What Should We Wear For Our Family Session?

Does Outfit Planning Stress You Out?

First of all, that’s totally NORMAL! I don’t know about you, but I have enough trouble figuring out what to wear on a normal day, let alone what to wear for photos! The good news is, I’m here to help!

Before you go and stay up all night online shopping (for clothes you’re probably just going to put in your cart and talk yourself out of lol… been there!) let’s talk about what works and what doesn’t.

Here are some important rules of thumb when choosing outfits for your family session:

COMFY IS ALWAYS BEST.

Think about your favorite pair of jeans that hugs you in all the right places… now think of a new tight dress with heels you can hardly walk in. Which one feels more like you?

If I were to bet, your tried and true killer outfit is probably already in your closet! Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to dress up for your shoot! But feeling comfortable in your own skin is the most important thing. If you’re uncomfortable, it will show!

WEAR CLOTHES YOU CAN PLAY IN!

While we’ll get the picture-perfect, everyone-smiling-at-the-camera moment, a lot of the session will be time to play! When picking outfits, think about some of these things:

• Will my daughters be able to climb, run, and play without us worrying about them keeping their skirts down?
  
  
• Will I be able to bend over, pick one of my kids up in the air, or play without worrying about too-tight sleeves, low tops, or coming untucked?
  
  
• Does Dad feel comfortable enough to play tag or have a few kiddos climbing on him?
  
  

We want to be comfortable without worrying about any major clothing malfunctions while we move around and play together!

WHEN THE WEATHER IS CHILLY.

We’re in the midwest, so it happens!

Make sure you check the weather before your session to know what temp it’s going to be at the time of your shoot. When in doubt, layer up!

I actually LOVE layers. Layers add such a great element to your photos, so don’t be afraid of them! Whether you bring a jacket just to let it fall off your shoulders, or you add a cardigan just to pull over your hands to look cuddly and soft, layers will help give your outfit some dimension and can almost act as a prop to give your photos more interest!

Let each person be unique.

Let the outfits that you and your kids wear speak a little bit to your personalities! Here’s what I mean: Maybe one of you wears distressed jeans, another a patterned dress, another a jumper or overalls, another a matching comfy set, another wears a collared shirt, and another wears a nice solid-colored t-shirt. These can all go together with the right color palette and let each of you wear something unique to you!

LET’S TALK COLOR!

You’ll be in good shape if you can follow this little rule: Compliment each other, don’t match each other.

When your color palette is too similar, your photos will make you look like you sort of all blend in together. This primarily happens with blacks or really dark colors.

The best way to avoid this is to pick a variety of textures, tones, and materials for your shoot. Mix up lights and darks, and have some contrast even if you settle into an all-neutral palette.

After complimenting each other, a great color palette compliments your environment. Neutrals and earth tones are always a safe bet!

The goal here isn’t to wear all sad beige; it’s to look like you belong in the space you’re in! For example: In the springtime, you can expect light tones, sage greens, light blue sky, and blushy florals. And in the fall, jewel tones like muted oranges, yellows, and greens fit in with the changing leaves!

So pick tones that feel like nature, rather than a hot pink dress or an electric blue shirt.

BE CAREFUL WITH PRINTS.

Prints can either give your photos visual interest or it can greatly dominate the photo and detract from the emotion we’re trying to capture.

A great rule of thumb is to keep prints small and the colors in the prints light or neutral. Small, neutral prints act as a bit of texture whereas big, bold patterns end up stealing the show.

Also! Keep the prints sparse! I’d recommend only one or two people wearing a print to eliminate the possibility of clashing prints.

Here are a few outfit mistakes to avoid so that YOU stand out the most in your photos!

wearing too much of a dark color.

I mentioned this before, and I’ll say it again! If your whole family is wearing dark colors (let’s say, all black or navy), the details in your photos will get lost. Dark outfits hide the details of your pose and will make you visually blend together.

Instead: If you have a cute little black dress planned, that’s great! Just choose different colors for everyone else to wear—like a denim jacket, gray t-shirt, a floral print dress, or a white collared shirt.

WEARING Super bright colors.

Bright colors will reflect in the light and cast the color back on your faces/skin (Think, a weird glow of green or red under your chin). You’ll be looking at each other/facing each other quite a bit during your session, so to avoid this, I like to say, “Don’t wear any colors that you can find in a box of Crayola markers!”

Instead: As stated above, compliment nature. Jewel tones, pastels, earth tones, and neutrals are always safe!

forgetting about your hands.

Hands are actually a beautiful detail of portrait photography! Expect some close-ups of hands on each other’s cheek, holding hands, or participating in an activity together.

Any kind of watch (even nice men’s watches!) or brightly painted nails can take the eye away from the emotion of the moment.

Instead: Leave the watches at home, and keep nails manicured, but not a bold color.

Distracting logos or graphic tees.

Stay away from big Nike logos or sports team icons (unless we’re intentionally repping a team—Go Bucks!)

Instead: If graphic tees are part of your personality, they can totally be a vibe! I’d recommend making sure any graphics are in faded/muted colors to eliminate distraction.

To recap:

1. Be comfortable in your own skin!
2. Layer up for chilly weather with light colored or flowy layers.
3. Compliment—don’t match!—each other.
4. Choose colors that compliment your environment and look natural outdoors.
5. Keep prints small, subtle, and sparse!
6. Watch out for some common outfit mistakes.

And now for some outfit ideas—with links!

Let’s put together some outfit ideas that will look beautiful for your family session! REMEMBER—These are JUST some suggestions and more than anything, I want you to feel like yourself! I’ve put together some ideas from Amazon below!

Ok, let’s dive in!

Look 1: Spring

In the spring, we’re thinking light layers, floral prints, pastel colors, and light neutrals. Click on an image below for a link to the outfit on Amazon!

LOOK 2: Summer

In the summer, we’re thinking neutrals, loose, breathable fabrics, and pops of color! Click on an image below for a link to the outfit on Amazon!

LOOK 3: Fall/WINTER

For fall and winter, we’re thinking muted jewel tones, warm or darker neutrals, and plaids! Click on an image below for a link to the outfit on Amazon!

I hope that you feel much more confident in picking outfits for your family shoot!

If you get stuck or find yourself unsure about something, please reach out! Send over pics of what you’re thinking, and I’ll help you feel really good about your outfits!

This post contains items that are affiliate links—AKA I receive a small commission for purchases made on Amazon.com from links clicked in this post.