What to Wear for Family Pictures: A Simple Guide to Choosing Your Wardrobe
One of the questions I get asked before family pictures is “What should we wear?” And I get it! Coordinating outfits for an entire family can feel overwhelming. The good news? Your outfits don't need to perfectly match. In fact, I usually recommend the opposite. The goal is to create a collection of outfits that coordinate beautifully without matching perfectly. The following are a few simple tips to make choosing outfits easier.
Start With Mom's Outfit
In all honesty, I do believe this is the best place to start. I tell my moms, "Choose your outfit first." Mom should choose something she feels beautiful and confident wearing. Whether that's a flowy dress, a skirt and sweater, or a great pair of jeans with a beautiful top, choose something that feels like you. Once Mom's outfit is chosen, it's much easier to pull colors and textures from it for everyone else. Think of Mom's outfit as the starting point for the entire color palette.
Choose a Color Palette, Not Matching Outfits
Gone are the days of everyone wearing the exact same color shirt and jeans. Like I mentioned above, coordinated, not matched. Instead, choose 3–4 complementary colors and mix them throughout the family. For example:
- Cream + tan + denim + soft blue
- Rust + ivory + olive + brown
- Black + cream + camel + denim
- Navy + soft gray + ivory + tan
The colors don't have to appear in everyone's outfit. Just make sure they work well together as a whole. Some of my favorites for fall are earthy toned or jewel toned palettes! See the sample palettes at the end of the blog post.
Next Mix Textures and Layers
This is one of the easiest ways to make family portraits look more interesting. Think sweaters, denim, linen, corduroy, knit fabrics, leather, scarves, jackets, or subtle patterns.
Layers also give you more variety during your session. A cardigan or jacket can easily be added or removed for a completely different look without changing outfits!
A dress or skirt can add movement and softness to family photographs, especially outdoors. Longer dresses and skirts photograph beautifully when you're walking, sitting, or interacting with your family. They're also an easy way to add a little elegance without making the session feel overly formal. That said, comfort matters. If you never wear dresses, don't feel like you need to start now just because you're having pictures taken. When you wear outfits true to who you are, you feel more comfortable, and that shows in your pictures!
Keep Patterns Simple
Patterns can absolutely work in family photos, but I recommend keeping them fairly simple. Instead of everyone wearing a different bold pattern, choose one or two subtle patterns and let the rest of the family wear solids or smaller prints. All of this keeps the focus where it belongs — on your family.
Think About Your Location
Your outfits should make sense with the setting. For a cozy fall session, think warm neutrals, denim, sweaters and rich earthy tones. For a spring or summer session, softer colors, linen, dresses and lighter fabrics can work beautifully. And if you're having your portraits taken in the studio, you have even more flexibility. This is a great opportunity to dress a little more editorial or elevated.
What About the Kids?
This is where comfort becomes especially important. Choose clothing your kids can move, play and be themselves in. If they're uncomfortable in their outfit, they're probably going to be uncomfortable in front of the camera.
A Few Things to Avoid
There are no hard rules, but a few things tend to photograph better than others. I'd generally avoid:
Everyone wearing the exact same color
Large logos or graphics
Extremely bright neon colors
Too many competing patterns
Clothing that is uncomfortable or difficult to move in
Outfits that feel completely unlike your family's style
And most importantly, don't choose an outfit simply because you think it's what you're supposed to wear for pictures.
When in Doubt, Keep It Simple
If you're completely stuck, start with this formula:
One person in a beautiful statement piece + coordinating neutrals + layers + a few different textures. You don't need every outfit to be perfect. You just want everything to feel like it belongs together. And remember — these photographs aren't really about the outfits. They're about your people, your connection and this season of your family's life.
Your children won't remember what everyone wore. But someday, they'll look at these photographs and remember being together. And that's what makes them worth taking.
Sample Palettes
Below are two palettes to help get you started, Earthy Tones and Jewel Tones. Choose 3 to 4 sample colors from each palette to guide you in choosing your wardrobe pieces.
Need Help Choosing Your Outfits?
If you're planning a family session with Vibe Photography and aren't sure what to wear, don't stress! I am here and happy to help you think through your color palette and outfit choices before your session! Let's start planning your family session today!
