10 Tips to Choose the Perfect Family Photo Outfit
Whether you have family pictures done annually or once every couple of years, your choice to invest in family pictures does matter and it is important. Your family portraits bring your family together. Family photos are a great way to show the love and legacy of your family and are a great way to remember and celebrate specific milestones in your life. We believe a family portrait photoshoot is one of the best ways to show your memories of those you hold closes to your heart.
We all have busy lives, and our time is precious so deciding on what family photo outfits to wear shouldn’t be something that stresses you out. These are photos you are going to hang on your walls and be cherished for years to come. Whether you are having your first family portraits done or looking for fall family photo outfits to use for your new holiday cards, use these tips to help you pick out the perfect outfits for you and your family’s photoshoot.
Start off simple.
If this is your family’s first photography session, we recommend starting off small. Doing a smaller family portrait session with just your kids, significant other, and yourself, will be easier to plan and help you reduce stress during your planning process. Doing a smaller family portrait session is more intimate and brings those in your household closer together.
How should you dress for family pictures?
These days, family photos are moving away from portrait studios and moving to the outdoors. They are now often very candid and casual. When it comes to a family photoshoot we recommend going with a mix between a dressy formal style and a more casual and laid-back look. A more laid-back version of dressy will make you feel comfortable and put-together at the same time. This can include breezy dresses, nice blouses and trousers or skirts for the women/girls, and chino pants and button-up tops or sweaters for the men/boys.
What are the best colors to wear for family pictures?
Long gone are the days of everyone wearing a white shirt and matching. You don’t have to have everyone buy a white shirt and blue jeans. Allow personalities to shine with colors and patterns. We recommend sticking with mostly neutrals, then bring in subtle colors and patterns as accents if you want to brighten up the look. Additionally, if everyone is wearing a bright/bold color or pattern, it can overwhelm the photos and distract from your face. Instead, it’s best to go with neutrals as they are subtle and classy, and work well with any other accent color tone. Pick a couple of colors and choose clothes that will fit in this color scheme. Plan each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind. A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate.
Spring/Summer:
Olive Green, Denim, Cream & Light pink
Light Blue, Tan, White
Blush, Teal, White
Fall/Winter:
Grey, Mustard Yellow, Navy
Denim, Tan, Brown
Purple, White/Beige, Blue
Look at your home decor.
This may seem odd, but it can help with picking family picture outfits. Do you tend to decorate your home with brighter colors or more neutral tones? Since you will be hanging these photos in your house, you want to make sure the colors of your clothes go with the color scheme of your home. Walk around your home and think about where you will display these photos. You spend time picking out things for decorating your home, and your family picture outfits could match your decorating color scheme.
Keep your background and location in mind.
Think about the location of where you are going to have your family pictures taken at. Are you going to be outside in the green grass with lots of trees in the background, or a field with a lot of springtime color flowers? In these cases, you might want to stay away from green, or prints that have too much of the same color as the flowers. Creating contrast with your surrounding colors will help visually set you apart and keep you from blending into the background.
You will also want to dress appropriately for the landscape that you are being photographed in. Heavy fabrics will look out of place if you are having your photos done on the beach, and shorts and sandals would be out of place up in the mountains. Dressing for the background will obviously look more natural and your family will be much more comfortable.
Dress in just a couple of layers and add a few accessories.
Dressing in layers and adding accessories can be a great visual component to your family portraits, again if they match the location, you are in. Avoid wearing too many layers or heavy fabrics, as they can make you look more weighed down in your photos. Having the right layers on, can be removed and create a whole new look to your family photos giving you different options throughout your session. These are the quickest way to take your outfits from average to amazing! Think scarves, blazers, cardigans, belts, and jewelry.
Dress in well fitted clothing.
You want to wear clothing that is well fitted to you and your body. If you are wearing something that is too loose, you will be spending a lot of time repositioning the fabric back in place or covering things back up. Shirts that are too big and baggy in the arms and chest can make you look bigger than you actually are, and the extra fabric will distract from the overall look of your photos. Clothing that is too tight on the other hand, can cause unwanted and unflattering folds in the fabric. Avoid wearing anything that is too short, be it dresses or skirts for the ladies, or shirts for the guys. Mom, a flowy long hemline dress can be used to be draped around you while sitting on the ground. Dad, you might be picking up the little ones and swinging them around, and you don’t want your shirt to be too short that is exposes your midsection.
Avoid wearing logos or graphic tees for family photos.
Having huge logos or graphic tees on in your family photos become a huge distraction in your photos. Wearing shirts with logos or graphic tees are a great casual look for around the house and running errands, but don’t make for good family photos. Having popular characters on your clothing will date your photos and do you really want to see Mickey’s face on your kid’s shirt looking back at you every time you look at family photos hanging on your wall?
Try and avoid very bright and neon colors.
Your skin is reflective, and bright colors tend to add strange, not-so-attractive hues to your face and any exposed skin in photos. We aren’t saying you shouldn’t wear a pop of color in your family photos, just keep in mind of how bright the color is and how the sun might react to that color. If you aren’t sure if a color is too bright, look in a mirror in a well-lit room and hold the piece of clothing under your chin. If you can see a hint of the color on your skin, you might consider a different outfit.
Classic not trendy.
We want for our family pictures to feel classy and timeless. We don't want your photos to feel outdated ten years down the road. Trends come and go and are always changing and may not look the best a few years from now. Dressing in classic colors and styles will look great no matter how many years have gone by, while dressing in the latest trend will date your photoshoot after a very short time. Your family portraits should be a reflection of you and your family, don’t try to dress in a style that isn’t your family’s style just because its trendy.
Your family pictures bring your family closer together. Photoshoots create memories, not only during the photo session, but also every time you look through your photos. We want your session to be a fun and relaxing time together and be something that you look forward to. Your photos will be something that you will hold on for years to come and pass down through the generations. The best thing to remember is to make your photoshoot yours.
