Nicole Griffin Photography

Boudoir Wardrobe and Styling Guide

Q: What should I wear for my boudoir photo session?

Wear whatever makes you feel the most like yourself. That can be traditional lingerie, a bodysuit, a partner's button-down shirt, a silky slip dress, a robe, or an oversized sweater. Nicole tells every client to think of it like salsa: mild, jalapeño hot, or somewhere in the middle. The best wardrobe is the one that actually fits your body and your personality. Bringing at least one bodysuit is recommended because it flatters every body type, and the rest is mapped out together on a consultation call before you spend any money.

Q: What colors look best in boudoir photos?

Jewel tones look beautiful on every skin tone and photograph as more intentional and more expensive against the skin. Think emerald green, sapphire blue, ruby red, and gold. Most lingerie brands default to black, white, and red, which are fine, but rich saturated color flatters deep, medium, and fair complexions the same way. It is exactly why Nicole Griffin named her collections after gemstones.

Q: How do I look my best in boudoir photos without heavy editing?

It starts before the camera. Drink water the week leading up to your session, get some sleep, and avoid trying brand new skincare in the days before so your skin stays calm. Choose pieces that actually fit instead of squeezing into a size that pinches, because the right fit reads as confidence on camera. From there, lighting and posing direction handle the rest. Nicole edits to enhance rather than erase you, so you recognize yourself and love what you see.

Q: How do I not look like a busted tube of biscuits in lingerie?

That uncomfortable feeling is almost never about your body, it is about the garment. A piece that digs in, pinches, or spills is a design failure, not a body failure. Skip sheer baby dolls if you want your midsection minimized, since they pop open the second you lay back. Be cautious with tight cutouts if you worry about spillage, because skin naturally expands into open spaces. Go up a size or two without hesitation if that makes the fabric sit right, since the tag is meaningless. A styling consultation before the session prevents the bedroom-mirror meltdown entirely.

Q: Can I bring props or lingerie from home?

Yes. Everything you wear should be your own, since Nicole Griffin Photography does not offer a shared client closet for hygiene reasons. Bring the pieces you purchased for your session along with anything personal that tells your story, such as a partner's jersey, meaningful jewelry, heels you love, or a special prop. It is all discussed on the consultation call so you show up with exactly what you need.

Q: Do you photograph different body types and sizes?

Yes, every body and every size. Nicole photographs women across the full size range and styles, lights, and poses for whatever you bring. Top-heavy figures with smaller hips get pieces that define the waist rather than flatten the silhouette, and women who want to minimize their midsection get cuts that flatter and traps to avoid. Plus-size women in particular receive styling guidance the retail world rarely offers. Your shape is the thing the session is built around.

Q: Do I need to wax, spray tan, or get my nails done before my boudoir session?

No, all of it is optional. Waxing, spray tans, lashes, and fresh nails are welcome if they make you feel polished, but they are never required. The goal is for you to show up as yourself and still recognize the woman in your photos, beautiful exactly as you are, with no pressure to become a different version of yourself.

Q: Do I have to feel confident to do a boudoir session?

No. Most women who book are nervous, and many almost talked themselves out of it. Confidence is usually what you walk out with, not a requirement to start. Every session is guided pose by pose in a safe, supportive environment, so you do not have to arrive feeling like a different person. You just have to show up.

Wardrobe & Styling · DC · Baltimore · DMV

What to Wear to Your Boudoir Session (and what we're not about)

Your style, your body, your pieces. A real guide for real women, with no shared thongs and no guesswork.

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Figuring out what to wear is the number one thing women stress about before a boudoir session. Let's take that off your plate right now.

If you have been searching for what to wear to a boudoir session, you are in exactly the right place. This is my complete boudoir wardrobe and styling guide, built for real women with real bodies, not mannequins in a catalog. Whether you are booking a session here in the DMV with a Washington DC, Baltimore, Maryland, or Northern Virginia boudoir photographer, the goal is the same: you show up in pieces that fit, flatter, and feel like you.

Over the next few sections I am walking you through everything. The colors that look incredible on every skin tone, the one piece I think every woman should bring, how lingerie sizing actually works, the traps to skip, and the looks that work when traditional lingerie is not your thing. I am also going to be honest with you about a few things most studios will not say out loud.

Let's start with one of those things.

Let's get this out of the way first

A lot of studios push a massive client closet as a luxury perk. A wall full of lingerie, hundreds of options, just show up and pick something. I don't offer that, and I want to tell you exactly why.

I'm not putting you in a shared thong. I don't care how many times it's been washed.

