You booked your family portrait session. You’re excited to have everyone photographed together… and then comes the question: What are we all going to wear?
Choosing outfits for the whole family can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few things I recommend:
1. Figure out where you want to start.
There are a few different ways to approach this, so start with whatever feels easiest for you.
Maybe you have an outfit you absolutely love and feel great in. Use that as your starting point and build the rest of the family’s outfits around its colors, textures, and style.
Or maybe you have a certain color palette or overall vibe in mind. You might be drawn to soft, neutral colors and a relaxed, natural look, or prefer something more colorful, classic, or dressed up. Let that be your starting point and build from there.
Once you have a starting point, look through what you already own before buying anything new. You may be surprised by how much you can pull together from your own closets.
2. Think coordinated, not perfectly matching.
In general, I love when family outfits coordinate rather than match exactly. Mixing colors, textures, and patterns gives the photos more visual interest and allows everyone’s personality to come through.
That said, matching isn’t wrong! Maybe your kids love wearing the same outfit, or everyone has a favorite sweater in the same style. If matching is something your family naturally does and you love it, let’s embrace it. If that’s part of your family’s personality, I want that to show up in your photos, too.
Neutrals are always a great option because they photograph beautifully and work well with a variety of skin tones. They can also help balance a group of outfits and keep the focus on the people. But if you love color, don’t feel like you need to stick to neutrals. Just be mindful of very bright or vibrant tops, which can sometimes reflect color onto skin in certain lighting.
A few other things to consider: if one person is wearing a pattern, you may want to keep the others in solids or subtle textures. Very tiny patterns don’t always photograph well, while textures like knits, linen, crochet, or lace can add beautiful dimension.
3. Think about the overall feel.
Once you have a few possibilities, lay everything out together and look at the outfits as a whole. Do the colors work well together? Do the outfits have a similar level of dressiness? Are there enough differences in texture and pattern to keep things interesting?
And most importantly, do you feel like yourselves?
You want to be comfortable enough to move, play, snuggle, and actually enjoy your session. When you feel good in what you’re wearing, it shows in your photos.
There really isn’t one right way to dress your family. These are just guidelines to help you put together outfits that look beautiful together while still feeling like you.
And of course, if you need a little extra help, let me know! I’m happy to brainstorm ideas or help you narrow down your choices. More than anything, I want you to feel comfortable and love what you’re wearing. It will make your session more enjoyable and help your photos feel like you.
Need some help finding the outfits? I’ve put together a second post with ideas for where to find family photo outfits, from your own closet to borrowing, renting, thrifting, and shopping new. You can read more in my Wardrobe Guide | Part 2: Where to Find Family Photo Outfits.