This is the question we’re asked more than any other, usually the day before the session, at midnight, and with a photograph of three outfits laid on a hotel bed.
So here’s everything we’d tell you: what actually photographs well against this particular city, what changes by season, and the handful of practical things that catch people out. Most guides to photoshoot outfits could be about anywhere. This one is about Paris specifically, because Paris has a colour palette, a climate, and a pavement problem all its own.
Want it in your pocket? Our free Paris Photoshoot Style Guide has the visual version with outfit boards by season.
Start here: the only rule that really matters
Wear something you already love.
Not something bought for the occasion and worn for the first time on a cold morning at Trocadéro. Not something you’re slightly unsure about. The camera is unforgiving about hesitation — if you spend the session adjusting a neckline, that’s what the photographs will show.
The single best predictor of how someone looks in their photos is whether they feel like themselves. Everything below is refinement on top of that.
Colours that work in Paris
Most outfit advice says “wear neutrals” and stops. That’s fine, and it’s not quite the point. The reason certain colours work here is that Paris has a very specific palette, and you’re going to be standing in front of it.
What the city gives you: cream limestone façades. Grey-blue zinc roofs. Black wrought iron. Deep green trees and gardens. Gold — on the bridges, the domes, the gates. Warm café awnings in reds and dark greens.
Colours that sit beautifully against that:
- Cream, camel, oatmeal, soft white
- Navy, dusty blue, slate
- Burgundy, rust, terracotta
- Forest and olive green
- Black — genuinely excellent in Paris, especially against limestone
- Deep emerald and burnt orange in autumn
Colours that fight the background:
- Neon and fluorescent anything, which reflects onto skin and turns faces green
- Pure brilliant white in strong sun, which loses all its detail
- Very bright primaries, which pull the eye away from your face
A note on black: most photographers will tell you to avoid it. In Paris we’d say the opposite. Against pale stone, a black coat is elegant and graphic and enormously flattering. It’s also what Parisians actually wear.
Prints, patterns and logos
Small and subtle work. Large and busy compete with your face and with the city behind you.
Logos are the one we’d be firm about. A visible brand name across a chest is the first thing the eye finds in a photograph, and it dates the image faster than anything else. Your photos from Pont Alexandre III should be timeless. A logo makes them from 2026.
Season by season
Paris changes character four times a year, and your outfit should follow it.
Spring (March–May)
Light layers, and something warmer than you think for early mornings. April is beautiful and unreliable — a trench coat is both practical and the most Parisian thing you can wear. Flowing dresses come alive in spring wind.
Colours: soft pastels, cream, dusty pink, light blue, fresh green.
Summer (June–August)
The most difficult season, not the easiest. Midday light is harsh, so sessions go early or late. Linen breathes. Flowing fabrics photograph beautifully in the low sun of a June evening, when sunset doesn’t arrive until close to ten.
Colours: white and cream work here in soft morning light, plus warm neutrals and blues.
Autumn (September–November)
Our favourite. The Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens turn gold in late October, and warm tones against that are extraordinary. Knitwear, coats, boots, scarves.
Colours: rust, camel, burgundy, olive, deep brown.
Winter (December–February)
Underrated and quietly the best-kept secret in Paris photography — bare trees, soft light, empty landmarks. Dress properly and it’s wonderful. A good wool coat is the single most photogenic garment you can own.
Colours: black, camel, cream, deep red, forest green.
The winter truth: you will look cold if you are cold. Layer underneath so your coat can come off for a few frames and go straight back on. Nobody photographs well while shivering.
By session type
Couples
Complement, don’t match. If one of you is in green, the other might be either in cream or camel — not navy. Matching outfits blur two people into one shape.
Consider movement: a dress with weight to it moves beautifully when you walk or turn, and walking is most of what we’ll ask you to do.
The full couples guide, in more depth →
Families
Choose two or three colours and let everyone draw from them. Not identical outfits — a shared palette. Start with one person’s outfit, usually the hardest to shop for, and build the others around it.
Dress children in things they can actually play in. A child in an uncomfortable outfit will tell you about it for the entire session, and the camera will agree.
Layers help enormously with small children, who are hot, then cold, then hot again.
Solo portraits
This is the session where you can be boldest. One strong colour, one striking silhouette, one coat that makes you feel like the main character. Solo sessions are where a red dress or a beautiful long coat earns its place.
