More than any other question, clients always ask what they should wear to their family session. Choosing your outfits can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! I am here to help!
To start off, here are some sample clothing boards and color palettes to jump-start you as you plan your family’s clothing. If the styles don’t match your style, try to focus on the colors, then style with your style, using the colors!
For fall, I’m loving the neutral tones such as ivory, khaki, and off-white, and I love warm tones like blush, burnt orange, and mustard (even these built in with the neutrals is breathtaking!)
These were designed for a family of four by KateL Photography so you get an idea of what would work for women, men, boys, and girls. If you have more than four in your family, and need help with the others, let me know! The color palettes below will totally work whether you’ve got two people in your family, six people in your family, two moms, or two dads (and girls don’t have to wear dresses, either – I just included lots because I love them!) If you get stuck figuring out how to use these sets for your own crew, please feel free to reach out! ♥
I also love helping my clients choose their outfits. Just text or email me photos of different possibilities and we can solve the puzzle together!

CLOTHING TIPS

WANT A FAIL-PROOF FORMULA?

Put most of the family in different neutral shades (i.e. ivory, gray, beige) and then add a few pops of coordinating color. See the sample palettes further down this post!

START WITH ONE PERSON.

It’s way easier to visualize the whole puzzle once you know what one piece looks like! Try starting with mom or daughter, since women’s clothing tends to have more colors and prints.

COORDINATE, DON’T MATCH.

The day of all white shirts and khaki pants are long gone! We want colors that generally complement each other: so for instance, soft colors (light blue, gray, blush) or warm colors (brown, orange, burgundy), If you want colorful images, then you should choose a more vivid color scheme for your outfits!
Generally, solids work best.Pops of pattern can definitely look great, but if you’re looking for a fail-proof family combination, go with solids. To keep things from looking boring, include textures (think chunky knits, tulle, lace, etc). Avoid tiny prints, especially small plaid and small stripes.

STICK TO ONE OUTFIT.

Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be! All you need for an awesome family session is one outfit for everyone. Changing outfits will take time away from your shoot and can put your kids in a grumpy mood.

CONSIDER YOUR HOME DECOR.

If you’re planning to hang your images in your living room that’s decorated in all white, you probably don’t want your clothing to be dark. If you’re hanging them in a colorful nursery, then wear vivid outfits.

PLAN FOR THE WEATHER.

Nothing is worse than being miserably uncomfortable in a perfect outfit. Plan for hats, scarves, and coats if the weather warrants it.

DON’T FORGET SHOES!

These are often the forgotten last element, but they can really make or break your outfits! If you can’t find shoes you love, consider going barefoot (just bring walking shoes to get from point A to point B). Steer away from athletic shoes and bright white sneakers.

TRY ON YOUR CLOTHES WELL IN ADVANCE!

Check your outfits from all possible angles in the mirror, not just the one you like best. Try sitting, squatting, leaning forward, etc. The kids’ clothes should work well in motion so that we can play during your session (think flying, tickling, and hanging upside down).

LET THE KIDS HAVE INPUT.

If your daughter hates wearing dresses, don’t force her to wear one for picture day. If your son thinks that bowtie is uncomfortable, ditch it. Happy kids make for happy photos!

OVERALL TIPS

SAY YES TO:

COMFORT

Above all, if you feel good, you will look good! Choose clothing that gives you freedom of movement, keeps you warm/cool, and won’t require a lot of maintenance throughout your session.

TEXTURE

Add some visual interest to your images with unique fabrics. Some examples: lace, cable knits, chambray, tweed, herringbone, chambray, faux fur, wool.

PATTERNS

Don’t be scared of patterns and prints! They can work great in moderation. Try one statement piece (for instance, a colorful floral dress for mom) and one subtle pattern (maybe polka dots for baby girl), and then keep the rest of the family more simple. Large prints and patterns work best – I recommend avoiding small plaid/stripes.

LAYERS AND ACCESSORIES

These are the quickest way to take your outfits from average to amazing! Think scarves, blazers, cardigans, belts, jewelry, fun socks, and hats.

FITTED CLOTHING

We don’t want your clothing to be too baggy or too tight. Properly fitted clothing looks put together and will show your shape. For women, your upper half and lower half should be balanced: so for instance, blousy shirt + skinny pants, or tight shirt + flowing skirt.

CLASSIC CHOICES

Try to steer away from current trends, since they’ll date your photos 10 years from now.

SAY NO TO:

FORMAL CLOTHES

Let your clothing match your surroundings. A tuxedo or formal dress will look out of place in the woods.

BRIGHT WHITE

If you love white, try off-white or ivory instead.

DARK COLORS

Don’t be afraid to use dark colors. I generally say to stay away from everybody wearing dark colors, but sometimes it can work! Use a dark color such as black + dark navy to throw some contrast in there!

NEON COLORS

These create skin tone/color cast issues.

VERY SATURATED COLORS

I.e. bright red, bright yellow, etc. Instead, try more muted versions of the same color: so for instance, replace bright red with dark red; replace bright yellow with mustard, etc.

LOGOS & TEXT

Words will draw attention away from your faces.

TRANSITION LENSES

If you wear glasses every day, please wear them in your shoot! However, lens glare and shaded lenses will keep your eyes from being seen. You can have anti-reflective coating added to your lenses or wear just the frames.

ATHLETIC SHOES

Self-explanatory!

HOLIDAY COLORS

Even if you’re planning to use these images for your holiday cards, steer away from holiday-colored clothing and let your card design incorporate those instead. That way you’ll be able to enjoy your images year-round!

SHORT-SLEEVED T-SHIRTS

Button-down or structured shirts with thicker material generally look better in photos. If you have a t-shirt you love, try layering a cardigan or blazer on top.

TINY PLAID, SMALL STRIPES, & COMPLICATED PATTERNS

These don’t always translate well in-camera.

SAMPLE COLOR PALETTES
If you’re overwhelmed by all of the advice I just gave you, here are some sample color palettes that you can use as a starting point. I based all of these sets off of two or three bright colors, then filled in the rest with neutral colors like beige and gray.

Of all of those colors, here are my favorites! These all photograph beautifully:

As always, please let me know if you need help with your outfits, or different palette choices!
xoxoKelsey