What to wear for your online dating photos
February is fast approaching and with it, the onset of gazillions of hearts, flowers, teddy bears and everything temporarily changed to a shade of red........yep it's Valentine's Day......or is that month?
But what if you don't currently have a partner? You've been searching but getting lost amongst the sea of competition that is online dating?
If your profile is stagnating, or you're new to online dating it might be time to get some new photos for your profile.....ones that start to get you noticed! But what to wear you ask? Well, though it'll be different for every person as your style is individual, I've got together some advice and guidelines, with some help from my online dating photographer friend, which applies to pretty much everyone. Good luck!
Wear some colour
This is the easiest way to stand out and looks great in photos.....especially as the majority of guys probably won't be wearing much colour. Block colours are particularly good in photos, like the two jumpers in the photo above.....but it doesn't have to be a very bright colour like those, it could be something softer and more muted if that suits you better.
When I complimented a colleague at my local Toastmasters club the other day on the aqua green jumper he had on, he said "you're the 3rd person to have commented on this" - you see, it gets you noticed!
Make sure it's a colour that suits you - when you go shopping, hold the garment up against your face and see if it looks good on you - not just the shop mannequin! (And if you don't know what suits you, book in for a Colour & Style Consultation with me.)
Only wear colour if you feel comfortable in it though.....if you never ever wear it on a day to day basis, then you won't feel comfortable doing so in your photos. Wear neutrals instead, and bear in mind some advice given by dating photography specialist Saskia at Hey Saturday - don’t wear too much white as it draws attention away from your face, or at least break it up by wearing a jacket or cardigan on top.
Left: Red check shirt - Outerknown at Mr Porter - £160
Middle: Image from Drake's - sweater not available in pink anymore but bright green can be found here
Right: Red brushed wool sweater - Drake's at Mr Porter - £195
Make sure your clothes fit well
This is good advice for getting dressed anytime but particularly important for photos. The sweet spot you're looking for is fitted - not too loose and not too tight. The camera will highlight things you don't notice in real life, so although your favourite t-shirt is probably fine for everyday, even if you've put a bit of weight on, in photos it might be highlighting some lumps and bumps you didn't plan on showing!
On the other hand, don't go super baggy either - especially as the majority of your shots will be 3/4 or cropped and though you may think you're covering a multitude of sins by wearing something oversized, you'll end up looking shapeless.
Think about how you would look if you were silhouetted and what the overall shape would be. It also helps to take photos of yourself at home standing in front of the mirror (you do have a full length mirror don't you?) and try sitting down in them too, to check how your clothes look and if they're pulling or there's too much fabric creating an unflattering shape.
And while you're at it, check the length of the sleeves on your jackets and coats, and the length of your trousers. This is one area (sleeves in particular) that people tend to be lazy about getting altered and wear too long.....unfortunately it has the effect of making you look a bit like an overgrown schoolboy, not to mention a bit slovenly......and that's probably not the impression you wanted to give is it?!
Left: Image sourced on Pinterest
Middle: Image sourced on Pinterest
Right: Image sourced on Pinterest
Include a range of looks from sports and casual, to smarter "first date" outfits
You need to have a variety of outfits to take with you to your photo shoot. Saskia from Hey Saturday suggests taking things that cover the “hot first date outfit” to the more casual “Sunday brunch” outfit, plus an outfit you might wear for sports if you're into it or for a hobby you have.
The easiest way to switch up your outfits quickly is to wear things you can layer so you can take them on and off easily to change your look. Eg; Wear a coloured t-shirt or a shirt under a chunky sweater and long coat (as above on the left)..... take off the sweater to show the t-shirt / shirt and have some shots done with that worn on it's own. Then add a casual jacket or over-shirt (as above middle)……you could even layer a hoody in between for another look. Next add a fine knit sweater to the t-shirt / shirt and put a blazer on and you have a dressier outfit (as above right).
