What to Wear for Family Photos
If you’re trying to figure out what to wear for family photos, this blog post will give you everything you need to know!
Here are some general tips to keep in mind when planning what to wear–
Choosing a color palette
The key is to have everyone’s outfits coordinate without being matchy-matchy. Before you start searching for outfits, I recommend choosing a color palette of colors that go well together. That way, you can easily narrow down your search of outfits to looking for items in that color palette. Below are some of my favorite neutral/ earth-toned color palettes that photograph well. Pastel color palettes work great as well. I recommend avoiding certain colors like red and neon colors because the natural light will reflect off of those colors onto your skin and create unflattering skin tones.
Other Things to Consider
When you’re picking out clothes, choose mostly solid colors, and mix in one subtle pattern or texture, such as a subtle floral, gingham or lace. Avoid distracting patterns and large logos, etc.
Start With the Hardest to Shop For
I typically recommend shopping for mom’s outfit first since we’re usually the hardest to find something that we love. If it’s a special occasion, like a baby’s first birthday, etc. then you may want to start with their outfit first since they’re the star of the show.
Once you’ve picked out the color scheme and the first outfit, then go in order of who’s the pickiest/ hardest to shop for. Older boys and dads are usually pretty easy to shop for (hello neutral shirt and khaki chinos!) so it’s usually best to shop for them last. Remember, as you start picking out the outfits to mix up the colors from within the color scheme that you picked out so that the outfits coordinate well without being too matchy-matchy. Also, remember to try to incorporate one subtle pattern or texture (like lace, etc) so that it’s not all solid colors.
Shopping for Mom
Dresses are always flattering for moms. Some things to consider when shopping for yourself– what type of neckline and waistline looks most flattering on you? Do you prefer sleeves or no sleeves? (Hint: most mom’s prefer not to show their arms in pictures.)
Favorite places to shop for mom: Worth Collective, Baltic Born, Altar’d State
Shopping for Dad and Older Boys
Like I said earlier, I think this is the easiest category to shop for. You can’t go wrong with khaki or gray chinos and a neutral or light colored shirt (a button up, lightweight sweater or henley works great!)
Favorite places to shop for Dad: Gap, J. Crew, Target
Shopping for Little Ones
There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you’re shopping for little ones. Make sure their outfit is comfortable and easy to move around in. Also, for girls especially, rompers are great for babies and young toddlers so you don’t see their diaper. If the wear a dress, make sure they wear a diaper cover, and I recommend staying away from a-line dresses for little ones because they’re hard to move around or sit in. For young boys, I recommend avoiding polo and button up shirts that have collars because they can hide their neck and part of their face when they move around. Smocked outfits that have collars are usually fine since the outfits have a wider neck.
Favorite places to shop for little ones: Zara, Jamie Kay, H&M
Putting it All Together
Once you have everyone’s outfits in, make sure everyone tries them on well in advance of the session, so you have plenty of time to return/ exchange if needed. Then put all of the outfits together and see how they look when they’re all together…. Do the colors all go together? Is there enough color variation so it’s not too matchy-matchy? Is there a subtle pattern or texture in an outfit? Feel free to email me a picture once you have the outfits all pulled together if you need a second opinion!
Sample Style Boards
Scroll through for some sample style boards of outfits that coordinate.
Pinterest Boards
Need more inspiration? Check out my Pinterest Boards for more inspiration about what to wear:
