Family portrait sessions are great fun and a perfect way to preserve your family’s love story. However, deciding what everyone should wear so that they’re comfortable, happy, and keep a cohesive look can be a whole other mission.
If you’re unsure about what you should be wearing to your session, here are the types of outfits that you might want to avoid:
- Matchy-matchy. The days of wearing matching outfits are long gone. There are many other ways to still coordinate your outfits without them all being the same. Incorporating various shades of the same color without them being identical is one such option.
- Bold patterns and logos. Wearing clothing that has logos or boasts bold patterns is one way to distract from everyone in the family portrait. While patterns are fine, make sure that they’re subtle. It’s best to stay away from logos and characters completely.
- Short sleeves and pants. Family portraits always look better when you aren’t exposing too much skin as this once again distracts from people’s faces. Depending on the style of your shoot and the location (like the beach), try and keep exposed areas to a minimum and avoid shorts.
- Bold accessories. While it’s perfectly fine to wear accessories in your family portrait, make sure that they’re subtle and won’t distract from the main subjects. Chandelier earrings and large, heavy necklaces are almost always a no-no.
- Uncomfortable clothing. When you’re uncomfortable in your clothing, it shows up in your portraits. While you may love the new dress you bought or your son looks super cute in his new hat, if you aren’t 100% comfortable and fidgeting, it’s best to choose something else. Also be sure you can sit and move easily – if you can’t, you are limiting the number of poses your photographer can use. Be sure to check skirt and dress length before the day of your session.
- Neon. Pops of color are great but neon clothing will almost always affect your skin tone and your portraits so it’s best to stay away from these types of items completely.
- All white or black. When you wear an outfit that is all white or all black, you tend to lose a lot of detail in the photo that clothing would normally bring in. Wearing neutral tones is fine but try to mix it up with a different color.
Most importantly, to avoid any additional stress during the days leading up to your family session, plan ahead so that everyone can fully enjoy themselves on the day. We send a wardrobe prep guide to all our clients and urge them to send us a picture of what everyone will be wearing ahead of time. If you have questions or need help, be sure to reach out to your photographer.
Happy session day!
