Knowing what to wear for family photos can be the most daunting task. Here is a guide to help you narrow down some ideas by showing you which colors and textures photograph best and why. By the end of this blog post, you will be confidently selecting outfits that coordinate beautifully with your family members and more importantly, highlight your personality.
Why Styling Matters
The focus of our session should be on your family and the connections you have with each other. The wardrobe you choose has the potential to elevate those connections by creating cohesive and aesthetic imagery. Pairing less than ideal colors and patterns together can distract from the ultimate focus we want to keep in our photos. Some outfits that look great in real life unfortunately don’t always end up photographing well.
A wardrobe that is thoughtfully chosen to not only fit your personality, but also coordinate with the environment we are shooting in makes for the most stunning images. We want to choose clothing that keeps the focus on your family and avoid colors and patterns that leave you blending in or clashing with the background.
My client closet is a collection of gowns, layers, accessories, and beautiful individual pieces of clothing that I keep on hand for clients to borrow at no extra charge during our sessions together. Wether you’re looking for something unique or you just want to avoid the stress that can come with selecting a wardrobe for our photoshoot, my ever-growing collection is here to help you feel and look your best. The colors and textures I’ve hand selected photograph beautifully and are flattering on many body types.
1. Choosing a Color Pallette
The goal is to keep outfits from being overly distracting, and color plays a large role in that. I highly recommend sticking with neutral or earth tones. This doesn’t mean you’re limited to only grays and browns. There are neutrals in every color! Think ivory, oatmeal, deep blue, forest green, rust, mustard yellow, deep teal, emerald, burnt sienna, mauve, and plum. The only colors I typically recommend steering clear of are bright white, neon, mint, bright pink, orange, and coral. These colors often create unpleasant colorcast that can easily alter the look of the photos.
Iowa City, Iowa
Coordinating Your Look
patterns + textures
Patterns can be a beautiful anchor piece in your wardrobe. Pick one family member to wear patterned. Look for subtle, smaller patterns and use those colors to tie in the rest of your family members outfits .
Texture adds depth. The details in knits, lace, velvet, leather, and linen clothing are stunning to photograph. These patterns are subtle and add just the right amount of texture to make your images really stand out.
Phoenix, Arizona
2. Incorporating Movement in your Wardrobe
I’m always looking for ways to show movement in my images. It brings a photo to life! Gowns are a beautiful way to incorporate that. If dresses aren’t something you’re into, look for ways to layer your clothing with various fabrics and textures such as kimonos and shawls to create depth and dimension in your photos. Wind is also a powerful addition to a photoshoot. Not only do I embrace it but also seek it out when location scouting! Breezes of all strengths create movement in the most beautiful way. A fluttering dress, rustling leaves, hair in the face…I absolutely love it. My windiest sessions often result in the most emotionally moving images.
3. Keep it Comfortable
When thinking of what to wear for family photos, comfort matters.
Think about the conditions and location we will be shooting in and plan accordingly. Being comfortable in your clothing will be essential. We’re often hiking a short distance to our location, so bring an extra pair of shoes with good grip. You can swap them out once we get there (or forgo them all together!). I personally love barefoot sessions. The majority of my clients are used to this by now and don’t even bother shoe shopping anymore!
Oahu, Hawaii
4. Adding Accessories & Props
Accessories are the icing on the cake. The added touch that completes the look. Even if you’re using pieces from my client closet, these should ultimately represent your own personality and style. Fur bonnets for baby, flower crowns, cardigans, lace throw blanket, jewelry, leather jackets, your favorite fedora, scarves and cowls.
Props can be anything from a freshly picked bouquet of wildflowers and cozy quilt to your guitar and antique truck. Props are not required, but should represent you and help tell your family story.
The Boho Look
There’s a reason you see a fair amount of Boho styled clothing pieces in a lot of my work. It is not just a style, but more an overall aesthetic. It favors natural and breathable, softer fabrics and is typically worn loosely and relaxed, giving a whimsical appeal. Boho involves a lot of layering, combining multiple textures, patterns, and lengths to create a visually rich and textured appearance. The color palette is dominated by earth tones such as brown, burnt sienna, and various shades of beige. Maxi dresses and wide-leg pants are common choices with this clothing style. Long, flowy skirts paired with a crop top or simple tied graphic tee is another example of the boho look that provides both comfort and beautiful movement.
Oxford, Iowa
The Dos and Don’ts of Styling
DO – Wear layers! Layers add dimension and depth to your images. If it’s hot outside, layer with accessories – cute belts, necklaces, bracelets, etc. If it’s cool weather, cardigans, vests, scarves, boots and hats are all great examples. Avoid graphics on clothing unless it’s a graphic tee within the color scheme that goes with the vibe!
DO – Purchase clothes that fit your body. It can be tempting to buy kids clothing a size bigger so they’ll have room to grow, but for photo sessions it’s not the best idea. Avoid looking sloppy by wearing well fitting garments.
DO – Start with one outfit and build the rest of the family clothing from there. Mom is the star of this show, so I always start with her first. It can be overwhelming trying to choose all the outfits at once, so start small and build from there. Everything doesn’t have to be new – shop your closet or my client closet!
DON’T – Wear neon colors. They don’t photograph well, and they cast colors onto the skin of those who are wearing them. No one wants a bright green face! Also, think about the location – what will it be like? If you’ll be outside with a green meadow as a backdrop, avoid wearing green so as not to blend in with the environment. The only colors I typically recommend steering clear of are bright white, neon, mint, bright pinks, oranges, and coral.
DON’T – Match! Matching is out, coordinating is in. Outfits should complement each other, not match. Add interest and vary your wardrobe by wearing different textures, layers, and coordinating colors.
DON’T – Wear solid black or solid white clothing. These colors lack dimension when photographed and make for dull, flat images. Patterns, textures and colors are how we add interest.
Where to Shop
A few of my favorites…
Joyfolie – Boutique clothing with large selection of flowing and lace dresses. Sizes range from toddler 2T to women’s XXL.
Free People – Large variety of on-trend, quality clothing that offers comfort, texture, and movement.
Three Bird Nest – Classic, neutral colors with easy to layer items.
Baltic Born – Classic, flattering maxi dresses for women of all shapes and sizes. Offers a large selection of colors and prints that photograph beautifully.
Buckle – Classic tees, henley’s, and pants for men. A variety of tops and sweaters for women.
Zara – Beautiful selection of knitwear for baby.
H & M – Wide variety of classic colors and pieces, making it easy to mix and match with just about anything.
Reverie Threads – Detailed collection of unique and textured pieces.
The Simple Folk – Simple, classic clothing that photographs beautifully.
If you’ve made it through this style guide and are still feeling overwhelmed, please shoot me an email! Once your session is booked and you’ve secured your date on my calendar, I’m more than happy to help piece together ideas for you and guide you on where to shop based on your wardrobe budget.
Did you find any of this information helpful? Drop a comment below and let me know!
– Jill
Great post!