How To Dress For A Branding Photoshoot With Kelsey Kurtis
Friends, I am so excited to continue our Female Illuminator series with one of the most fabulous women I know! My friend Kelsey Kurtis is a branding genius. Pure and simple. She’s also an author, a speaker, an educator, a small business mentor, a consignment junkie and a corgi lover. Basically, she’s unstoppable and turns everything she touches into gold. Known for her Lifestyle Branding Photoshoots, today she is sharing with us her list of boutiques to shop for the perfect wardrobe for your branding shoot! So, if you are a business owner, leader at your company or just on the hunt for a wardrobe refresh… listen up, this is for you! This blog is chock-full of the most amazing resources and so much goodness, I can hardly stand it!
Lifestyle Branding photoshoots are one of the single most important items that a business has in their tool box. These shoots are specifically designed to be the perfect visual representation of your company. When branding photography is done well (ahem…Kelsey’s amazing sessions…), the result is a collection of images that go far beyond matching your color palette and showcasing your product or service on your website. They dig deeper and tell the story of who you really are - the face behind the brand - and the reason your community trusts you and wants to invest in what you offer. They connect your audience to you on a more personal and much deeper level.
Think for a moment…what brands do you find yourself coming back to time and time again? (I’m looking at you West Elm, Madewell, Target, Alice Lane, Magnolia, Emily Henderson!) Chances are, you are drawn to them because of a personal connection you have found with them. Not just the fact that you like their product but you feel like you click with them, like they are a trusted friend. The images from a Lifestyle Branding photoshoot reach out and create that connection. Often the first impression people see, they act as a bridge from consumer to brand and the first layer of authentic connection.
That, my friends, is the foundation of Kelsey’s work. A self-proclaimed entrepreneur at age 11, she learned from her grandfather the real secret behind the success of a business - CONNECTION. Her grandpa told her, “It’s not about the product you’re selling, it is about the story. YOUR story.” And that is exactly what Kelsey has set out to help small businesses everywhere accomplish. Her new book, The Connection Method, walks you through the entire process and is life changing! I’m currently in the middle of the process myself and it is a game changer!
Preparing for a branding photoshoot is much more work than your every day photo session. A ton of time is spent ahead of time finding the right items and wardrobe that are integral in creating that monumental connection we talked bout. One of Kelsey’s specialties is to make sure every person she photographs feels comfortable on camera. She’s THE goddess of helping you pose in ways that highlight your body type and fill you with confidence in front of the lens. Setting the scene and ensuring her clients have the resources, tips and tricks they need ahead of time is imperative to her. So, whether you are doing a photo session with Kelsey or a branding session elsewhere, today, she’s sharing her favorite shops for creating your perfect wardrobe. We’ve got them all broken down by size range, branding colors, style and price point. Scroll down for the magic!
We also love Nordstrom Rack and Express when it comes to mainstream stores!
A gigantic THANK YOU to Kelsey for sharing her list of favorites with us. I hope this helps you as you prep for a photoshoot, refresh your wardrobe or just save a list of favorite boutiques to shop for an event in your future! Either way, the name of the game is building a wardrobe that is truly YOU!
Make sure you are following along with Kelsey for all kinds of great branding advice and inspiration! Find her here:
Instagram: @kelseymkurtis @kelseykurtisphoto