How to dress for family photos?

The first question we all ask ourselves when preparing for a photo session, is “How do I dress the family for the photos?” It can be super stressful to try to plan, find, or shop for everyone in the family. I’ve heard from several parents who have said that planning everyone in the family’s outfits is too stressful, and because of that, it’s just not worth having family photos. 

This is why I have decided to write this post. Here I’ll cover how to decide what to wear for you and your family. I’ll teach you what looks the best, what outfits to avoid, and basically how to dress for your family photos.

What is your goal? The six I’s.  

• Idealize

What is your “ideal” photo session? How do you envision the session looking? Write down what you want the session to look like, and how you want it to go. Is there something specific you want? Think about the weather and season, This is important in deciding how to dress for family photos, you’ll see why. 

• Inspiration 

What is your inspiration? I often turn to pinterest or google for inspiration. Look at what you have idealized, and what inspires you. Type your “ideal” session into the search bar and see if you find inspiration from those results. Did you love the mountain scene, or the cityscape?  Maybe you liked the fresh flowers or the teepee that you saw. Was it the colors that drew you in? The seasonal fall leaves? All these factors determine what to wear for your family photos. 

• Intention 

Set your intentions clear to the photographer, and the family. Let them know what you are expecting from the shoot. They can help when you are deciding how to dress for the family photos. After you have set your intentions for the photo shoot, it makes it a lot easier when deciding what to wear.  

• Imagine 

Think about your ideal session, your inspiration, and intention. Then Imagine them all flowing together to have that perfect family session resulting in beautiful images of you and your family. Congrats! You just found the style you want!  

• Immerse 

Now Immerse yourself in that style you have imagined! Is that style dark and moody, or light and airy, or more true to color? Is it outdoor, urban, city, etc?  Think about what wardrobe could work best for the style you chose. Now think about other items or props you may need to bring. Do you want a special chair, a car, an animal, flowers,??? Plan out what you need to bring. 

• Improvise 

You may not find exactly what you envision, but there are plenty of things that could come close to what you’re looking for when deciding how to dress for family photos. Sometimes, it even turns out better than what you imagine! Let’s say you have a color scheme that is light and airy, so you pick out creams, tans, and lighter earthy tones. Maybe you have a picky 4 year old who won’t wear what you want, to save his life. So you’ll improvise and go with an accent color, which happens to be the only thing he will wear- his favorite blue shorts. So accent with blues. Win Win  

Pick a Color Scheme

Look at your six I’s. What is your style? If you want a more moody style, wear darker, more sultry outfits. The seasons may also play a part in your style, so keep that in mind as you are choosing a color scheme. You probably wouldn’t want to mix light pastel colors if you are taking photos outside in the snow.  Pull up pinterest and plug in the style you imagine. It can give you more inspiration on color schemes. I personally love the color schemes that are more natural, neutral, soft, and muted. . Keep it simple, a max of 4-5 similar colors of the same tone family.  

Look in your closet 

Is there anything you already have in your closet that fits with your vision? Some people like going out and purchasing new clothes just for this event, which I totally get and appreciate!  However, if you are a client on a budget, and are scraping away just to pay for the photoshoot, You can probably use what you already have in your closet. Just make sure everyone is cohesive. Start with the mom and dad, then move on to the kids. The other thing you can do is look in your friends closet. Maybe you have a close friend who has just the right dress they would be willing to let you borrow.  If all else fails, talk to your photographer, they may be willing to help you piece something together. 

Style for mom

The first person to worry about when deciding what to wear or how to dress for family photos, is Mom! (Or yourself if you are the mom planning the session and reading this.) Mom’s are usually the most picky in the family when it comes to what they are comfortable wearing. After you have mom’s outfit picked, it’s a lot easier to style the rest of the family. 

• Say yes to the dress

There’s no such thing as too dressed up. Dresses and Skirts really flatter EVERY woman’s body. Besides being the most flattering; long, full-length dresses and skirts add extra movement in the camera, which makes for amazing photos! Extra points for you if you get dresses with chiffon or tulle fabric.  Stay away from knit, tight fitted body hugging dresses if possible; Unless you want to show off every curve, which most women don’t. Avoid pants, and shorts and say yes to the dress!

• Considering a shorter dress? 

Shorter, cocktail length dresses also photograph well, but you may want to reconsider if you have small children. Moving around with kids is much easier in a longer midi skirt or full maxi length dress or skirt. 

• Do you FEEL beautiful?  

