I’ve started to become more comfortable in my body, more confident and less critical of it. Things that once scared me now empower me in ways I didn’t know were possible… including boudoir photography. Doing a luxury boudoir shoot felt like something out of reach for me, even with my growing body confidence. It was outside of my comfort zone and what I thought was “normal” for someone to do. Even as someone who posts photos of bras and plus size lingerie for a living, this felt different. Why spend the money on photos that I could take in my own bedroom? Do I want photos of my body to live forever? Well, I eventually shot with the best Dallas boudoir photography studio, The Vixen Society. My experience at this DFW boudoir photography studio was amazing and the photos… well, I’ll let those speak for themselves.
JUMP TO: FAQS. COST, LINGERIE CLOSET
If you’re not super familiar with boudoir photography, it’s described as a photography session where you get to wear fabulous outfits, lingerie, dresses… or nothing at all. It’s an extremely intimate photoshoot style. The word boudoir is French for a woman’s private dressing room, which inspires the intimacy element.
In this post we’re going to share some of my luxury boudoir photos, share about my experience with the DFW boudoir studio, The Vixen Society, and answer some of the most asked questions from the SBE community.
PS- you can follow me on Instagram and TikTok to see more behind the scenes content from my DFW boudoir photoshoot experience. There’s also a private SBE Facebook Community and newsletter you can join!
The Best Dallas Boudoir Photography
The Vixen Society is located in the Fair Park area of Dallas, Texas, which makes it really easy to get to from different parts of the DFW metroplex. They also have a beautiful lingerie store, Lingerie Dallas, located a few blocks from the luxury boudoir photo studio.
Everything you need to make the photoshoot happen is located inside of the studio. From a massive lingerie closet, to hair and make up, to multiple set ups, it’s all right there. The convenience of having everything in one place helps makes your photoshoot day go smoothly. There’s nothing like trying to run across the DFW metroplex to get your hair done one place, makeup another, pick up lingerie over here… It’s exhausting and can be frazzling since we never know what traffic will be like on a given day. No one needs that added stress or the potential to be late, which would eat into your photoshoot time!
You can find out more about this DFW boudoir team by checking out their social media pages: Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also see additional luxury boudoir photo galleries on their website. They also have a private Facebook group to connect with others who have had boudoir photoshoots.
The Vixen Society Lingerie Closet
There are over 1,600 pieces in this massive lingerie closet. It’s truly insane and I wanted to play dress up in it all day. They are the only DFW boudoir studio to offer a closet full of luxury brands and accessories for you to wear during your luxury boudoir photoshoot.
In the closet you can find accessories, shoes and lingerie outfits. The accessories range from earrings and bracelets to leashes, collars, handcuffs and other sensual accessories. When it comes to shoes, you can find all different styles of high heels in sizes ranging from 5.5-11. They even have Christian Louboutin heels, which I had actually never worn until trying on outfits in the lingerie closet.
You’ll find lingerie of all different styles in the closet ranging in sizes XS-5X. They’ve got corsets, bodysuits, leather, lace, mesh, garters, stockings, spanking skirts, extravagant robes and so much more. The Vixen Society is stocked with brands like: Honey Birdette, Thistle & Spire, Agent Provocateur, Christian Louboutin, Betsey Johnson, Bordelle, Dita Von Teese, Playful Promises, Victoria’s Secret, Nasty Gal, Flur De Mal, Oh La La Cheri and more!
While we’re on the lingerie topic, do be sure to bring a pair of black cheekies and a thong to the shoot. They also have disposable panty tape (well, that’s how I referred to it because it reminds me of boob tape but for your vagina), that you might need to use throughout the shoot.
What About Bras for Big Busts?
While the closet does offer a large variety of sizes, I do want to touch on the bras. As someone who is very vocal about a proper fitting bra, this is one of those times you can ignore the typical fitting rules. We aren’t wearing these bras under our clothes, all day every day, needing the traditional lift, support, separation and comfort that a proper fitting bra will provide.
In this case, you want a bra that looks fabulous on you for the photos. If that means the center gore isn’t tacked down on your sternum, don’t fret. Having exact bra sizes in all the different styles would make the style options extremely limited. With that said, make sure you still feel comfortable in the outfit. The boudoir team will also assist in making sure the pieces will look good in your photos. Trust their expertise, they’ve been doing this a long time!
DFW Boudoir Hair + Makeup Experience
The Vixen Society has two of the best artists in DFW on staff to do your hair and makeup on the day of your boudoir shoot. I worked with LaDonna Stein, and it was a dream! She starts by asking what sort of look you are wanting for your hair and provides images of hair styles for reference. Then we did the same thing for makeup. We started with lighter makeup looks and scrolled through to some of the heavier options. LaDonna asked all of the right questions to make sure we landed on something that would feel glamorous, but also not something that would make me feel unrecognizable.
As far as the beauty brands go, you can expect to see brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Temptu, Gucci, Bumble & Bumble and Kenra being used. They also have custom mixed airbrush foundation and false lashes included in the experience.
Luxury Boudoir Photography Investment
Beyond the lingerie closet and hair/makeup services, your investment of booking with this luxury DFW boudoir studio goes towards a few more things that really elevated the experience in my opinion.
