How to Choose and Wear Hosiery for a Boudoir Photo Shoot

Outfit planning for a boudoir photo shoot is often as fun as the event itself. You get to dabble in fashion styling, and treat yourself to some fancy new things – perhaps even a whole new outfit.

There are plenty of articles online with advice on choosing lingerie, but the tips below delve into choosing hosiery specifically. After all, your legs make up almost half of your body! So what you wear on them has the potential to totally transform your boudoir images. 

Why wear hosiery at your boudoir photo shoot?

A special touch

First, let’s talk about wearing hosiery versus going bare-legged. Both are perfectly valid options, of course. However, most people would agree that hosiery gives your look more of a ‘special occasion’ vibe. Stockings in particular allow you to wear three-piece lingerie set with a suspender belt, instead of the typical bra and brief combination that most of us wear on a standard day.

More posing ideas

If you’re feeling unsure about how to pose, stockings also give you some easy options – browse through a few boudoir shoot images online and you’ll notice just how many feature the subject rolling their stockings up or fastening a suspender clip!

Legs that look fabulous

Hosiery can be thought of as makeup for your legs. Even the low-denier, ultra-sheer styles will subtly even out your skin tone, and can add a touch of gloss as though you’ve just moisturised. That means less worrying about getting the perfect wax or shave before you go. And if your hosiery is seamed, that can make your legs look longer too.

How to style hosiery

Getting the type right

Stockings and hold-ups are generally considered to the most glamorous or sexiest hosiery options. Which of those you choose really just depends on whether you want to wear something with suspender straps.

However, nothing’s forcing you to rule tights out. In fact, they’ll often give you a wider choice of laces and patterns to choose from. If you’re not a fan of the waistband showing, why not pair the tights with a bodysuit or high-waisted knickers?  

Complementary colours

As the saying goes, black works well with everything – except it doesn’t. If your lingerie is a light colour such as blush pink, black hosiery will just look harsh and out of place next to it. So aim to choose lingerie and hosiery that are similarly light or dark.

You could even try to match the actual colours; What Katie Did has a fantastic range of stockings in hard-to-find colours such as purple, blue, and green. 

Plain or fancy tops?

If you’ve chosen stockings or hold-ups, then the eye will naturally be drawn to the tops of them. With lingerie that’s especially detailed or lacy, stick to hosiery with a plainer top so that it doesn’t detract from that. If on the other hand your lingerie is quite simple, you can make your hosiery the centrepiece of the whole look by choosing a design with a striking band!

Match the era or fashion aesthetic

Have you selected vintage-inspired lingerie for your boudoir shoot? Then vintage-esque hosiery is the natural pairing. That means seamed stockings, perhaps even authentic fully-fashioned ones made the way they were in the 40s and 50s. However, if your lingerie is more modern or avant-garde, then why not go wild with a bold print?

Matte or satin?

This one’s not a hard and fast rule, but you may like to match your hosiery’s level of lustre to the rest of your outfit, for a more cohesive look. For example, if you’ll be wearing silk-satin, choose satin-finish hosiery. Side benefit: if your photographer’s got everything set up to perfectly capture the light reflecting off your glossy garments, your legs will be benefitting from that too!

Two final tips 

Take a backup pair

Especially if hosiery is absolutely crucial to your chosen outfit, be sure to take a second pair. Although your photographer may be able to edit out a small pull or suggest poses that hide it, it makes everyone’s life easier when your hosiery is looking as flawless as you are.

Change into your hosiery at the venue

If, as is often the case, you’re travelling to the photographer’s studio or another venue, don’t put your hosiery on until you get there. For one thing, this minimises the risk of snags before you’ve even started.

But if you are planning to pose without shoes, it also keeps the soles nice and clean in case they’re visible in any of your shots. White and ivory hosiery especially, both popular choices for a bridal boudoir photo shoot, can easily get marked by your footwear. 

If you’ve ever had a boudoir photo shoot and wore hosiery, how did you go about choosing it?

by  Estelle Puleston