5 Tips for Family Picture Outfits
The holiday season is approaching and you really want to have family pictures done this year. The biggest concerns are probably dealing with how to round up everyone, finding coordinating outfits, and making sure everyone smiles. Finding the perfect family picture outfits is what keeps you up at night. I get your concerns and I’m here to help make your family picture day go as smoothly as possible.
One of my biggest priorities as a photographer is making sure that my clients look their very best in their family pictures. One of the best ways to ensure each smiling face stands out is to choose coordinating outfits. How do you go about choosing the best family picture outfits you ask? Well, it’s your lucky day, here are 5 tips for how to choose outfits for family pictures.
1. Mom chooses her outfit first!
Let’s be honest, mom loves the family pictures best out of everyone. She will look at them over and over again, take time to frame them, and tear up now and again seeing how her babies have grown. As much as you want everyone else to look their best it’s important for you to choose your outfit first and to be completely in love with how it makes you feel. I suggest finding a flowy dress with a fitted waist. If you’re not into dresses than choose a fitted skirt and a nice blouse. It’s okay to wear jeans if you want everyone to look more casual overall but keep in mind the fancier the better.
Avoid boxy, oversized clothing that has no shape. These types of clothes may be comfy and trendy but, honestly, will not photograph as well. If you are going to invest time and money into a photographer take full advantage of the experience. More than likely the photographer will take individual pictures and small group shots in addition to the family pictures. This is your chance to have an awesome profile picture for social media or networking sites. You’ll have to look at this picture every day if it’s hung in your home so take the time to pick something you LOVE. Check tip one off your list once you find a killer outfit!
2. Think about the location
It’s important to discuss with your photographer where you want to take family pictures. The photographer will have already scouted out a few locations but speak up if you have a specific spot you want your family pictures to be taken! I love outdoor photos taken in a park with nice greenery or on a nature trail with beautiful mountains. The simpler the background the more your family will stand out.
Another thing to remember is to not have anyone wear brand new shoes that may be uncomfortable. You may have to walk to various locations and don’t anyone to be in pain. We want to avoid unhappy smiles and attitudes at all costs. If you want to wear heels bring a pair of flip flops to walk around in until you get to the specific area. It’s also important to avoid wearing tennis shoes/sneakers at all costs! They will look bulky, and unprofessional since logos will stand out and take away from your faces. Try simple dress shoes and sandals with neutral colors.
3. Only 2-3 colors in your palette
The most aesthetically pleasing thing to see in family picture outfits is a well-balanced color palette. It becomes too busy and distracting for the eye when there are too many colors, especially when there are too many bold colors. Typically, there could be one person wearing a bold color, and the other wears colors that fit within that palette. Repeat your colors with the different outfits each family member will wear so everyone looks like they complement each other. It’s okay if you have semi-matching outfits for twins or children who are very close in age but try to look for more variety to add more interest to outfits for family pictures.
Check out this Pinterest board for some color palette inspiration.
4. Choose your patterns wisely
Try to stick to one pattern. The bolder the style the more attention it will grab so try to choose simple, classic patterns. If you want to incorporate plaid have various items with the pattern rather than everyone wearing the same plaid shorts. With a few in the pattern, everyone else should be wearing solid colors from the plaid palette. This will help balance the photograph overall. It’s important to note that small stripes and dots patterns do not photograph well since it sometimes makes the pattern look wavy. Also, do not wear clothes that have logos or words on them. As much as I love the Nike swoosh, it doesn’t belong in your family picture outfits no matter how athletic you are. 😉
If anything is uncomfortable or itchy for a child when you first put it on, it will continue to cause problems throughout the day so best to choose clothes that are fashionable yet very comfortable. Bring a spare outfit for smaller children who may have accidents and have baby’s wear a bib to avoid getting the top of their outfit wet or stained from spit-up.
Check out a photoshoot I did of some cute kiddos for Christmas. I loved how they implemented one pattern with solid colors.
5. Bring some incentives 😉
Kids can only be picture taking angels for so long. Bring a simple snack of some kind that doesn’t cause any messes to help keep them entertained. Some of my favorites would be fruit snacks, goldfish, tic tac, dry cereal, etc. A water bottle might be helpful if you have to walk around a bit and they need some refreshment. You could even fill it with Gatorade or a fun drink they can get a squirt of after giving a really good smile. Also, going out to dinner or dessert after the shoot is always a good motivator to have them look forward to something at the end of the session.
You got this!
I want you to have the best time and to feel comfortable. Reach out to me or your photographer if you have any questions or concerns. I would be happy to look at things you’ve picked out or Pinterest board ideas that you have. Don’t feel stressed out if things are going exactly as planned. Remember that being silly and loving to your kids is what will bring out the best photos. Just get lost in the moment and let me capture the tender memories from the sidelines. I can’t wait to capture your memories!