Proposals
The person being proposed to needs to feel unselfconsciously good without knowing why the day matters. So: something they already love and would happily wear to dinner.
For whoever’s doing the proposing — check your pockets. A ring box makes a very obvious rectangle in a fitted jacket, and it’s a detail we’ve watched give the game away more than once. A coat pocket is safer.
More on planning a surprise proposal →
Maternity
Fitted through the bump rather than draped over it. Long dresses with movement photograph beautifully, especially in wind by the river. Bring a wrap — early mornings are cold and comfort matters more than usual.
The practical things nobody mentions
Shoes and cobblestones. Paris is paved in uneven stone, and Montmartre is almost entirely stairs and cobbles. Thin heels sink between the stones, and they will genuinely trip you. Wear something you can walk in, bring the heels in a bag, and change for the photographs you want them in. We do this constantly and it works perfectly.
Wind. The Trocadéro esplanade and the Seine bridges are exposed, and there’s usually more wind than you expect. Hair will move — this is often lovely, and we work with it. But a skirt that flies uncontrollably is stressful, and it’s worth knowing before you choose it.
Early mornings are cold, in every season. June at 6 am is not June at 2 pm. Bring a layer even when the forecast says twenty degrees.
Bring a bag for the layer you take off, the shoes you change out of, and the water you’ll want. We’re always happy to carry it out of frame.
Rain. Paris rain is usually light and brief. A good coat and an umbrella turn it into an asset — wet cobbles reflect light beautifully and the landmarks empty out. Here’s our case for shooting in it anyway →
Outfit changes: worth it?
Sometimes. A second outfit gives your gallery genuine variety — one relaxed, one dressed up — and works best on a two-hour session where there’s time to enjoy both.
On a thirty-minute session, we’d usually say no. Changing eats a meaningful part of your time and you’ll get more from staying in one look.
If you do want a change, we bring a private pop-up changing tent so you’re not looking for a café bathroom. It’s included in our two-hour session and available as an add-on otherwise — details on our pricing page.
Hair, makeup and hands
Hair: down and natural photographs beautifully and moves well. If you’re having it styled, ask for something that survives wind, because there will be wind.
Makeup: a little more than you’d normally wear, a little less than you’d wear for an evening out. Matte over dewy if you’re shooting in bright light, since shine reads as shine on camera.
Nails: hands appear constantly in these photographs — held, resting on a shoulder, wearing a new ring. A simple manicure is a small thing that shows up in a surprising number of frames.
If you’d like hair and makeup done, we know artists in Paris who’ll come to your hotel at any hour, including very early. Just ask.
The night before
- Everything laid out, including shoes, layers and the bag
- Anything creased, dealt with — creases photograph
- Ring box moved to a coat pocket, if that applies
- Phone charged, alarm set earlier than feels necessary
- Nothing new, nothing borrowed that doesn’t fit
Still deciding?
Send us photographs of your options. We look at outfits with clients every week, and we’re happy to tell you which one will work against the locations you’ve chosen — that’s part of your session, not an extra.
Or download our free Paris Photoshoot Style Guide for outfit boards by season and session type.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear for a photoshoot in Paris?
Something you already own and feel good in, in colours that complement the city’s palette — cream, camel, navy, burgundy, olive or black all work beautifully against Paris limestone and greenery. Avoid large logos and busy prints.
What colours photograph best in Paris?
Warm neutrals, deep jewel tones and black. Paris is cream stone, grey roofs, green trees and gold detailing, and those colours sit naturally against it. Neon and pure brilliant white are the hardest to work with.
Should couples match their outfits?
No — complement rather than match. Identical colours blur two people into a single shape. Draw from the same palette in different tones.
What should families wear for photos in Paris?
Pick two or three colours and let everyone choose within them. Prioritise comfort for children, and bring layers.
Can I change outfits during my Paris photoshoot?
Yes, and it works best on a two-hour session. We can bring a private changing tent so you don’t need to find a café bathroom.
What shoes should I wear for a Paris photoshoot?
Something you can walk cobblestones in. Bring heels in a bag and change for the shots you want them in — Montmartre in particular is steep, cobbled and full of stairs.
What should I wear for a winter photoshoot in Paris?
A good wool coat, layered warmly underneath so it can come off briefly. Black, camel and deep red all look wonderful against winter Paris.
When you’re ready
Tell us what you’re thinking of wearing and where you’d like to shoot, and we’ll help you put the two together.
