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Looking to plan your own high tea aesthetic photoshoot, or maybe just want to look at some pretty pictures? Read on for the deets on how I planned and executed this sustainable fashion editorial shoot in a fancy hotel tea room.
Ya’ll, I am sitting on so many fun, fashion and editorial style photos from over the years that I haven’t shared with my readers. I want to change that!
It’s my goal this year to share more of the behind-the-scenes (that’s BTS for you internet folk) that goes into a sustainable fashion photoshoot.
I’m hoping these posts are helpful to those who want to learn more and maybe plan their own photoshoot with a professional photographer. At the very least, I want to provide you some pretty *aesthetic* photos to look at.
High Tea Aesthetic Photoshoot
When planning a photoshoot, sometimes the looks inspire the location, and sometimes the location inspires the looks. For this high tea photoshoot, it was the spectacular location that demanded equally lavish and over-the-top fashion.
I knew I wanted to shoot at the Lady Finger Tea Lounge, located in the historic Garrison Inn in Newburyport, MA ever since I saw the stunning pink interior on my Instagram feed.
Built in 1809, the hotel has offered high tea services to its guests for over two hundred years. More recently, the tea lounge has opened its doors to bloggers, influencers, photographers, models and the like for photoshoots.
Luckily, my photographer Caroline the Photographer is from the area and has done many influencers shoots at the tea room so she was familiar with the location.
The best part? The tea lounge offers full drink service throughout your photoshoot, including tea, coffee, and wine. I ordered a bottle of champagne (to be used as a prop, and for a couple little sips!)
High Tea Inspiration
For this high tea photoshoot, I was inspired by the aesthetics of the 2006 film Marie Antoinette starring Kirsten Dunst. Of course, this movie is about the real French queen, notorious for the phrase, “Let them eat cake!”
I wanted this photoshoot to have all the extravagance of the baroque style of the period, while also bringing in some moderns elements.
When planning a photoshoot, I highly recommend you find reference photos for the type of look you are going for and poses you want to create.
These photos can be found and organized most easily on Pinterest. That way, you can easily share the board with your photographer so you are the same page before your shoot!
Here is the Pinterest board I created for this high tea photoshoot.
High Tea Outfits
Selkie | High Tea Aesthetic
For the most part, I wanted the high tea outfits in this photoshoot to be as decadent as the surroundings.
The designer that immediately came to mind for this photo was Selkie.
If you’re not familiar with Selkie, they are a women-owned clothing brand known for their romantic party dresses. Each of their pieces are a work of art, and I had been pining over their collections for years. Now was the time to pull the trigger.
I actually bought one of Selkie’s dresses directly from their site (it’s all ready-to-wear) and rented another from Nuuly. Learn more about the Nuuly rental subscription service here.
So well are Selkie’s dresses suited to high tea parties, the event manager at the Lady Finger Tea Lounge is also a Selkie consultant and they sell the dresses on location!
High Tea Aesthetic Photoshoot – Team & Styling
Model: Leslie (Me! Follow me on Instagram for more sustainable fashion shoots.)
Photographer: Caroline the Photographer
Location: Ladyfinger Tea Lounge at Garrison Inn Hotel, Newburyport, MA
Clothing: Selkie or rented from Nuuly
High Tea Looks
High Tea Outfit #1
Don’t know what to do with your hands? It can be helpful to have a prop if you’re nervous during a photoshoot–it will give you something to do! Luckily, this location came equipped with plenty of teacups to play with.
Remember to use your space during a photoshoot! Try making triangle shapes with your body when posing. These are most pleasing to the eye.
This Selkie dress was too fun and frilly to not play with during the shoot.
Trying playing with angles. I got on the ground and my photographer stood above me on a chair to get this shot.
We left the pink walls of the Ladyfinger lounge for the White Room of the hotel to get this shot. This bar is where they offer high tea service. It was lined with the most dainty tea cups that I was definitely afraid of breaking here.
High Tea Outfit #2
This white Selkie dress was rented from Nuuly.
Again, playing with angles here. My photographer is shooting from above me on a chair. I purposely spread the skirt of the dress out as much as possible to get a perfect circle.
This is a fun pose to recreate. Have your photographer ‘cheers’ you from behind the camera for this fun shot. Pin this one to your Pinterest board to copy!
Usually you want the light source in front of you during a photoshoot for the best lighting. However, here we played with the sunlight coming in from the window behind me for this romantic effect.
Again, more playing with lighting to highlight the details of the sheer puff sleeve of this dress.
Want more sustainable fashion inspiration?
Follow me on Instagram. I routinely post editorial and sustainable fashion photos from my photoshoots. Come say hi!
Try Nuuly
I mentioned Nuuly a few time in the post as the amazing clothing rental subscription that has Selkie and other trending brands.
Interested in trying out Nuuly? If you use my link (right here) you’ll get $10 off your first month. (I’ll get $10 off too so it’s a win-win!)