Adding and taking off accessories can help with this too - see below for more details on this.
Left: Beige ribbed rollback sweater - William Lockie at Mr Porter - £315
Middle: Beige checked zip overshirt - Mr P at Mr Porter - £175
Right: Brown double breasted jacket - Lardini at Mr Porter - £820
Add some accessories
I think accessories in menswear are often overlooked, and can be a great indicator of personality and take an outfit from good to great! So don't leave them off your agenda when it comes to getting dressed.
When you’re having pictures done for your dating profile, then take along any scarves you have (preferably not moth eaten and bobbly!) which can easily add some colour and interest, and if you wear lots of blazers you might want to take a few pocket squares if you have them too. I like the cotton or linen ones as well as silk, as they go well with a more casual look.
If you like wearing hats then add them to your outfits, whether that’s in the form of caps, beanies or trilbies - whatever you feel good in and goes with your outfit.
And don’t forget jewellery, which can really help to finish off a look or create it's own statement. If you're not a jewellery wearer then you might have a favourite watch you could wear. If you sometimes wear glasses, then it's worth taking them too, and a few shots might be taken with sunglasses, though it's best to be able to see your eyes in dating shots, so no need to take along your entire collection of sunnies!
Belts can also help though these probably won't be seen in that many shots, but worth wearing your favourite especially if it's something unusual and eye-catching. Other things like a cool umbrella can also be a handy accessory - especially if rain is predicted but with any luck that won't happen and you can just be carrying it. London Undercover umbrellas are my favourite, and they have some lovely bright colours and camo prints that really make a statement if that's your thing or some more subtle but elegant ones if that feels more you.
Don't think no one really notices accessories - they can make all the difference to your outfit and can give away extra visual clues about what sort of person you are. After all, someone will be basing their decision within seconds on these photos, so best to give them as much info as possible, as to why you might be someone they want to get to know!
Left: Jewellery from All Saints & black leather biker jacket
Middle: Picture sourced from He Spoke Style
Right: Pink baseball cap - Givenchy at Mr Porter - £350
Style personality
You want to get your personality across in these photos, so try and think about how you may portray that? How do you want to come across? Is your clothing style more Jeff Goldblum - who comes across as daring and 'out there' and wears dramatic, quirky clothes? If you dress like this you're likely to give the impression that something crazy might happen when going out on a date with you! Or are you more George Clooney - who's style is classic and understated.....quality items in subtle colours? If your style is similar to his then it's more likely you'll portray someone who is reliable, gentlemanly and who pays attention to detail.
Or perhaps you like more of an outdoorsy, rugged look so even when you're dressed up, it's not too smooth and polished but a bit more effortless like Steve McQueen. You're more likely to have functional, practical clothes like a worn in leather jacket or a tweed blazer, so you look like you might be ready to whisk your date off on an outdoor adventure at any given moment.
Alternatively, you could dress in a more wistful and arty way like Richard Ayoade and like mixing prints, textures and have an eclectic look with some interesting colour mixes. If this is your style, then people looking at your photos may imagine going on a date with you to an art gallery, a poetry or jazz evening and having long deep conversations!
You know you've got it right when something you put on feels very "you", and you feel like the best version of yourself. I cover Style Personality in more detail in my Colour & Style Consultation.
If you already have photos you're using for your online dating, then take a look at them, or better still, ask someone else to have a look and see what they think of them. Are they flattering? Do you look your best in them? Does your personality shine in them? If the answer is no and you need to get some fresh photos taken, then head over to Hey Saturday and book in.
And if you have no idea what to wear and would like some help then contact me below to ask more about coming on a personal shopping trip.
And this is what one happy client said after we'd done a styling session for his dating wardrobe:
"I want to thank you again Sarah for all your help. You made this as easy as I could imagine this could be for someone like me!"
Click the button above to book!
And if you liked this post check out these for more advice on dating outfits:
What should I wear for a first date? Eight "do's" for dating