Before you book your DFW boudoir photoshoot, you are able to book a consultation over zoom or phone with one of the two boudoir photographers. During this call you can ask questions about the experience, about the team, whatever you want to know to make sure this is the right fit for what you’re looking for. It’s a great time for you to get to know the photographer that you will be intimately working with, and a chance for them to get to know you ahead of the photoshoot.
Once you book your session, you’re sent a prep guide to read through. While there isn’t a lot of preparation you have to physically do, it’s comforting to get an idea of what is coming up. Being prepared helps the day start off on the right foot!
Boudoir Photography Posing
On the day of your luxury boudoir photoshoot, you’re of course getting dolled up with hair, makeup and wardrobe. You’ll also get a chance to explore the 9 different sets within the Dallas photography studio and decide what set feels most like you and works well with your outfit selection.
Once it’s time for the photos to start rolling, you’re in good hands. Both Tamara and Emma, The Vixen Society boudoir photographers, are classically trained in fine art nudes. They have extensive experience in boudoir photography. They have expertise in how to pose each client, at every body shape and size, for beautiful photos.
I like to think that I am decent at posing because of the nature of my job, but when I tell you these poses blew my mind… I would have truly never thought of them. You can tell that the 12+ years of experience and education has given these photographers incomparable posing techniques.
The Vixen Society’s Boudoir Aesthetic
After looking through other boudoir photos (from other studios) after my own session, it’s even more obvious to me that they know what they’re doing. The right pose can take a photo from “meh” to “my goodness“! Slightly different poses take a photo from “did you shoot that on your couch at home” to “this is art and belongs in a magazine”. It truly is a luxury boudoir experience in every step of the way.
The Vixen Society also does minimal retouching to your images. This is important for me to call out because I’m a big believer that we don’t need to retouch our bodies and they are wonderful exactly as they are. There is editing done to the entire image to make it appear high end and polished, but nothing drastic is changed about your body’s shape or size. The retouched images threw me off just a bit when I received them because I’m used to seeing the texture of my legs, and in the images, they were smooth. They describe the retouching as a way to give your images a magazine quality finish and a way to see the art in each photo.
Photo Editing
In a quest for transparency on this topic, I asked The Vixen Society team to dive a bit deeper into the photo editing and retouching for our community. The below is from the wonderful owner, Tamara.
We retouch because we want our clients to see the overall art of the photo. When we add contrast, sharpening, color correction, etc, skin texture is magnified like crazy, and it’s very easy for your eye to go right to the skin texture (we’ve experienced this with lots of clients in the ordering room, where they can’t take the beauty of whole image in because they’re focusing on the texture too much) Uneven skin tone from tanning, bruises, acne, bra bulge, etc. are temporary things on our body that will always change, and they don’t lend anything to the overall “holy shit I look like a goddess” glamorous impact we want our photos to make on our clients. And on the flip side, we have told several clients that we won’t over-retouch them because we don’t want to fully change who they are.
This photo is an example of the photo before and after being retouched so you can have a visual understanding of what’s changed.
Plus Size Boudoir Experience With The Vixen Society
I felt extremely comfortable as a plus size woman doing the boudoir photoshoot. From the clothing options in the lingerie closet, to the way my body was spoken about by the boudoir team, to the poses and guidance during the shoot, to seeing the final photos. It was empowering to see the art that my body was capable of creating and hearing the positive way it was spoken about by The Vixen Society team. I never felt like my body needed to be hidden or covered up, instead it was celebrated and shown off.
It was truly one of the most empowering and freeing experiences of my life. I’ve spent so much of my life being critical of my body and trying to shrink it, this allowed me to take up space. This allowed me to embrace my body exactly as it is now. I felt sexy and I felt powerful.
My Plus Size Boudoir Photoshoot Looks
Everything I wore can be found in The Vixen Society lingerie closet. The wine dressing gown, possibly my favorite piece from the day, is from Catherine D’Lish. I wore the gown with a black strappy spanking skirt set from Honey Birdette. The light blue bodysuit is also from Honey Birdette. Usually you do the 2 outfits before implied nudes, but we quickly snapped photos in the turquoise 3 piece set from Dita Von Teese Lingerie because it was a favorite of mine from their Lingerie Dallas store. For my implied nudes, I wore gold chest jewelry from Amazon.
Most Asked Questions About My Boudoir Experience
Do you feel like you had options when it came to hair, makeup and clothes as a plus size girl?
I felt like there were lots of options as plus size woman! The lingerie closet has lots of beautiful pieces in a variety of sizes. One of my favorite things I shot in was the Catherine D’Lish robe. The outfits accentuated my curves instead of hiding them, which I loved. As far as hair/makeup goes, I also felt like I had a lot to choose from and was able to land on looks that felt both “me” but also glamourous.
Did you have to bring your own lingerie?
I brought one of my favorite lingerie sets just in case, but once I saw the closet, I completely forgot about my own lingerie. You do not need to bring anything, but if you have a favorite piece or something sentimental, bring it!
Where did you find your lingerie pieces?