What are your best features? Choosing flattering clothing that compliments your best natural features, and minimizes or hides the areas you are most self conscious about is key! If you don’t feel good, or comfortable in your clothing, chances are, that’s what you will see in your photos.  If you lack confidence in your arms, opt for longer sleeves like ¾  length or a cute jacket/cardi. Wearing heels will elongate your legs, and if you are going to show your toes, you may want to consider a pedicure before your session. When you are deciding what to wear for your family photos, Make sure you feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful in what you are wearing, because if you feel beautiful, you will look even more beautiful in your photos!

• Go Pro!

When it comes to hair and makeup, that is. This is the time to treat yourself! Get your hair and makeup professionally done for your photo session. You will look AMAZING, and CONFIDENT! If you don’t usually wear much makeup, it may seem like too much, but it really does look amazing in the photographs and behind the camera. As a general rule, they say you should wear “more” makeup for photos than usual. A good makeup artist/stylist will know just what you need, and knows what looks best for the camera. Where I am a photographer, makeup artist, and hair stylist, I can really say that it makes a HUGE difference in your photos! By going “pro”, you will be sure to look and feel more beautiful and confident, which will show in your photos. Please avoid spray tans as they can make you look orange and unnatural looking. 

• Accessories

Accessories can add dimension and interest to your photos. Be careful to not have too many accessories though, we don’t want it to become distracting. Large, chunky necklaces, or fresh floral crowns are good options, depending on your style.  Belts, bracelets, and earrings can also be a good idea to add visual interest.  

Style for Dad

• Fitted solids

The most masculine looks for men are fitted suits, long fitted pants, and closed toe shoes. Mix it up by adding sport coats, or blazers with different colored solid fitted pants.  If you are on the beach, however, you may want a completely different look for your man. Avoid loose, baggy pants and jeans. Generally avoid shorts and sandals. Stick to solids. Plaid and pinstripes can distract from the photo and be less flattering. 

• Layers 

Men look great in layers, especially on camera!  Blazers, vests, and coats add layers, which add dimension and will make the photos more interesting. If you’re going to a place that is particularly warm, you can roll up the sleeves of the button up, or wear a shorter sleeved top with a nice vest on top. Just try to layer it up as best as you can. Try to endure a little bit of heat (if you have to) for just an hour or two, and it will totally pay off in the end. 

• Details

Focus on the little things like ties, bowties, suspenders, belts, socks, shoes, etc. These little details can really add visual interest to the photos, and can help add the accent colors to the outfit. Just make sure if you have a belt, to match it with the shoes!  Yes- it really does make a big difference. No brown belts with black shoes! You’ll thank me later. 

Styling the kids

By now, you should have a color palette, and mom and dad’s outfit already picked out. The kids are usually the easiest. If you do have a picky child or one who insists on wearing one white high heel, and one blue flat, ( I literally had this happen to one of my clients) just go with it, try to embrace it. At this point, anything to make them happy and have a good experience is better than trying to fight with them over a shoe! (or whatever it may be). It will also show their personality more in the photos, which will be fun to look back on. 

Coordinating colors

When choosing what the kids will wear, make sure it coordinates with the color palette. Try to avoid everyone wearing the same colored top, and the same color on bottom. Break it up with the dominant, and accent colors. One way to easily plan is to have everyone wear a different “main” or Dominant color from the palette. Then, add accents with the other colors. Remember, you can add color or accents with jewelry, ties, bows, belts, shoes, scarfs, etc.  

For little boys- follow the same rules as dad. And for little girls, follow moms rules, except, they probably don’t need professional makeup and hair. Just make sure they are clean and tidy. Kids are bound to run around at some point during the session, so keep that in mind when styling them. You probably don’t want to put heels on your little girl, and you probably wouldn’t put your little boy in a coat if it’s hot, so try to keep them comfortable and stylish at the same time. This is where you can really play it up with the “details” and add the cute accent colors with those accessories. 

Summary/Conclusion 

Now that we have covered how to dress for family photos, let’s go over the basics. 

• Have a goal or vision in mind for how you want your session to look. 
• Create a vision board on pinterest. 
• Pick a color palette, but avoid really bright and bold colors, like neons. The softer the colors, the more appealing your photos will be. 
• Women say yes to the dress! The more dressed up you are, the better you will look and feel, and the nicer your photos will be. Remember you want clothes that create movement!
• Men, you need to dress up as well! Layers are always a great idea! Think dress pants, blazers, vests, suspenders, ties, etc.
• Start styling Yourself first, then move on to the rest of the family. Check your closets, you may already have what you need, and just need to put all the pieces together. 
• Add accent colors with accessories. Mix and match so that everyone is wearing a different dominant color, and accent with the other colors from the palette. 

Check out my Pinterest board

https://www.pinterest.com/candymarie25/what-to-wear-for-prettier-pictures/to start your vision board, and to get ideas for your upcoming session!   Let me know if you have any other styling tips, or what has worked for you and your family as to what to wear for family photos.