What to Wear for Boudoir Portraits: Boudoir Lingerie

When you picture boudoir portraits, you may imagine photos of someone wearing lingerie. Boudoir lingerie photos are one of the most iconic styles of boudoir photography and for good reason. Simply put, being photographed in intimate apparel can be a bold way to document and celebrate your body. It’s also a classic choice for images you want to share with your partner. Here’s what you should know about boudoir lingerie portraits.

In some ways, lingerie also offers the widest range of options for your session wardrobe. Your lingerie can be as overt or as subdued as you wish, the options are endless.

A lace and silk negligee (with or without a dramatically draped robe). The bra and panties that make you feel like a million bucks. Your favorite bustier and stockings. Vintage lingerie with a pin-up vibe. These are just a few of the options you can choose for your session.

It’s completely up to you. Are there pieces you already own that you love or have special associations? Have you seen intimate portraits and liked the styling and garments? Is there something you’ve always wanted to wear but haven’t had the opportunity?

These are all great places to start. For inspiration, look at catalogs, magazines or other images. Visit your favorite lingerie shop or discover a brand new place to browse. Ask someone you trust for suggestions. There’s no wrong way to style your lingerie for a boudoir session

If you don’t have those pieces of lingerie in your wardrobe, a boudoir portrait session is a great reason to treat yourself. A couple of brands to consider that I’ve photographed and that look amazing are The Rya Collection and Simone Perele.  Both can be found at one of my favorite shops, Underpinnings. I’ll link to them in the description. 

If you’re unsure about what’s going to work best, bring it all with you. We can also help you select what will look best on camera. When you get to the studio.

You’re in charge of what you wear and how much ‘shows’. If revealing pieces don’t feel right, look for pieces that offer more coverage, or consider bringing along a matching robe.

If you are worried that a piece of lingerie will show too much, or not enough, remember, you are in control. Be sure to let us know how you are feeling.  We may be able to adjust posing and lighting to show what you do or don’t want seen. You may also want to bring a matching robe with you.

As a side note: Many people bring their favorite heels along for their boudoir portraits. If you’ve got a pair or two that give you a boost, they should come to the studio with you.

If you already have pieces in your wardrobe that you wish to include, it’s a good idea to look them over and make sure they’re in good shape – ie, no snags, tears, stains, or missing fasteners or hooks. We also recommend trying on even old favorites ahead of your session, just to make sure the piece feels right for your photos. If you’re adding new items or buying pieces, especially for your session, make sure you try them on well before your session. That will give you a chance to see how they fit and feel and ensure you feel comfortable in them. 

If any of your lingerie is delicate and requires hand washing, We recommend a product like Soak. A rinse-free cleaner that’s safe for delicates and skin.

Another benefit to trying all your boudoir lingerie on well ahead of your session is that it will give you time to plan any grooming or beauty treatments you might wish to have done.

Absolutely! For many people, a great pair of heels add that little boost of confidence!

You bet. If you’re torn between several options, bring it all along. We’ll help you decide on the final choices.

How you choose to enjoy your images is up to you. You can have them collected in an album or book, on their own or with other images from your session.

You can also frame them and hang them, either as a large statement piece or within a grouping of smaller images.

And, of course, if you’d like, you can always share your images digitally. You can ask for a ‘social media’ edit. That just means any body part not allowed to be shown on the platform will be lightly and tastefully obscured to ensure the overall image will pass inspection.

While you can choose to only wear lingerie for your session, we can do multiple looks during your boudoir portrait session. You may choose to do a classic fabric draped set, lingerie, nude and bodyscaping or any combination during your session. As we plan your session we can talk through all of the options you’d like to do, including what you’ll wear for each and what your comfort level is

But don’t worry – if the mood strikes during your boudoir portrait sitting, you can always add other boudoir portrait styles!