Just kidding.  


I’ll literally never tell you what not to wear.  But my college roommate (hey Malorie!) and I did love a good episode of WNTW.  So you’ve booked the photo session!!  Time to consider outfits.   Here are some tips and guidance to curating cohesive family outfits (if that's your vibe!).  


Instead of matching colors, try to go for complimentary colors and tones.  

Too much of one thing can be a bad thing.  If you all wear the same color, it can get a little muddy.  Some variation helps break up a monochromatic palette.  My fav color concepts - neutrals, muted colors and jewel tones.  Avoid neon colors as they can be distracting, and create unflattering color casts.  

 

Family of mother, father and their two teenage children standing on sidewalk in Downtown Littleton.

Neutrals

 

 

Father holding newborn son, mother holding toddler daughter upside down, tickling her, toddler daughter laughing.

Muted Colors

 

 

Family portrait of father, mother and two young children standing in front of evergreen forest area on their Evergreen property.

Jewel Tones

 

Textures and patterns are your friend (until they’re not).

Textures are lovely.  Texture makes you feel like you can reach out and touch the photo.  

✅Waffle knit, chunky sweaters, lace, corduroy, velvet, chambray all photograph beautifully.  

✅Florals

✅Soft and subtle patterns

✅Details that add a pop - buttons, jewelry, analog watches, shoes

❌Clothes with fine and tight textures can create what’s called a moire effect (examples here).  

❌Big logos.  A little logo on a polo? Totally ok. A shirt with a giant logo front and center? Distracting.  

❌Super loud patterns can draw the focus away from the people and directly to the outfit.  

 

 

Google Slides or Canva is your family outfit planning bestie.

To prep for my own family photos, I love to make a mood board to get an idea of how everything will flow.  I copy and paste photos from online retailers or add photos of items we already own.  I shop our closets first and then fill in missing gaps with sales.  

 

How to use google slides to curate a cohesive family outfit - pictures of outfits for a family of four.

 

Outfit Timeline

A month (or two) before your session...

Pick mom's outfit first, build around her.  Why?  Because mom is usually the one doing all the work to make family photos magic.  Check closets to see what you already have!  


A few weeks before your session...

Try your clothes on!!  Make sure everything fits.


The day of your session your session...

Iron,  steam, lint roll.  

 

 

Let's go over a few sessions and talk about why their outfits work.

 

Father tossing toddler into air, pregnant mother standing nearby watching in Red Rocks Park, Morrison Colorado.
Why it Works

⛰️Dark khaki is is the perfect anchor color

⛰️Some matching without too much matching

⛰️Variety of textures and layers

Overhead view of newborn baby boy dressed in blue sleeping in bassinet.
Why it Works

💙Soft texture

💙Muted color

💙Buttons add a visual pop

Family of four, all smiling, in front of vintage door in Downtown Littleton, Colorado.
Why it Works

▲Neutrals are cohesive

▲Variety of patterns

▲Dad's shirt pattern is subtle and adds variety

Family of four snuggling close together, red rocks formation int eh back with snowy winter shrubs in South Valley Park, Littleton.
Why it Works

❆Jewel tones

❆Variety of textures

❆Variety of patterns

Mother kneeling down in mountain meadow, with toddler girl and baby boy, snow capped mountains in the background.
Why it Works

♡Neutral + pop of color

♡Colors stand out against location without being too distracting

♡Kids are comfortable

 

Break all the rules.  


You do you, boo boo.  Pick whatever feels most like you.  One of my absolute favorite sessions broke all the rules and it looked so good on them - tie dye for everyone!  Bright colors, everyone matched.  Look how good they looked.  And this session felt so true to their family’s personality.

 

Family of mother and father and two sons, all laughing in War Memorial Rose Garden.

 

The bottom line -  Confidence and joy looks good on everyone.