The Men's Edition

The Senior Edit: Josue UT'18, Mark UT'18, & Joseph UT'18

A common question I get from every senior, but especially the men, is, "What do I wear?" A quick Google or Pinterest search for "senior photos outfits" turns up a plethora of of women in a variety of formal and casual outfits, but not nearly as many style tips for men.

Every guy I've shot so far has had a distinct style, but one thing in common -- they choose an outfit that they feel comfortable and confident in. Since guys also tend to only wear one outfit for a shoot, I decided to compile the fashion choices of three senior guys I shot last year.

#1 Longhorn Pride | Josue, Biology

Josue and I took a trip over to the Capitol Building to take his photos. I really liked the unique, yet quintessentially Texas location he chose to shoot at -- and in the springtime, the grass was extremely green. As for his outfit, he chose something rather simple: khaki pants and a blue button up top. But the details of his UT class ring, the Longhorn collar pins, and the Texas flag tie clip (on a burnt orange tie, I might add) really put a Texas pride vibe into every photo. Also, the blue, yellow, and burnt orange is a great color palette.

#2 Clean & Modern | Mark, Mathematics

I wouldn't expect anything less from Mark than to look like he walked straight off the pages of GQ. He chose to pair a daring white sports jacket with dark blue pants and maple colored shoes. I liked how the dusty blue of his button up and the light gray of his tie gave a soft contrast to the white jacket and pulled together the whole color palette of this outfit. For his outfit details, he wore his class ring and brought along a pair of glasses that made for a good prop to hold, as well as actually wear so he could actually see things. For the fashion forward, this is the guy you'll find your inspiration from.

#3 Classic Black | Joseph, Computer Science

If you're a fan of a more classic look, you can never go wrong with a classic black suit, black tie, and white shirt. It never goes out of style! Justin Timberlake literally wrote a song about it. Except, he was wearing a black bow-tie in the music video but that's an entirely different discussion. Anyway, black is also a really flattering color, and it helps give you contrast against colorful surroundings. I really like these two photos of Joseph because one has an orange background and the other have a red background, which both stand out well against his suit without drawing attention away from him as the subject of the photos.

So, whether you want to show off your Longhorn pride, go for something more modern, wear a classic ensemble, or try something entirely different, you still have a lot of options for what to wear for senior photos as a guy. Hopefully these examples helped inspire you, and don't stress too much about how to get dressed -- the style that comes most naturally to you is going to help you feel the best about yourself, which helps you look the best in your portraits.