Planning your boudoir session

QUICK LIST OF LINGERIE STYLES

BRA & PANTY SETS:

There are so many different options out there for sexy bra/panty sets out there. When shopping for these, proper fit is extremely important. Be careful of push up bras as they often make you look unnatural. Make sure the area near your armpit looks nice and smooth and you are not coming out of the cups. That makes it more flattering in camera. 

CORSET:

Corsets are meant to cinch your waist and give you killer curves. They usually have ties in the back that help create your shape. They are hard to put on, but don’t worry – I can help you! 

BUSTIER:

A bustier is similar to a corset in coverage, but it has cups built in that give nice breast support. They don’t normally cinch the waist like corsets do, but there are some hybrid styles out there that combine a little waist cinching and breast lifting. 

TEDDY:

A teddy is a garment that covers the torso and crotch in one garment. It is a similar style of garment to a one-piece swimsuit or bodysuit but is typically more sheer and definitely sexier.

BODYSUIT:

A close-fitting, one-piece stretch garment for women. They are considered clothing, but they are great boudoir too! 

BABYDOLL:

A babydoll is a short, sleeveless, loose-fitting nightgown. It sometimes has formed cups called a bralette for cleavage with an attached, loose-fitting skirt falling, in length, usually between the upper thigh and the belly button

GARTER BELTS, GARTERS & THIGH HIGHS:

 A Garter Belt is a belt worn around the waist or hips with attached garters or fasteners to hold up stockings. Sometimes Garters are built into lingerie so a belt isn’t needed. The stockings they hold up are called Thigh Highs (because they pull up to the thigh). There are two different types of thigh highs:Some have a rubber material on the inside to help them stay up. This is REALLY important to know. If the stockings have the rubber inside they are NOT meant for garters. They are meant to be worn without them. The rubber allows them to stay up on their own. If you try to pair these stocking with garters, they are very hard to attach because of the thickness of them. Stockings without the rubber are much more desirable for garters. There is an art to attaching the stockings. Again, don’t worry, I can easily help you and teach you how it’s done.

SHAPEWEAR:

Shape wear is a type of tight-fitting underwear intended to control and shape the figure. There are many beautiful options out there these days. (Not the ones that are meant to be hidden, but styles that flatter and are also pleasing to the eye). 

Slips- Think of them as dresses that are meant to be worn under a dress, often with cups built in for support. Some slips can fit into the shape wear category but many do not.

CLOTHING:

Clothing is a fantastic option for boudoir! It might sound counterintuitive but think about a hot leather jacket; or ripped jeans and a sexy bra; or off the shoulder sweaters; or a sheer T-shirt. There are so many options for clothing that can be just as sexy, if not sexier than lingerie. You can also mix the two. Try a beautiful bra with a full skirt, a tank top with a lacey thong or high socks. Why not have fun and be creative?!

Now that you know a little more about the different styles, read below and determine which is the best for you! 

‘Abs’ olutely the right lingerie… Want to show off those hard earned abs and a little more skin? Bra and panty sets are a great option. Things to think about are the style of panty you choose (the amount of coverage) and what type of bra suits you best. I know its tempting to pull out a bra you might wear every day – but try to look for something a little sexier, special. Something that is meant to be seen! 

Hey Ma’am….Need a lift? Say you've had a baby, or lost some weight, etc… and you may feel you need some lift in the breast department. I know most women are tempted to go straight for push up bras… but resist the urge. Before you try on push-ups, look for demi cup bras, or underwire bras that offer strong support without adding too much size. This is typically more flattering proportion wise. Good support is more important than padding any day. This is not to say that there aren’t some good push up bras out there, just be really aware of how any bra fits and flatters. 

Lets get to the bottom of this…. If a great tush shot is on your list, I recommend bottoms that show just enough, but not too much. I prefer cheeky or Brazilian bottoms over thongs. 

Many teddies and body suits are cut in the back to show off some tush. Those are a great option too! (beware of string teddies though – they don’t always flatter!)

Want great legs?  There's lots of options… 

All the ladies want long gorgeous legs. Here are a couple of tips for that! Look for high cut undies, teddies, bodysuits. The higher the leg opening the longer your legs will look. 

Also bring a pair of skin colored shoes with you. That will make your legs look even longer than they are. 

Need a lift but don’t want to show too much skin? 

Bustiers are for you! They offer amazing support while giving you a little more coverage, all while flattering your shape. 

Want to Arm wrestle? Arms are sometimes a concern for women. Well, let’s ease that concern. Look for long sleeved body suits or throw a crisp white button down over some killer lingerie. Presto - no worry needed. How to do coverage, correctly… 

Even though boudoir is about shedding layers, I do understand many women don’t want to show too much skin or they are concerned about parts of their body that they might not want to show off. 

Here are some tips to cover, boudoir style. 

If you are worried about showing your stomach think of shapewear (the gorgeous kind! Not the kind that hurts!), Slips, bustiers and corsets. 

A beautiful lace robe over a bra and underwear is also a great choice. So is a plain white tank top and lacey undies.

If you have some stretch marks or scars look for some more opaque materials, but stick with a style that will still show off your shape – like a bodysuit or a slip. The worst thing you can do is hide behind a lot of fabric – like a babydoll for example. It will only make you look heavier. We want to see your gorgeous shape no matter what you wear or how covered you are. 

SHOES:

Nothing is sexier than a great pair of heels!

Please bring at least one pair of black and one skin colored heel with you. No ankle straps please. If you want to bring more shoes, fantastic!! (we support that decision!) 

Just keep in mind, the higher the heel – the better!! (btw- chunky heels, and wedges don’t photograph nearly as sexy)

JEWELRY: 

Feel free to bring any jewelry you might want to wear. I can help you choose what looks nice with your outfit and what will flatter depending on the poses that we are going to work with. Just remember, nothing should sparkle more than your eyes!

PROPS:

If you want to bring a prop or two to show off your interests and personality, that’s great. Just be careful that it doesn’t get too costume like. Less is always more.

COLORS:

Most colors work really well in camera. Some that do not include fluorescent colors. Sometimes red can be difficult because it can upstage you as the dominant subject of the photos. If you like red (I like red!), look for a deeper red – something not too bright. Black is always classic and looks great on everyone. 

BRANDS:

This is difficult- There are so many, ranging from Fredericks of Hollywood, to Victoria’s Secret, all the way to Agent Provocateur ($$$$). Prices range from very low to outrageously high. 

Literally though, if it fits well and looks good on you, department store brands photograph very well. You can even get some stuff on wish.com (or the wish app) that are truly inexpensive (dirt cheap) that photograph well, but don't necessarily last long.

Los Angeles- here's a few places to go:

Sara's Lingerie  (European, custom fitted)12244 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Honey Birdette (super sexy stuff!)Westfield Shopping Center, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067

What Katie Did (vintage pin up style) 3420 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

Secret Desires (lots of stuff to spice up the bedroom too) 1645 Sepulveda Blvd #5, Torrance, CA 90501

* Bring more outfits with you than you plan to wear, this way we have options! (we usually will shoot in 3-5 outfits)

* Bring something casual to start in. Plus, you can use that in a facebook profile pic, or something to give mom! Something simple like a solid color Tee or sweater. Maybe something loose fitting.

* Bring a robe or some kind of cover up

* AND- Bring at least one outfit totally out of your comfort zone too! You don’t have to wear it, but you just might want to! 

there's some samples below, but there's tons more in our Gallery on our website.