What to wear for family photos! | San Antonio family photographer Sarah Lake

After the huge accomplishment (in my opinion) of actually booking a day for your family’s photos, the next thing on your mind is probably “Oh jeez…. now I have to figure out what we’re going to wear!”

Well, don’t worry a bit.  I can help with that!  

In fact, complimentary wardrobe styling is part of every SLP family session!  Not only can I suggest to you what to wear, I can take a look at your closet (either with photos, or with FaceTime, or even a quick visit to your home if you’re nearby!) and make suggestions for your family from everything you already own. Trust me, a perfect combination is in there- sometimes you just need another set of eyes to spot the perfect items! .It might not seem like much, but I’ve been able to suggest items to my clients from their own closets that they hadn’t even considered to be “family photo” worthy. And they look AMAZING. Sometimes a second opinion is all you need!

WHAT TO WEAR FOR YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS

The first step for styling your family’s wardobe is to think of what you’d love to see in your family’s portraits! Do you love soft, muted, or neutral colors? Or do you like rich, deep colors? Know what YOU love, what you’d like to see in your own portraits, then follow some of these basic rules of thumb to put together a combination that will look beautiful in your portraits.

Don’t try to match! 

You don’t normally wear matching clothes as a family, right?  So, no need to do it for family portraits!  Be real and wear what you’re comfortable in, what makes you feel good, and what COORDINATES with everyone else. I often suggest to Moms to choose their own outfit that makes them feel amazing, and then choose outfits for the rest of the family to coordinate with THAT. After all, it’s no secret that we moms are the hardest on ourselves when it comes to our bodies and our looks… we should wear what makes us feel amazing! (Because we ARE!)😉

Here’s a perfect example (below) of how “matching” isn’t necessary! Mom, Dad, and daughter each have on a different color… However, since the colors are the same intensity or brightness- (they’re muted or soft versions of green, blue, and coral) it works great! In fact, sticking with MUTED colors is always recommended- they photograph much better than intense or bright colors.

Stick with mostly solids & subtle prints

Prints/patterns can be distracting if they’re too “busy” or bold.  So wear mostly solids, with some subtle patterns in small amounts.  (For example: plaids on the guys, light floral prints on the girls)

Don’t wear too much pure white (or black)

Though white is neutral (and “goes” with everything) in a photo it can stick out as the brightest spot in an image.  Especially if it’s next to dark colors or black. Try creams instead! Or if a couple family members are going to wear white, try to keep the rest of the clothing items lighter instead of darker. In summary: choose articles of clothing that aren’t too “contrasty.”

Leave the large logos, graphic tees, and baseball caps at home!

I don’t think this one needs any further explanation! 😛

Choose colors that are cohesive (not match-y)

1. First, choose a color that you love!  (For me, I love anything blue or green!)  If you don’t like orange, for example, don’t feel like you have to wear orange or red for fall photos just because it’s a “fall” color, or just because it’s the trend in instagram… Wear what you love!  

2. Next, pair it with a bunch of neutrals.  For example, khaki pants, denim, gray skirt, cream shorts, etc. Every family member will likely need either a top or a bottom in some kind of neutral tone. Creams, beiges, grays, denim are all neutrals that pretty much go with anything.

3. Add another color (or two) if you’d like!

Finally, add another “pop” of color in a couple places to add some interest and make everything more true-to-life and cohesive. For example: a gold sweater over sister’s blue dress, and a gold plaid scarf on brother.  Or a pink cardigan over mom’s cream dress, and pink shorts on brother/pink flowers on sister’s dress. There really are endless possibilities!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

A note on colors: 

If you’ve chosen a location for your photos that is rich with certain colors (like golden-toned field grasses, or lush, bright green trees and shrubs), wearing a complimentary color (i.e. the opposite color on the color wheel) can make a very striking portrait!  It can give your photos that extra “something” that you can’t quite put your finger on, but looks amazing…..

So, is it necessary to buy new clothes for family photos?? Absolutely not!  (But for those of you who LOVE to shop, portraits are a fun reason to go shopping for your family!)  Either way- It’s completely up to you. If the thought of being able to buy new outfits for your family thrills you, then by all means do that! Or if the though of simply shopping your closet makes you breathe a sigh of relief, then that’s all you need to do! 🙂

For more info on SLP family sessions and all that’s included, click here!