my minimal look, depending on how I had planned to style my shoot.
And for anyone who's not sure what to do for makeup, stick to what feels right for YOU. I have some clients work with me totally bare faced, and others who have a full face of makeup, both look equally fantastic in front of the camera, it's down to whatever feels right. Makeup isn't a necessity for your equine shoot, if you fancied a little eyeliner and mascara but nothing more, then that's great, but if you prefer a natural, makeup free look, that's perfect too.
All you need to keep in mind is that it needs to work for you and your chosen look, so full face, bare face, or anything in between, it's all good!

The final touch is your accessories, we'll start with jewellery. As with everything I've said in the blog, it needs to tie in neatly with the overall look and vibe of your shoot, so think about if you want something more subtle, or more of a statement look. There's no set rule here, because depending on how you style it, either can work with almost every outfit. Consider if you want earrings and a necklace that ties in with them - I'd suggest going for similar metals to avoid making the look too chaotic, so if you go with gold, or with silver, try to stick to one or the other. 
Rings and bracelets are another consideration. Rings can add a touch of elegance to the hands, and bracelets doing the same to the wrists. However, if you're wearing long sleeves, bracelets might be something you leave out, depending on how the sleeve hangs.

Moving on from jewellery, lets have a think about hats and scarves to accessorise your look. As I've mentioned earlier, scarves can be great for layering, as well as a posing prop in your images. Depending on thickness and weight, you can style them in a variety of ways, but, as always, make sure the tones and style is working with your look.
Hats are also a fantastic addition, be it a bobble hat, wide brim, flat cap; whatever your style, they can be a fantastic element to add, and perfect to style in the colder months.

I really hope this have given some clarity on autumn/winter shoot styling. It's a time of year when people don't really tend to consider for photoshoots, but it has so much to give when it comes to unique backdrops and outfit choices, so don't pass up the idea of an autumn or winter shoot just because it's not necessarily the conventional. 

As I mentioned earlier in this blog, your photographer will be more than happy to help advise you on what to wear if you're not sure or need some clarity. If you're booking in with me, my inbox is always open to help, because I want to make sure my clients get the absolute best out of their shoot. 

If you have any other questions, or think there's something I've missed, drop a comment below and let me know! I'm all for mixing ideas, it helps us learn and grow even more.

Stay creative,

Emma