I found everything in the lingerie closet. That’s part of what makes this such a luxury boudoir experience! I even popped over to their lingerie store to bring some favorites home with me.
Did you pick your outfits?
Sure did! Tamara selected some options from the closet while I was getting my hair and makeup done, and then we went through them together. I could say “love”, “maybe” or “pass” on each look she showed me. Once I had an idea of what I liked, we tried them on to see what I felt the most confident in and what would look great on camera.
I don’t want to look overdone, is that possible?
Absolutely! The key is to be honest with what your comfort level is while selecting the hair and makeup styles for your boudoir shoot. I told LaDonna that I don’t normally wear a lot of makeup, so anything she does is going to be elevated for me. When chatting about what I like and don’t like, I told her when the eye makeup is too heavy, my eyes get tiny and it makes me uncomfortable. I also told her that I loved taking risks when it came to the lips, so that’s where we decided to really go bold.
We also went through dozens of photo examples and I told her what stood out to me and she also shared what would look best on camera. It’s important to remember this is sort of like stage makeup for my theatre girlies… In person, the makeup was too heavy for me to wear, but in the photos, it was just the right amount of glam.
How did they make you feel comfortable? How were you comfortable?
First off, remember that they have seen so many naked bodies and this is work for them. Just like getting a wax, laser hair removal, OBGYN visit, etc. Knowing that my body wasn’t being judged or stared at was the first thing to ease me into the experience.
During the photoshoot it’s just you and your photographer. It’s a very intimate setting and there aren’t a lot of people around. Even your makeup artist leaves once she is finished getting you ready. Knowing it’s a private experience also helps with nerves.
The experience at this luxury DFW boudoir studio is set up in a very friendly way to ease you in. When you arrive, you’re getting into a comfy robe while you get glammed for the shoot. You get to chat, listen to music, drink a mimosa or coffee, and set the tone for the experience. Then you try outfits on and start the shoot with the least provocative/revealing option. Your photographer walks you through some of the poses, things to remember and overall how the experience will work. As you get going in the first outfit, you get more and more comfortable.
By the second outfit you’re probably starting to feel sexy, empowered and confident. Then the last thing you shoot are implied nudes, if you’re doing them. At this point I was feeling myself and felt like I was a Playboy Bunny. Long story short, you’re not thrown right into implied nudes without getting comfortable being half naked in front of a camera. You ease into the whole experience.
Were you nervous?
I was! Thankfully the nerves didn’t last too long and that nervous energy turned into this incredible sexy energy. The more the shoot went on, the more I could connect with my body and disconnect from my mind worrying about what I looked like. Connecting with your body in this way is incredibly freeing and powerful. By the end of it all, I felt on top of the world.
What do you do with the luxury boudoir photos after?
I am planning to make a small photo book of the images. I’m going to gift one to my husband and make one for myself. Another idea is to print a few smaller photos to frame and place on my closet dresser. I don’t plan to make any large prints of the images (at least right now), but I do think it would be beautiful to get a painting made based off a boudoir photo.
Like Moira Rose says, Then allow me to offer you some advice: Take a thousand, naked pictures of yourself now. You may currently think, “Oh, I’m too spooky.” Or, “Nobody wants to see these tiny breasts.” But, believe me, one day you will look at those photos with much kinder eyes and say, “Dear God, I was a beautiful thing!”
Are lots of people around for your boudoir shoot?
Just you and the boudoir photographer! It’s very private.
Do you have recommendations for similar places outside of DFW boudoir studios?
Since I haven’t worked with anyone else, I don’t have a personal recommendation to give. Of course anyone can travel into Dallas for a photoshoot, if that’s realistic for you. The Vixen Society has clients travel in from all over, includin other states. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you this is the best Dallas boudoir photography studio. If traveling isn’t an option, you can contact The Vixen Society team and they can help find someone for you!
Was it fun? Was it awkward?
The most fun! I honestly want to do it again and personally didn’t find it to be awkward at all. I think it should be something I do somewhat regularly! Our bodies are worth celebrating at all different life stages.
What’s it cost for everything?
At The Vixen Society your whole experience itself is included within the photoshoot session fee. This is your hair, makeup, wardrobe, posing, etc. This is a $450 non-refundable retainer/session fee that is paid when you book your session. The image pricing starts at $1500 and will vary based on how many photos you purchase. This is a truly luxury boudoir service, so pricing and quality reflect that. You can find DFW boudoir photos for cheaper, but keep in mind you are getting what you pay for.
How did you prepare for the photoshoot?
Per the prep guide, I arrived at the DFW boudoir studio with clean, dry hair and clean skin. Leading up to the photoshoot I made sure to drink a lot of water to be hydrated. If you’re doing a grooming service, they suggest that appointment should be 3 days prior. Because I do laser hair removal, I did a quick touch up shave the week of. I also used a hydrating and brightening face mask the night before (that I had used many times and knew it wouldn’t give me a reaction!). The morning of I ate breakfast, packed a few snacks (trust me when I say you need your energy!) and brought a water glass with me. I also did not wear a bra or underwear the morning of the shoot and opted for cozy sweats.
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