So you’re looking to book a family session, or you just booked a session and now you’re wondering what to wear for your family photos. I know how complicated it can be to choose and coordinate your outfits for the whole family. The selection of your wardrobe and the colors you choose have a huge impact on the final result of your images. That’s why I’ve put together some tips and recommendations with some photos of my past clients to inspire you!

If you’re one of my clients, you get access to my style guide with more tips and advices, I guide you along the way! You can also check my Instagram highlights for some outfit ideas “what to wear” and my favorite places to shop “where to shop”!

Colors

I like to start with the color palette because that’s the first thing you’re going to look at when choosing your outfits. The color of your outfits set up the mood of your photos. If you’re like me and love light, airy, soft, dreamy images, then I’d recommend choosing light and neutral colors like white, beige, blush, earthy tones, pastels, or muted colors. I like to stay away from harsh colors because they can create unflattering shadows on your faces. It’s also the first thing you see when looking at a photo with a bright harsh color: the human eye is naturally going to see that red dress first, instead of focusing on your beautiful faces and expressions. By selecting softer tones, it will bring the attention on the way you feel about each other.

Tips for Moms

When choosing your outfits and what to wear for your family photos, I like to think about mom first, and dress your hubby and little ones around mom’s outfit. I love maxi dresses as they flatter every female body. Long flowy dresses look amazing on camera, because they add movement to the pictures. Long sleeves or three quarter length sleeves create a great slimming effect on all arms! Puff sleeves and off the shoulder dresses are both great options and give an elegant and timeless vibe to the photos. You can also bring flowers for a more editorial look!

Tips for Dads

Dressing your husband for your family photos doesn’t have to be hard! A white button down shirt and long fitted pants will look awesome on any dads :). Solid shades of grey look great with most women’s outfit. I recommend staying away from graphics, patterns and logos, as it tends to distract the eye. Linen is a material that photograph beautifully, especially here in Miami, where I shoot 50% of my sessions on the beach! Most men aren’t overly excited to choose their outfit to take pictures, so make it easy for him and have his outfit ready! You can also talk to him and explain why it is important for you to capture your family at this point in life.

Tips for the little ones

Once you chose your dress, and how to dress your hubby, it’s time to choose what your little ones are going to wear! That’s usually the best (and cutest) part! If mom is wearing a solid color dress, you can choose a subtle pattern dress for your little girl. Definitely avoid kids brands or any logo. Keep it cute and simple. Make sure only one person is wearing a pattern dress. For example, if mom is wearing a pattern dress, have your little girl in a solid color dress. Avoid two pattern outfits, usually one pattern outfit is enough for the whole family. I love dresses and rompers for little girls, and overalls and rompers for boys!

 

I hope this article was helpful and you can now figure out what to wear for your family photos for best results! Interested in booking a family session with me? Learn more here!