What to Wear to a Model Test Shoot in NYC

Choosing outfits for a model test shoot starts with the photographs you need. Are you building a portfolio, updating your book or applying to an agency? Those goals can call for different styling. Before buying anything, check the agency’s current submission instructions and share them with your photographer.

For my NYC model test sessions, we plan three looks. The aim is variety with a purpose: clothing that helps us explore your expression, movement and proportions without distracting from you.

Model tests and agency digitals are different

A model test creates portfolio images with room for styling, lighting and a more editorial approach. Agency digitals show your current appearance plainly. They may be much simpler than the photographs you would put in an editorial portfolio.

Elite Models’ submission guide asks for fitted clothing, no makeup and no large accessories, with several specific portrait and full-length angles. Select Model Management also recommends a natural appearance without makeup for submissions. These are examples, not one universal brief. Follow the instructions for the agency and division you’re applying to.

Look one: a clean starting point

A plain fitted tank or T-shirt with simple jeans or trousers gives us a useful foundation. White, black and other quiet colors keep attention on your face and shape. Choose clothes that fit comfortably and let you move; we should not need to keep adjusting straps or waistbands between frames.

Keep branding and accessories minimal. A clean neckline also makes it easier to photograph close portraits without the outfit taking over.

Model wearing a plain white tank and jeans against a light brick wall

Model in a white tank and loose jeans walking a bicycle outdoors

Look two: change the silhouette

Bring something that creates a different outline from your first look. That might be a fitted athletic set, a simple shirt or a different cut of trousers. A second look is most useful when it adds something to the photographs, rather than repeating the first outfit in another color.

Some agencies request swimwear photographs. Bring swimwear only when it is relevant to a specific brief and you are comfortable with it; it is not a requirement for every model test.

Model in a black athletic top and dark jeans against a plain studio background

Black-and-white portrait of a model wearing a loose white shirt and jeans

Look three: show the work you want to do

The third look can lean toward the work you want in your portfolio. A tailored jacket, a simple dress or a more deliberate combination of separates can give us room for editorial portraits. Send outfit photographs before the session so we can choose pieces that work together.

For digitals, the agency’s directions take priority over this three-look plan. You may need only one simple outfit and a set of clearly specified views.

Model in a denim jacket and jeans seated on a fire escape

Close editorial portrait with a white top, loose hair and directional light

Hair, makeup and the shot list

For agency digitals, arrive with your natural hair and follow the agency’s makeup instructions. Bring a hair tie so we can show your face and profile clearly when requested. For a styled test, agree on hair and makeup beforehand rather than assuming every look needs a different treatment.

Your submission brief may call for a close-up, profile, three-quarter view and full-length photograph. Front, side or back views—and an introduction or walking video—depend on the agency. Send the actual brief before the shoot so we can confirm what the session needs to cover.

Digitals should represent your current appearance accurately. Editing should follow the agency’s requirements; strong beauty filters or reshaping defeat that purpose.

What to pack

Three planned outfits, clean and free of wrinkles.
Simple shoes and suitable underlayers for each look.
A hair tie and the basics you need for small adjustments.
Your agency’s submission instructions, including crop and file requirements.
A few references that explain the kind of portfolio you want to build.

Try everything on before the session. Sit, turn and raise your arms in each outfit so you know it feels comfortable in motion.

Plan a model test in NYC

My Portrait Sessions package is $400 for 1–2 hours in the studio or outdoors, three looks and 10+ edited photographs delivered within two weeks of the session. We’ll choose the location around your portfolio goals and any agency requirements you share before booking.

Explore my portrait portfolio, then get in touch with your preferred dates and submission brief.

What to Wear to a Model Test Shoot