How to Choose Outfits for Family Photos

ByMelissa Conner

Many families choose to get professional photos taken in the fall when the holiday season is approaching. Coordinating outfits for a group can be daunting, so I want to share my top tips for choosing outfits for family photos.

[See below for links to our outfit pieces.]

Tips for Styling Family Photos

  • Choose your outfit first. I am the hardest one in my family to fit so I choose my outfit first, then outfits for my kids, and finally my husband’s outfit.
  • Pick 3 to 5 coordinating colors. For our recent shoot, I chose four colors (blue, gray, mustard, and burgundy).

  • Incorporate texture with various fabrics. I chose to add in waffle weave and corduroy along with our cotton and denim fabrics.
  • Add in 1 or 2 patterns depending on the size of your family and keep the rest of the clothes mostly solid in color. For our shoot, I added in one plaid (that contained all 4 of our colors) and one striped item.

  • Avoid super trendy clothing items and go for more classic pieces. (We all have those photos that make us cringe. I have a portrait from my childhood in which I am wearing an outfit that my husband lovingly refers to as my hotdog jailbird outfit. Yikes!)
  • Shop at stores that sell coordinating children’s clothing. I purchased shirts for my boys at Old Navy this fall. Other stores to keep in mind are Gymboree, Gap, Carter’s, and The Children’s Place.

  • Lay all of the outfits on your bed to ensure that they look good together. I also gather up all outfits the night before photos (including socks and accessories) to be sure everything is clean and ready for the shoot.

Photos by Rachelle Baggett Photography. I loved working with Rachelle and highly recommend her if you live in the Evansville area!

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Outfit Links

Me: Sweater // Jeans // Boots (Similar) // Pendant (Similar)

My husband: Henley // Jeans // Boots

(My husband’s boots are currently 50% off through 11/20 making them only $54.99. Such a great deal for leather dress boots!)

Oldest Son: Tee // Jeans // Sneakers

Middle Son: Tee // Jeans (Similar) // Boots

Baby: Plaid Onesie // Corduroy Joggers // Boots (Similar)

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