Think about this for a second. Goodwill and the Salvation Army won't accept used underwear donations. A charity that will happily take your old toaster and your 2003 jeans draws a hard line at used intimate apparel because of basic public health regulations. They only accept it brand new, sealed in the original packaging.

So if a donation center won't put used underwear back into circulation, why would a luxury boudoir studio?

Those stick-on panty shields don't fix it either. They shift, they bunch up, and they don't cover the strap, the back panel, or anything your body actually needs covered. No hot wash cycle at someone's house changes what you already know in the back of your mind.

Everything you wear during your session is yours. Bought by you, for your body, your vibe, and your confidence. That's not a limitation. That's the whole point.

Woman wearing an oversized brown sweater during a boudoir session with Nicole Griffin Photography

Confidence shouldn't live at the studio

A client closet keeps the whole experience boxed inside the studio walls. You feel incredible for a few hours and then leave all of it behind when you walk out the door. That's not what I'm here for.

When you find pieces that actually fit your body and match your personality, you get to take that feeling home with you. I want you wearing those pieces on a random Tuesday with no one in sight, just because you feel like that. That ownership is where the real shift starts, and it lasts long after the camera is off.

Your confidence belongs in your dresser drawer, not on a studio rack.

The color conversation nobody has with you

Most lingerie manufacturers give you black, white, red, and maybe a few pastels if it's spring. That's the whole menu, and it's a shame, because some of the most flattering colors on every single skin tone barely make it to the rack.

Jewel tones look stunning on everyone. Rich, saturated color photographs beautifully against skin, it reads as intentional and expensive, and it flatters deep, medium, and fair complexions all the same. There's a reason I named my collections after gemstones. These are the shades I reach for again and again.

Emerald Green

Deep and lush. Warms up the skin and looks incredible in lace or satin.

Sapphire Blue

Cool, rich, and striking. A standout when most people default to black.

Ruby Red

Deeper than a basic red, which makes it read as luxe instead of loud.

Gold

Glows under studio lighting and brings serious warmth to your photos.

If you only ever see black on the rack, look a little harder. A piece in the right jewel tone will do more for your photos than you'd think.

Choose your spice level

A boudoir session is like salsa. It can be mild, it can be jalapeño hot, or it can be everything in between. Your wardrobe should match wherever you land on that scale, and you don't have to wear traditional lingerie if that isn't who you are.

Mild & cozy

His favorite sports jersey or your own oversized button-down
A chunky oversized sweater with a simple bottom
A silky robe, worn open or wrapped, both shoot beautifully
A vintage slip dress or a form-fitting satin gown

Right in the middle

A bodysuit, lace set, or bralette and brief combo
A corset paired with high-waisted bottoms
Something soft with just a little structure

Full jalapeño

Strappy sets, harnesses, and detailed strap work
Leather or faux leather pieces
Animal print, bold cuts, barely-there sets
Whatever makes you walk differently the second you put it on

All of it works, and all of it belongs. If a piece makes you feel something, bring it.

Lingerie is one option, not the only one

Some of my favorite sessions never touch a lace set. If lingerie isn't your thing, or you want a few looks that feel more like you, here's where to start.

Woman wearing a white button up shirt during a boudoir session with Nicole Griffin Photography

His button-down

A casual tee

A vintage slip

A silk dress

My one non-negotiable

Everyone should bring at least one bodysuit

If you take one piece of advice from this whole page, let it be this. A bodysuit is the most universally flattering thing you can own. It smooths, it shapes, it stays put when you move, and it works on every single body type without fighting you the entire session.

It photographs clean, it transitions easily between poses, and it gives you something to feel confident in no matter what else you decide to bring. Get one in a jewel tone if you can. You'll thank yourself.

Plus size woman posing in a bodysuit during a DC boudoir photo session with Nicole Griffin Photography

Not sure where to start? That's exactly what the consultation is for. Let's figure it out together.

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Detail photo of a woman in white lingerie during a DC bridal boudoir session with Nicole Griffin Photography

Walking down the aisle soon?

Bridal boudoir, your way

A bridal session makes a stunning gift for your partner before the wedding, and it's a beautiful way to celebrate this version of yourself right now.

It does not have to mean traditional white lingerie. Wear whatever makes you feel the most like you, whether that's bold color, something soft, or one of the alternatives we talked about earlier.

That said, if you do want to lean into the bridal moment, a white lace bodysuit is always a classic, flattering choice that photographs gorgeously and gives you that timeless feel without being predictable.

