Help! Photo being taken for work website on Monday and I'm a freaking mess!!!

[RandomMoth]

I work in professional services and I'm booked to have my photo taken monday afternoon. I'm a bit fatter than I'd like to be, and I dont photograph well, I tense up and always end up looking shit :(

I've booked in to have my hair cut and blow dried, I just need to find something to wear. Photos are from mid thigh upwards so a flattering dark dress, ideally comfortable (doesnt need to be tailored or a suit dress) so I'm more relaxed.

Can anyone suggest something tried and tested which is in the shops at the moment and say how they'd accessorise? I'd love a good photo for once.

I work in a large city so can spare an hour or two first thing to go to the shops, budget ideally below £100 but could go over.

TIA

Should have said, I'm a size 14 (ish) and have weight sitting on my stomach, fairly small bust. Approaching 40. Arms arent too flabby but should have shoulders covered

I hate work photos! They did mine when I was early pregnant, about 4 months so I just looked fat not pregnant and now it’ll be there for years! Are you set on a dress? Asos have had some nice ‘floaty’ type work tips on there recently that are nice.

Same size as you Op but different shape. Navy is chic and something like this would be very flattering:

www.marksandspencer.com/short-sleeve-shift-dress/p/clp60374289?color=DARKNAVY

Or this in black? Would be good with black tights and ankle boots or loafers which you probs already have:
www.marksandspencer.com/pure-linen-shift-dress/p/clp60380785?color=BLACK

Spanx.

Gin and tonic to relax.

Good photo editing after.

Those might be a bit boring but the photo won't date and you could always add a nice necklace (which you can no doubt pull off better than me as I am norky!)

I think I do need a dress, I've not worn trousers to work for years as its hard to find anything that looks good on my disastrous stomach. The first M&S one looks like a possible good shout.

Oh how I wish I'd gone to the gym

I'm really hoping having my hair done will help. I always look such a mess.

Whatever you wear, please tell the photographer your concerns. Be up front and honest about how you take bad photos and why. They know many tricks in angles, poses and lighting. Yes there will be a 'corporate' style they have to follow but within that they can adapt.

Winser London do some really flattering dresses. I have weight in the same area, same age and I bought one of their dresses and it came out OK in the pictures I had taken. I can't see the same one on their website now, but have a look at the Miracle dresses.

Actually, I think it was similar to this one www.johnlewis.com/winser-london-anne-miracle-dress-rich-blue/p3717597, reduced in sale, but only size 16 and only one left. But there are loads more Winser dresses reduced in the John Lewis sale. Good luck!

Actually, I don’t think that you should have to have your photo on your work website if it makes you uncomfortable.

I do like the Winser ones but only some odd sizes left, we have a JL i will go check them out on Monday

Alexa I imagine if I was totally against it theyd accept it, I was supposed to have it taken months ago but I've been dodging it, have decided to bite the bullet. Plus theres one from a few years ago which they are using internally which is shocking I look like I've not bothered to brush my hair!

Wear some good shapewear (just the mid-strength type, and in your actual size, not one size down - it’s not the sausage-stuffing-in-casing look you’re going for!), and then buy a dress from Hobbs/Whistles/Jaeger/Jigsaw/Et al, or if that’s over budget, anywhere on the high street that you can easily get to. The shapewear will smooth everything down and help to streamline your silhouette. My favourite dress that I’ve bought recently is from Jigsaw, a cashmere dress in navy and white stripes. It skims over my curves beautifully and is so easy to wear, and I feel comfortable in it. I bought a small square silk scarf in navy/white/red to tie round my neck for a coordinating pop of colour.

Winser London is also sold at House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols and on their website.

Would you have time to see if you could book a personal shopper at Debenhams or John Lewis at all? They might be booked up, but might be worth a try? Good luck, hope you find something you feel really happy in.

I’d probably buy something like this:

www.jigsaw-online.com/product/wool-shift-midi-dress/J39628_BL010

Be careful with plain black, I wore a plain black boat neck shift dress in mine and I look either a) like a floating head or b) like I'm wearing a hairdressers cape, can't decide which. Anyway not enough definition to see where the arms are etc.

Get your eyebrows done too. Hair and eyebrows make a big difference.
Do you wear make up? I only wear it occasionally but the difference some foundation makes in photos is amazing.

Also I've never done this myself but you'd only be "trying it on" for five minutes....

I'll go check out Jigsaw as well. I've actually never had my eyebrows done as they are very sparse, will do make up though

Buy your shapewear first and wear it when you go shopping for dresses.

I have to have up to date presentation photos for competitive tender documents and I feel your pain, especially as I’m usually ten years older than the rest of my team. Along with the pro blow dry, see if you can get a Mac professional make up application done on the day - even if it means having to set time for a trial beforehand, like a nervous bride!

A tip I was given was to wear a jumper rather than a blouse as it makes it easier for the photographer to re-touch.

My problem now is that the publicity shots make me look fab and my clients are really disappointed when I turn up in person 😂

ASOS have 20% off everything until 5pm today if that is of interest?

Do you know who the photographer is? If so, can you take a look at their website and see which outfits/colours look best? As a pp said plain black doesn't often photograph well, as photography is all about light and shadows. Red or green or another colour might actually look loads better in that photographers style!