10 Epic Dresses to Help you Look Beautiful for Your Next Photoshoot
Are you planning a family or couples photoshoot and need a gorgeous dress to wear? The right outfits can be the difference between okay photos and amazingly epic photos and I recommend that you just wear the dress in most situations. Below are my personal recommendations for truly beautiful dresses that photograph well. And if you’re hiring me to take your photos (I travel!) then you might be able to borrow some of these from my client closet!
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The Ruffle Me Up Right dress by Reclamation
Why I like it: This dress has been made to fit size XS to XXL, with an elastic waist and a tie, so you can be confident that it will fit you. You can wear it off the shoulder or not, and the skirt is super full and long. It looks truly epic in photos.
Things to consider: It is is definitely heavy and hard to walk in, so I usually suggest wearing another dress at first for more of the playful images and then switching to this dress partway through. It’s pretty expensive but worth every penny.
My Client Closet: I own this and it fits size XS-XXL
Gia Dress from Joyfolie
Why I like it: This dress has a stretchy waist so it will fit multiple sizes. I love that the sleeves have ties on them. It comes in other colors, too. I actually have it in two different colors, that’s how much I love it!
Things to Consider: You’ll probably need a strapless bra for this since it falls off the shoulder on one side or the other.
My Client Closet: I have the raspberry color in size small and yellow/chartreuse in medium. It can fit slightly larger, though.
R Vivimos Dress from Amazon
Why I like it: This is such an awesome dress because it’s super stretchy so you know it will fit, and it has great texture. It works for maternity if needed, and is a midi length.
Things to consider: The sleeves want to fall off the shoulder so just expect to wear it that way.
My Client Closet: I have this in Rust and Seafoam green in multiple sizes
The Pirate Queen Gown from Coven & Co
Why I like it: It’s a wrap dress, so it will fit multiple sizes. It works great for maternity and non-maternity. The lace is great quality, I’ve washed mine many times on gentle cycle in a garment bag, and hung it to dry. It still looks new. The bell sleeves photograph really well and the skirt is great for spinning.
Things to consider: This comes from Australia so be prepared to pay a lot for shipping. But it’s worth it for this dress! You could also search for it used on Mercari, Poshmark, or ebay.
My Client Closet: I have this in a size small
Aniya Dress from Joyfolie
Why I like it: I love the slits on the sleeves and the flowy skirt on this dress. The waist is stretchy so it will fit multiple sizes, which is always a plus. Pictured above is the deep teal color. Fits maternity and non-maternity.
Things to consider: The skirt liner is a bit on the short side so make sure you’re okay with that, especially for maternity.
My Client Closet: Sadly, I don’t own this one.
The Extratropical Maxi Dress by Free People or the Amazon version
Why I like it: This Free People dress is absolutely gorgeous for both maternity and non-maternity. I have this dress in multiple colors and it’s really stretchy and the skirt is full. There is also an Amazon version of this dress, which I own as well (the yellow dress above is the Amazon one!). It’s pretty good! Obviously not as amazing as the original but still nice.
Things to consider: The fabric is pretty thin and if the sun is shining, it will make the lighter colors a little see-through. You can always wear a slip underneath, though. You also can’t wear a bra with this, so prepare to go without or get some pasties.
My Client Closet: I have this dress from Free people in Seafoam green in medium, plus the Amazon version in Mustard(S), Lake Blue(M), and Sand(M).
Kayla Dress from Fehrnvi
Why I like it: This is a midi dress, which is perfect for the beach. It’s also great if you’re shorter, like my friend here, and have a hard time fitting maxi dresses. It’s two layers, a sheer top layer that looks amazing in the sun, and an inside lining. The bodice is nice and stretchy!
Things to consider: The sleeves are long, but sheer, so if you’re planning a photoshoot in cold weather, this dress isn’t going to keep your arms warm. But it’s a great option if you like having your arms covered but the weather is warm.
My Client Closet: I haven’t added this one to my client closet yet!
Dawn Dress from Joyfolie
Why I like it: This is one of my favorite dresses I’ve ever owned. It works great for both maternity and non-maternity. The waist has tons of stretch, you can wear a bra with it, and the skirt flows so nicely. You can get a size and it will also fit a size larger since it has so much stretch.
Things to consider: The sleeves are a little wide so it might be hard to wear a bra with straps so I suggest a strapless bra.
My Client Closet: I have this dress in a small and it also fits a medium.
Provance Gown from ZeBuBeYou on Etsy
Why I like it: This dress is loooong, which means you get tons of movement in the skirt and it flows so nicely when walking during your photoshoot. It works great for maternity, as well.
Things to consider: The dress is really strappy, so you can’t wear a bra with it. Pasties will be needed.
My Client Closet: This dress fits XS-XXL, it’s very adjustable.
Beach Bliss Maxi from Free People
Why I like it: The skirt on this dress has a lot of fabric, which makes it very flowy, and the ruffles add great texture. It can be worn off the shoulder or not, and it fits maternity, too. It’s so stretchy that it can fit probably two sizes larger. I’m usually a large in dresses and I can fit the small OR medium.
Things to consider: A strapless bra is a smart choice since it falls off the shoulder sometimes. But you can tie it tighter if you don’t want it to. You may need to safety pin the front closed if you don’t want a bra showing through underneath the ties.
My Client Closet: I have this dress in several colors and sizes, and it runs one size large, maybe two.
I hope you have found a beautiful dress to wear for your next photoshoot, but if not you can also try Baltic Born, Jen’s Pirate Booty, Fillyboo, Vici, or Forever 21. And if you’re looking specifically for a maternity dress, check out my article on How to Dress for Maternity Photos.