The tag means nothing

Lingerie sizing is not consistent across brands, full stop. A "Medium" from one label fits like a size 4. An "Extra Large" from another expects to fit a size 14 and a size 18 at the same time. The number or letter on that tag is not a reflection of your body.

If you need to go up a size or two to get the fabric to sit right, that's a design problem on their end. It is not a you problem.

How a piece is cut matters just as much. If you have a longer torso and you order a standard-cut bodysuit, it's going to pull, dig into places it shouldn't, and stay uncomfortable the whole session. Give yourself enough time before your session to order your pieces, try them on at home under decent lighting, and exchange anything that doesn't feel right.

How it fits matters way more than what size is printed inside it.

The traps to skip

We have all bought something online, tried it on under bad lighting, and felt like a busted tube of biscuits in it. That feeling is almost never your body. It is usually the garment. Some pieces are just set up to fail you, and I would rather tell you now than have you show up frustrated on shoot day.

Baby dolls

When plus-size women walk into a lingerie store, nine times out of ten the "flattering" option they get pushed toward is a sheer baby doll. The fit-and-flare cut is supposed to be forgiving. In sheer material it does the exact opposite. If your goal is to minimize your midsection, a baby doll is your worst enemy. The slit down the front opens up the moment you lay back and puts your stomach on full display. There's nothing I can do with posing to fix that if you've already told me that area is what you want covered.

Cutouts

Cutouts look incredible on a mannequin. On a real body, skin naturally expands into the open spaces. If you're already anxious about pinching or spillage, a tight structural cutout will do exactly the thing you're worried about. That doesn't mean they're off the table for everyone. When you feel good in them, they can look amazing. I'll always talk you through it during our consultation so the piece works with you, not against you.

Plus size woman wearing a red cutout bra and panty set during a boudoir session in Maryland

Stockings

Unless you love them and you're committed to them, you probably don't need them. They roll down at the worst possible moment, they're a production to put on, and I know how to work beautifully with what you have. I had a client recently with a gorgeous corset set and garter straps who was stressing about tracking down the right stockings. I showed her exactly how I've shot that same setup before. The straps work without anything attached to them. No need to chase down accessories that just give you one more thing to manage.

Woman adjusting a thigh high stocking during a DC boudoir session with Nicole Griffin Photography

Woman wearing Chanel earrings during a boudoir session with Nicole Griffin Photography

It's all in the details

Bring the jewelry that's already yours

Jewelry is one of the easiest ways to make your photos feel like you. If a piece has meaning, bring it. The ring you never take off, the earrings you save for the days you want to feel like that, the necklace from someone who matters. Those details tell your story in a way a styled prop never could.

You do not need to go buy pearls or anything that does not live in your real life. If it is not you, it will not read as you on camera. The pieces you already love are the ones worth keeping in the photos.

If you are doing a bridal session and want to wear the jewelry from your wedding day, that is a beautiful touch and absolutely welcome. We can plan the whole look around it.

Bridal Boudoir Guide

And then there's the shoes

A great heel changes everything. It lengthens your legs, shifts how you stand, and adds a little drama to even the simplest look. You do not have to wear them the whole session, but having a pair on hand opens up poses you would not get barefoot.

Bring the heels you already own and love. If you have been waiting for a reason to wear that pair sitting in the back of your closet, this is it. And if you want a little inspiration on where a statement shoe can take a set, a red-soled Louboutin is the kind of detail that quietly does a lot of work in an image. Wear what makes you feel expensive, whatever that means to you.

You're not figuring this out alone

You are not doing this at 2am scrolling online stores hoping something looks right. That's not how we do things here.

Before you step foot in the studio, we sit down on a private virtual Zoom call. You show me what you're thinking, I look at your specific body type, and we talk through what you want to highlight, what you want to minimize, and what your personal style actually is.

I give you real-time suggestions on specific cuts, colors, and pieces based on your body. If you're top-heavy with smaller hips, we stay away from full briefs that flatten your silhouette and find pieces that define your waist instead. If you have a longer torso, we look for cuts that won't pull or pinch. If you want to play up your curves, we build the whole wardrobe around that.

You leave that call with a clear shopping list and zero guesswork. Whether you're coming to my private Baltimore studio or booking from Washington DC, Northern Virginia, or anywhere in the DMV area, you show up prepared and ready.

You were never meant to show up anywhere feeling like a busted tube of biscuits. That's my job to prevent.

Detail image of a woman holding the strap of brown lingerie during a boudoir session with Nicole Griffin Photography

Wardrobe & Styling · Questions

Questions women
actually ask me.

