Whether we like it or not, wardrobe can make a huge difference in the overall feel of an image. In this post, I’m going to give you a ton of tips on how to plan and coordinate everyone’s outfits, so you all can look your best. If you want to take your family photos to the next level, then keep on reading!
For starters, the most important tip that I have is please DO NOT try to all match! The key is to pick different colors that compliment each other. When people match, they tend to blend together too much and end up looking like one giant blob in photos. Complimentary means the variety of colors, textures, patterns, and tones all sing together while there is still separation from each of the subjects and the background.
1. I suggest picking a color scheme of around 4 colors and go from there. Start with one outfit, for example mom’s, and build everyone else’s outfits off of her's.
2. Avoid graphic tees and logos that stand out.
3. Dress your little ones in clothes that fit perfectly, not with room to grow. Even if your child may only wear the outfit a few months, it’ll look much better than putting them in something they need to grow into.
4. Shoes are a very important part of your wardrobe. If you have the cutest little pants and a button down for your son to wear for pictures, but slap on his favorite pair of Disney tennis shoes, it will throw off the whole look of the photo. Avoid character shoes, flip-flops, and crocs.
5. Please remove hair ties from wrists and smart watches.
6. Guys make sure you remove everything from your pockets (keys, phone, wallet, etc.)
7. Iron and lay out your clothes the day before, so you are not rushing the day of your session.
For colors, I recommend sticking with neutral and earthy tones. Neutral doesn’t just mean grays, creams, and browns. There are neutrals in every color (mustard yellow, forest green, navy blue, burnt orange—think earthy tones). Stay away from bright, fluorescent colors, especially bright pink, orange, and red. It winds up making everything really pink and throws off the skin tones.
For patterns, avoid big, loud, chunky, and crazy patterns. The smaller and subtler, the better! If the pattern is too loud, it becomes distracting. Also try to avoid pairing too many patterns together, because it can make the photo feel hectic and distract from the subjects and location.
Well, there you have it! Those were all my key tips on how to rock everyone’s outfits for your next family photo session. I hope these tips helped to give you a better idea of how to plan your outfits and look amazing for your photos! If you have any tips, please leave them in the comments below. I’d love to hear what has worked for you!