What to wear: Family Edition

The most common question I get after booking is, “What do we wear??” This goes for engagements, family, newborn and maternity. Everybody in every stage of life is stressing out about portrait apparel! I’ve already shared my tips for engagement session outfits in another post and many of those tips apply to families too! So today I am showing instead of telling with a few outfit example boards  for the visual learners among us. Best of all, to demonstrate that you can dress your crew within your budget, all these items are from Old Navy or Gap.

First up, we have a colorful and fun summer ensemble. Sticking with shades of peach and blue keeps everyone looking coordinated, but not matchy-matchy. (The white top and blue jeans look is out!)

Dad: shirt here / pants here / shoes here   Mom: shirt here / pants here / shoes here   Baby: shirt here / bottoms here / shoes here   Sister: dress here / shoes here   Brother:  shirt here / pants here / shoes here

 

What I love about this grouping is that each person’s tops and bottoms contrast. This means each person will remain distinct and not meld into each other on a 2D image. And don’t forget the shoes! Your footwear is important, and while your shoes don’t have to be super fancy, they should at least be clean and coordinated or neutral. Nothing can kill a photo like a junky pair of trainers making an appearance.

 

Next, we have another summer setup, but instead we have mellow blues and grays.

Dad: shirt here / pants here / shoes here   Mom: dress here / shoes here   Baby: dress here   Sister: shirt here / pants here / shoes here   Brother:  shirt here / pants similar / shoes here

Adding a few subtle patterns or metallics into this neutral mix keeps it exciting, (yay pineapples!) while the soft palette ensures it will look great hanging on your walls all four seasons. Again, you’ll see that top/bottom contrast I talked about.

What tips do you have for portrait wardrobe planning? Or any questions? Leave them in the comments below!