Fashion is art, right? Then it is just right to surmise that putting on clothes is not just well, putting on clothes. Rather it is a creative outlet for individuals who see their potential as walking, living canvases of art. This is why the hashtag OOTD is one of the best and historical hashtags in the history of social media. According to this source, the first OOTD hashtag appeared on Twitter as early as 2009, caught momentum in Instagram in 2011 and continued to trend in 2012. The OOTD hashtag has struck a sweet chord with millions of people that Instagram suddenly became a battle ground for amazing fashion portraits. Creating an OOTD post may seem easy at first but if you want to match your incredible outfits with kick-ass photos, here are some guidelines worth noting.
#1: LOCATION HELPS TELL YOUR STORY
In painting, the background is as important as the subject because it provides context. Choosing a location that compliments your outfit adds character to it and by extension reflects who you are as a person. This ensemble by @carewittich translated street chic perfectly because of her choice of background while this flowly boho-inspired number could not look more perfect with the beach, sun and sand behind it.
#2: THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
OOTDs do not need to be always about head-to-toe ensembles. Sometimes, it is all about the blings! Ever experience feeling naked because you forgot to put on earings? That is normal. Accessories like jewelry, belts, bags, shoes, hat, scarves complete your story. A classic whole body shots like this by @leenakaziz can easily show how accessories relate to the outfit. While a closer and more angled shots like this highlights specific items more. This is a nice way to shoot your favorite blings!
#3. FINDING THE BEST ANGLE
The main purpose of OOTDs is to share the clothes you wear, right? So make sure that you spot a light on your clothes’ best features. For example, this all-lace jumpsuit is all about the combination of the fabric and cut and @aaliaoursbourn highlighted that by a whole body shot, angling her legs in a way she further draws your attention to the beautifully tailored pants of the jumpsuit. Sometimes it is the detail that makes an outfit great like this chainlink peak-a-book set, so be conscious of their placements and strike a pose that would best display them. Now, there are outfits which have design elements that look good with movement like this black fringe skirt. It would not look as fun without a little shimmy, right?
#4: AN ACCOMPLICE IS A FRIEND
Sure, mirror OOTD selfies are fine. But having someone to take your photo can give you so much freedom to play with different poses and angles. Having someone to take a whole body shot like this in a short playsuit can help your outfit show off your assets. Like your long, sexy gams, perhaps? Also, you can work on angles that will make your accessories the focal point of your photo like how @savannah_latimer managed this back shot to show off her Fringed Mini Backpack.
#5: NATURAL LIGHT IS LIT
Light is the most important element in any photograph and it would give your OOTD photos the glamour you desire if know how you can use natural light to your advantage. A lot of people would probably advise you to shoot during sunset and it is a wise advise because light at this magic hour gives off warmth that can make you glow like how @hadasahlove in this dramatic shot. But this does not mean you always have to wait for dusk. The strong light in this post by @aleboggiano created dramatic contrast between light and shadow, delivering a great OOTD photo.
Hope these tips and sample OOTD photographs help you when you take your next OOTD snapshot. And just remember, whatever you put on, make sure you feel beautiful in it!
