From Boots to Bling: What to Wear for Horse + Rider Portraits

The lead-up to a portrait session can be nerve-wracking—but it doesn’t have to be! My best advice? Stick with what you already own and love.

The easiest way to look great on camera is to wear clothes that fit well and make you feel comfortable. The more comfortable you are, the more confident you’ll feel—and that always shines through in your photos. Choose outfits that reflect your personal style. Don’t be afraid to play with tones, textures, layers, and accessories.

Outfit Options
Show clothes are a great choice if you’d like to highlight your discipline. For a more relaxed vibe, consider street wear like jeans and a nice top. Fun accessories—like scarves, earrings, or a statement necklace—can enhance your look and add a touch of personality or elegance. Hats and jackets are a super easy way to quickly change up your look.

Make sure your outfit fits well. Avoid anything too restrictive or something you’ll feel the need to constantly adjust. Clothing that’s overly loose can distort your silhouette. And since you’ll be walking, sitting, and moving around with your horse, opt for pieces that are both flattering and functional. Don’t forget practical, horse-friendly footwear!

Colors & Coordination
Neutrals like black, white, grey, and beige are timeless and photograph beautifully with most horses, creating a soft and elegant look. Earth tones—browns, greens, muted reds or yellows—feel natural and harmonious. Complementary color combinations can bring vibrancy and cohesion to your images.

Consider your horse’s coloring when choosing your palette:

• Chestnuts look great in blues, turquoise, deep purple, yellow, or dark green.
• Bays are striking when paired with red, royal blue, pink, deep orange, or purple.
• Blacks and Grays look amazing in most colors! Try red, purple, pink, and blue.
• Red and Blue Roans Red and Blue Roans can be tricky; try to match your horse’s undertone to avoid clashing. Shades of red for red roans, and shades of blue for blue roans.
• Browns and Duns tend to look best with deep blue, purple, blue-green, or black.
• Sorrels pair wonderfully with royal blue, dark green, emerald, and black.
• Buckskins shine with jewel tones, especially emerald, garnet or sapphire.
• Palominos are wonderfully versatile—try sage green, royal blue, chocolate, hot pink, most pastels, and cream tones.

Bold colors can be striking, but try to balance them—perhaps by coordinating your top with your horse’s polo wraps or saddle pad. If you’re unsure, add bright pops of color with small accessories instead of going all-in.

Final Details
Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed. Check your nails (clean and tidy!), remove band-aids, hair ties from your wrist, and take note of little things—the camera sees everything. If it’s a sunny day, consider wearing sunscreen. Want to feel extra polished? Treat yourself to professional hair and makeup. It can be a lovely way to make the occasion feel extra special.

I’d love to hear your style secrets. Do you have a go-to outfit or favorite look? What tones do you love pairing with your horse’s coat color? Share your tips or ask your questions below!

Featured photo by Ani Rain on Unsplash