Today here on the Bay Area Boudoir blog, we have a rare treat – a guest post! Recently I got to talk to amazing stylist Abby Young about boudoir and she had some great insights about how to style your session! For this post we decided to narrow the scope to how to accessorize for your boudoir photo shoot, but she has a wealth of knowledge beyond what we are covering here today. And if you’re planning a Classic Boudoir Experience shoot with me and you’ve gotten my guides but are still wanting a push in the right fashion direction – Abby is your gal! She has made some amazing packages for me to offer exclusively to my clients, so be sure to ask me about those for your upcoming session! And now I bring you, Abby Young!

Hi there! I’m Abby Young, a fashion stylist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Founder and Lead Wardrobe Stylist of Abby Young Styling and the Fashion Stylist Director of Troora Magazine, certified by the Fashion Stylist Institute and Condé Nast College, specializing in personal styling, color analysis and runway, commercial, editorial, and boudoir styling. I lead a team that guides our clients towards achieving a powerful, elevated self-image through the power of their wardrobe, and helps curate a stylish, modern brand image for companies at any level. I am so excited and honored to be featured in the Bay Area Boudoir blog!

Today I wanted to share some fun, helpful tips on how to accessorize for your boudoir photoshoot, which are sure to uplevel your look. Keep reading for more!

1) Complementary Jewelry

The right jewelry combinations add luxury and refinement to any outfit, but finding the right balance for the context of your look is key. In the case of a boudoir photoshoot where the focus should be on your body and the lingerie you’re wearing, it’s not the best place and time to be wearing statement jewelry, such as attention-grabbing earrings, necklaces, rings, or bracelets with loud colors and flashy stones. I recommend minimal stud or huggie earrings, and simple necklaces (perhaps with a small charm), bracelets, and rings. Get creative with the placement of your jewelry! Bodychains, anklets, and toe rings bring intrigue and subtle touches of elegance to your look.

Another note about jewelry: necklaces have the power of highlighting your face shape, if chosen correctly. If you have a rounder face shape, opt for a choker or chain link necklace. For more angular faces, consider a charm necklace that comes to a point.

2) Hair Accessories

As much as I love a blown-out, hair-down boudoir look, sometimes we want to switch it up a little to stand out from the crowd — and hairpieces are definitely an under-utilized accessory. Consider wearing your hair up with a wooden or metallic hair fork, or pinning it back with a hair bow. 

3) Shoes

For the same purposes of keeping jewelry minimal, it’s best to keep your shoes from detracting attention away from your figure, and from covering too much skin. Shoes like over-the-knee boots, bedazzled heels, and chunky sneakers might be great for one look, but for the bulk of your session I’d recommend something more simple, like a pair of Mary Janes, or a pair of classic pointed toe, patent leather heels.

4) Gloves

A pair of lace or patent leather gloves can really elevate your boudoir look, bringing the entire outfit together. The key in choosing gloves is making sure that the color and fabric matches your lingerie set, and that they fit without any extra fabric or squeezing your arms too much.

5) Garter belts & hosiery

This one almost seems obvious because they’re both part of your central lingerie look, but because garter belts and hosiery are sold separately most of the time, they can be easy to overlook. For a full look that appears put together and professionally styled, find a lingerie set from a brand that also offers a matching garter belt. If hosiery isn’t sold from that particular retailer, I recommend buying a few options to make sure that the color matches the rest of the set, and that it reaches high enough for the garter belt to clip onto them.

I hope this article gives you some ideas on how to accessorize for your boudoir photoshoot! A couple additional pieces have the power to bring your look to the next level when styled with intention and a careful eye. Check out Liza’s blog post on the Abby Young Styling website, and for head-to-toe boudoir styling tips, I have Professional Photographer Wardrobe Guides available for purchase here! Too crunched for time to shop for your boudoir photoshoot? Send us a contact form to let us know how we can help. I’m looking forward to working with you!