If you are mid-Google search or typing your worries into an AI, here are the real answers, straight from me. If yours isn't here, just ask.

Ask Nicole Directly

What should I wear for my boudoir photo session? +

Wear whatever makes you feel the most like you. That could be traditional lingerie, a bodysuit, your partner's button-down, a silky slip dress, a robe, or even an oversized sweater. I tell every client to think of it like salsa: mild, jalapeño hot, or somewhere in the middle.

There is no single right answer, and the best wardrobe is the one that actually fits your body and your personality. Bring at least one bodysuit if you can, since it flatters every body type. We map the rest out together on your consultation call before you spend a dime.

How many outfits should I bring to my boudoir session? +

Every session includes at least two outfit changes, so bring at least two looks you feel good in. If you book a larger collection, those come with bonus sets, and a bonus set can be an extra outfit or a specialty look like In The Sheets, the Wet Set, or a bridal moment with a veil. There are a few other specialty sets too, and we talk through all of it together so you only bring what fits your vibe.

You honestly do not need a suitcase full of lingerie. A few pieces you genuinely love will give us a gallery full of variety, and we decide exactly what to bring on your consultation call so nothing you pack goes unused.

What colors look best in boudoir photos? +

Jewel tones win, and they look beautiful on every skin tone. Think emerald green, sapphire blue, ruby red, and gold. Most lingerie brands push black, white, and red, and those are fine, but rich saturated color photographs as more intentional and more expensive against the skin.

It flatters deep, medium, and fair complexions the same way. If you only ever see black on the rack, dig a little deeper. The right jewel tone will do more for your photos than you would expect, which is exactly why I named my collections after gemstones.

How do I look my best in boudoir photos without heavy editing? +

It starts long before the camera. Drink water the week leading up to your session, get some sleep, and avoid trying any brand new skincare in the days before so your skin stays calm. Pick pieces that actually fit instead of squeezing into a size that pinches, because the right fit reads as confidence on camera.

Beyond that, my job is lighting and posing. I know how to position your body, angle the light, and guide you so you look like the best, most rested version of yourself. I edit to enhance, not to erase you. The goal is for you to recognize yourself and love what you see.

How do I not look like a busted tube of biscuits in lingerie? +

First, breathe, because that feeling is almost never about your body. It is about the garment. A piece that digs in, pinches, or spills is a design failure, not a you failure.

Skip sheer baby dolls if you want your midsection minimized, because they pop open the second you lay back. Be cautious with tight cutouts if you are worried about spillage, since skin naturally expands into open spaces. Go up a size or two without a second thought if that is what makes the fabric sit right. The tag is meaningless. This is the entire reason we do a styling consultation before your session, so you never find out the hard way in your bedroom mirror at 2am.

Can I bring props or lingerie from home? +

Yes, and I encourage it. Everything you wear should be yours, since I do not offer a shared client closet for hygiene reasons. Bring the pieces you bought for your session, and bring anything personal that tells your story, whether that is your partner's jersey, a meaningful piece of jewelry, heels you love, or a prop that means something to you.

We talk through all of it on your consultation call so you show up with exactly what you need and nothing you do not.

Do you photograph different body types and sizes? +

Every body, every size, full stop. I photograph women across the full size range, and I know how to style, light, and pose for whatever you bring me. If you are top-heavy with smaller hips, we define your waist instead of flattening your silhouette. If you carry more in your midsection and want it minimized, I know exactly which cuts work and which traps to avoid.

Plus-size women in particular get handed garbage advice and sheer baby dolls in stores, and I am here to fix that. Your shape is not a problem to solve. It is the thing we build the whole session around.

Do I need to wax, spray tan, or get my nails done before my boudoir session? +

Only if you want to. Waxing, spray tans, lashes, fresh nails, all of it is completely optional. If those things make you feel polished and ready, go for it. If they are not your speed, skip them with zero guilt.

I want you to show up as yourself and still recognize the woman in your photos. You do not need to become a spray-tanned, waxed, Barbie version of you to look incredible. The goal is you, at your most you, feeling beautiful exactly as you are.

Do I have to feel confident to do a boudoir session? +

Not even a little. Most women who book me are nervous, and a lot of them almost talked themselves out of it. Confidence is not the ticket you need to get in the door, it is usually what you walk out with.

My job is to make you feel safe, guide you through every pose, and show you what I see through the lens. You do not have to arrive feeling like a different person. You just have to show up, and I will handle the rest.