What to Wear for your Family Photography Session: 7 Styling Tips to get Gorgeous Family Photos

As parents we have a lot on our plates. So, planning a family photo session can be a daunting task, particularly when it comes to choosing the perfect outfits for your family. What you wear will determine the vibe and style of the photos and in turn, will affect the style of your home once those photos are hanging on your walls. How do you choose clothing that will look great in your photos for years to come? These are my top 7 recommendations for getting a beautiful, timeless look in your family photos.

1. EVERYONE’S CLOTHES SHOULD FIT WELL AND BE COMFORTABLE

   No matter your size or body type, when your clothes fit well, you look your very best and you will be comfortable. In addition, you’ll be able to move freely for poses and interacting with your family as well as walking around if the session is outdoors. Make sure your kid’s clothes are comfortable as well. Kids tend to have a lower tolerance for things like itchy materials or when the heal of their sock is not perfectly aligned on their foot (parents I know you know what I’m talking about). And if they are uncomfortable, it will show in the photos.

2. DRESS FOR THE WEATHER

   Here in Maryland, we get all four seasons. Which I think is wonderful. I love to do portrait sessions all year round to catch the unique beauty of each season.  But with that unique beauty comes unique challenges. Wearing clothing that isn’t weather appropriate has the potential to make you miserable. Sometimes adults can grin and bear it, but children will show their discomfort all over their faces. For the heat and humidity of summer, cotton and linen are great breathable clothing materials.  Light colored clothing is preferrable to dark clothing. Light colors will not only keep you cooler, but they will keep sweat spots hidden better than dark colors. Winter and fall are cold so make sure everyone is wearing layers. But my biggest recommendation for making it through a cold session with kids is to use hand, toe and body warmers. If you’ve lived in cold weather, you probably know what I’m talking about. But if you’ve never heard of them (like me who grew up in southern California), they’re little mesh packets of natural materials that heat up when exposed to air and stay warm for hours. Game changer.

3. COLORS MATTER

   The colors your family wears in your photos have a huge impact on the style and feeling your photos will have. First, pick one color genre such as neutrals, pastels, earth tones or even bold. Often, your photographer will prefer a genre that matches their shooting and editing style. Instead of trying to dress everyone in the same color, pick outfits with complimentary colors. If you’re not sure about which colors complement each other, an internet search for “complimentary neutral (or earth tones, bold, pastels, etc.) colors” will turn up many great examples. Don’t be afraid of patterns but keep them to a minimum (for instance, only one person in the group wears a pattern) and within your color palette.

4. AVOID LOGOS AND GRAPHIC TEES

   I know. We all love to wear our comfy t-shirts with our favorite team, band or movie on them (or the inside joke that only you and your best friends get!). And you may have a photographer whose vibe welcomes graphic Tees. But in general, they can be a distraction and don’t look great in family portraits.

5. AVOID SPORTSWEAR AND WORKOUT CLOTHES

   Not only do you want to avoid looking like you just came from the gym in your portraits, but a lot of sportswear is also made of reflective material that doesn’t photograph well. This recommendation goes for shoes as well. Your gym sneakers might be your most comfortable shoes, but I promise you, they’re also probably your least flattering ones.

6. DON’T WEAR SHORT SKIRTS OR DRESSES

   Chances are that your photographer is going to pose you seated on a blanket or bed at some point. The extra fabric of a longer dress or skirt will give you additional posing flexibility. It will come in extra handy if you might have children sitting on your lap.

7. ASK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER WHAT TO WEAR

   Most photographers offer wardrobe styling help with clothing examples and may even have a client closet for you to borrow from. You chose your photographer because you love their portfolio. A big part of their portfolio style is the clothing choices they recommend to their clients. So, ask them what to wear. They will be happy to guide you!