What to Wear and What Not to Wear for Beautiful Family Photos

What to Wear Planning Overview

1. When in Doubt, Keep It Simple:

• Stick to light neutrals (creams, tans, champagne, blush, taupe, etc) for a timeless look
• Earth tones (mustard, rust, olive) and jewel tones (deep red, emerald) add richness
• Avoid cool tones like purple or royal blue—they pull warmth from photos
• Be careful with bright green—it can blend into outdoor backgrounds

2. Coordinate, Don’t Match:

• Choose 2–3 colors and mix them across outfits
• Add depth with layers, textures, and subtle prints
• Let one outfit have a small print and keep others solid

3. Outfit Checklist:

• Make sure you can move, sit, and snuggle easily
• Avoid stiff fabrics, overly tight fits, and itchy materials—especially for kids
• Shoes matter: neutral or muted footwear works best

4. Special Tips for Kids:

• Let them help pick accessories or one clothing item
• Have a backup outfit ready
• Keep comfort first to avoid meltdowns

5. Client Closet:

• Borrow dresses, robes, and select children’s pieces
• Saves you time, money, and stress
• See the full selection here: [link to Client Closet page]

Color Palette Choices

The colors you choose will vary depends on location, mood, and photographer editing style. The best color palettes for my editing style is light neutrals, earth tones, and jewel tones.

Location matters because if your backdrop is lined with green trees, and you are wearing green, you will blend right into the background. I always suggest light neutrals because you will pop off the background and be the focus point of the image.

I love a cozy, inviting, romantic mood, so light neutrals and earth tones play into that mood. When I think of blue, I think of sadness from inside out. That is not my vibe. It can definitely work well with a light and airy photographer who shoots midday and ups their brightness levels- it’s all in your preference. If you’re going for blue with a warm toned photographer, opt for a light wash denim. Cool tones can alter the look of the image and take longer to edit trying to merge the 2.

Here’s an example of cool tone vs. warm tone outfits:

Want a pop? I love red. It’s giving holiday and pops really well off of a green background.

Here’s a little cheat sheet:

cream > white | green > blue | red > purple | blush > pink | Brown > Black

Coordinating, Not Matching

Choose outfits that complement each other.. While I still love an all cream/ white/ tan palette- the shade and textures can vary giving it more visual interest. Not every boy has to wear the same henley- one can wear a tan button down with a white shirt under, one with a brown waffle longsleeve, and another with a cream/ivory henley.

Along with different styles, look at varying textures and layers. This adds depth to the image. Jackets, suspenders, sweaters, cardigans and coats can all add more to your style and images. I love knits and corduroy for cooler weather and linen and macrame for summer.

Avoid distractions like big labels or words multiple patterns, as these can be overpowering in an image.

I like to think of my photos as timeless.. and patterns, labels and trends can date your photo and make you dislike them years from now.

Styling Tips for Different Sessions

My outdoor sessions have lots of movement while my newborn sessions are more stationery. While keeping the same color pallets in mind, I also think about the shots I want to get. If you can’t sit “criss-cross-apple-sauce-“, I’m going to be more limited in what I capture. If you are wearing heels, I’m going to be more limited as well. My prompts consist of twirling and skipping and laying in a cuddle pile and some of those things can’t happen in certain outfits.

How I Help with Style

I KNOW styling is one of the most (if not the most) stressful part of family photos- so I offer everything from pinterest inspo, to custom styling with shoppable links, to amazon outfits for my last minute mamas AND a client closet.

Right now I have dresses of various sizes in my closet for mamas and some kid things. I also have a whole separate suitcase for newborns.

Check Out my Client Closet HERE

Check out my newborn suitcase HERE

Dressing Kids for Success

It’s a beautiful time when your kids don’t care what you dress them in and please take advantage of that! As they get older, their opinions change and it takes a little more patience to guide them into outfits that photograph well.

Once they get to that age, I like to involve them in picking the outfits. I pre-select the outfits I’m deciding between and let them choose what they like best. Maybe they need to feel the fabric, maybe they need to see your excitement as they try it on, maybe they need you to relate and say you don’t really want to dress up either but it’s just for a short time and you can jump right back into jammies after, or last resort- a bribe lol.

Check out my Pinterest Board here for Inspo

Final Tips

Don’t put little ones in their photo outfit too early. I’ve seen kids get carsick on the way to the session and their outfit gets ruined. Change them on arrival or bring a back up!

Don’t forget shoes and accessories.. I don’t mind bare feet either if all you have is bluey tennis shoes. (Unless you really want to remember and document those, then go ahead!)

I also remind my clients that the photos are ultimately theirs and they can wear whatever feels comfortable and authentically them. So I won’t be mad if you show up wearing blue.. I’m just here to help guide with my thoughts as an artist. You are welcome to take it or leave it and I’ll still love you the same!

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