What to Wear - Family Edition

Choosing what to wear can be the hardest part about booking your family portrait session! I understand that so here are a few tips!

General Tips:

START WITH ONE PERSON.

It’s way easier to visualize the whole puzzle once you know what one piece looks like! Try starting with mom or daughter, since women’s clothing tends to have more colors and prints.

COMPLEMENT, DON’T MATCH.

No need to be so matchy-matchy! Look for colors that generally complement each other: so for instance, soft colors (light blue, gray, blush) or warm colors (brown, orange, burgundy), If you want colorful images, then you should choose a more vivid color scheme for your outfits! Also think about the location of your session and choose colors that will compliment your surroundings. For example - if your session is at a location with lots of green trees, think of colors that go great with green!

STICK TO ONE OUTFIT.

Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be! All you need for an awesome family session is one outfit for everyone. Changing outfits will take time away from your shoot and can put your kids in a grumpy mood.

CONSIDER YOUR HOME DECOR.

If you’re planning to hang your images in your living room that’s decorated in all white, you probably don’t want your clothing to be dark. If you’re hanging them in a colorful nursery, then wear vivid outfits.

PLAN FOR THE WEATHER.

Nothing is worse than being miserably uncomfortable in a perfect outfit. If you’re planning an outdoor session in November, think about coats, gloves, and hats. In the summer, dress in layers that you can easily take off if you get too hot.

DON’T FORGET SHOES!

These are often the forgotten last element, but they can really make or break your outfits! If you can’t find shoes you love, consider going barefoot (just bring walking shoes to get from point A to point B). Steer away from athletic shoes and bright white sneakers.

TRY ON YOUR CLOTHES WELL IN ADVANCE!

Check your outfits from all possible angles in the mirror, not just the one you like best. Try sitting, squatting, leaning forward, etc. The kids’ clothes should work well in motion so that we can play during your session (think flying, tickling, and hanging upside down).

LET THE KIDS HAVE INPUT.

If your daughter hates wearing dresses, don’t force her to wear one for picture day. If your son thinks that bowtie is uncomfortable, ditch it. Happy kids make for happy photos!

SAY YES TO:

COMFORT

Above all, if you feel good, you will look good! Choose clothing that gives you freedom of movement, keeps you warm/cool, and won’t require a lot of maintenance throughout your session.

TEXTURE

Add some visual interest to your images with unique fabrics. Some examples: lace, cable knits, chambray, tweed, herringbone, chambray, faux fur, wool

PATTERNS

Don’t be scared of patterns and prints! They can work great in moderation. Try one statement piece (for instance, a colorful floral dress for mom) and one subtle pattern (maybe tiny polka dots for baby girl), and then keep the rest of the family more simple.

LAYERS AND ACCESSORIES

These are the quickest way to take your outfits from average to amazing! Think scarves, blazers, cardigans, belts, jewelry, fun socks, and hats.

FITTED CLOTHING

We don’t want your clothing to be too baggy or too tight. Properly fitted clothing looks put together and will show your shape. For women, your upper half and lower half should be balanced: so for instance, blousy shirt + skinny pants, or tight shirt + flowing skirt.

CLASSIC CHOICES

Try to steer away from current trends, since they’ll date your photos 10 years from now.

SAY NO TO:

FORMAL CLOTHES

Let your clothing match your surroundings. A suit or formal dress will look out of place in the woods.

BRIGHT WHITE

If you love white, try off-white or ivory instead.

NEON COLORS

These create skin tone/color cast issues.

LOGOS & TEXT

Words will draw attention away from your faces.

TRANSITION LENSES

If you wear glasses every day, please wear them in your shoot! However, lens glare and shaded lenses will keep your eyes from being seen. You can have anti-reflective coating added to your lenses or wear just the frames.

ATHLETIC SHOES

Self-explanatory!

HOLIDAY COLORS

Even if you’re planning to use these images for your holiday cards, steer away from holiday-colored clothing and let your card design incorporate those instead. That way you’ll be able to enjoy your images year-round!

SHORT-SLEEVED T-SHIRTS

Button-down or structured shirts generally look better in photos. Short sleeve shirts can look great if they are a little dressier though! If you have your heart set on a t-shirt, try layering a blazer on top.

TINY PLAID & COMPLICATED PATTERNS

These don’t always translate well in-camera (creates a funny distortion).

Cheat Sheet:

MOM

SAY YES TO:

Maxi dresses, fitted tops tucked into long skirts, a-line dresses/coats, skinny jeans, cardigans, blazers, scarves, ankle boots, riding boots, fitted tunics,

SAY NO TO:

Strapless, sleeveless (unless you love your arms), low-cut shirts, baggy clothes, chunky knits,
cheap/flimsy fabrics

DAD

SAY YES TO:

Blazers, chino pants/shorts, button-downs with sleeves rolled up to elbows, sweaters layered over collared shirts, dark wash jeans, leather shoes/boots, cardigans

SAY NO TO:

Baggy shorts/pants, athletic shoes, cargo shorts, white t-shirts