The ‘strong and empowered’ boudoir style feels really grounded, confident, and self-assured. It can feel serene and calm or energetic in photos, depending on the way you style it. Either way, the ‘strong and empowered’ style is full of self-loving energy while also feeling really powerful and present!
The strong, empowered style is often a choice for clients who are feeling really powerful and confident in themselves. The idea of feeling “empowered and strong” goes hand-in-hand with boudoir in general because doing a boudoir session is incredibly powerful in itself. Some clients are excited to spend an entire session devoted to capturing their strength and empowerment on camera, while others are more interested in having just a few pictures from their shoot focused on strength.
These clients may have recently experienced a period in which their physical strength, emotional strength, or mental strength has been front and center. Whether someone has recently finished their first 5k, graduated from school, or healed from a difficult relationship, or moved through a challenging season of life, these clients are often ready to celebrate their inner strength. I love capturing strength and empowerment on camera because it can be communicated directly or subtly through your hair, makeup, outfit, and posing choices!
Whether you love the idea of communicating really strong energy or a calmer sense of strength, I invite you to think about what feels ‘strong’ to you and view the following suggestions as ideas to play around with.
If a client is looking for a strong vibe with lingerie, I often suggest choosing pieces with straight, clean lines that draw attention to your favorite features (or features that make you feel super strong and confident). Straight lines in wardrobe choices tend to draw the eye exactly to where that line lands (in contrast to curving or lace-edged lines, which tend to feel more romantic in pictures).
A couple popular choices: a strappy bra and underwear set or a solid-color bodysuit exudes confidence and strength. Or a cotton, solid-colored bralette paired with a cheeky bottom. This look has a way of demonstrating empowerment in a more carefree and effortless way.
Beyond lingerie, a simple cotton crop top is great (while also being a great option for someone who loves their waist!) and pairs well with a simple black thong (for a more undressed look) or your fav pair of jeans (for someone who wants to incorporate everyday clothing). A sports bra and a pair of high-waisted yoga pants is a great idea for displaying a more literal athletic feeling, while a t-shirt and sporty underwear combines strength with a relaxed vibe in a boudoir session.
When a client is looking for portraits that feel really empowered and strong, I focus on capturing their confident energy and sense of groundedness. This can mean portraits with giant, bursting-out-laughing smiles, or portraits with a lot of calm and focused expressions. The concept of “taking up space” is also a powerful way to demonstrate strength, and I love to create portraits with clients in tall, intentional postures. Your body deserves to take up space, and it’s so empowering to demonstrate this in your portraits!
A strong and empowered style can really fit alongside any other style inspiration you have! Some people pair a strong, empowered vibe with a more relaxed, casual vibe -- this combination leads to a chill, easygoing, and confident energy. You can also pair elements of strength with something bold and dramatic to create portraits that are powerful, sexy, and embody self-assurance. Mixing a soft and romantic style with strong and empowered elements works beautifully, too; the styles really play off of each other and intermingle to create a balance between delicate and empowered.
Leah's session is a great example of a strong and empowered style taking the lead.
Annie's session shows a strong style mixed with a calmer vibe.
Cyndy’s session channels a strong vibe mixed with a relaxed, minimalist approach.
Autumn’s session is a wonderful mix of strong and feminine styles working together.
Most of my clients rock more than one style in their boudoir session, so please don’t feel limited by the results of this quiz! Check out the other boudoir styles right here:
And of course, the most important thing in a boudoir session is YOU, not what you wear! The light and energy you bring will be, hands-down, the most incredible, important, and special part about your boudoir session. The personality you’ll bring into your boudoir session will be totally unique and wonderful -- I promise -- and they will absolutely shine in your portraits! I would LOVE to capture your magic on camera.
Thank you so much for taking the Boudoir Style Quiz and sharing a little bit of your day with me!! (And if you’re ready to learn more about booking a session, just click here to get in touch!)
