What to Wear for Family Photos: A Complete Style Guide
One of the most common questions I get from families booking a session isn't about location or timing - it's "what should we wear?"
Family Photos: A Complete Style Guide
The right outfits can make your family photos feel timeless and cohesive. The wrong ones can distract from the thing that actually matters: your family, together.
Here's my go-to guide for choosing outfits that photograph beautifully and actually look like you.
Prioritize Comfort First
Before color or style, comfort comes first. If you're tugging at a waistband or your kids are miserable in stiff, itchy clothing, it shows up in every photo. Choose pieces you and your family feel genuinely good in - the ease will read on camera.
Choosing a Color Palette
Neutral and earthy tones with small hints of color and texture consistently photograph the best, especially outdoors. A palette that complements both your family and the environment gives the photos a cohesive, elevated feel without looking staged.
Colors that work especially well: cream, rich brown, ocean blue, robin's egg blue, dusty blue, muted mustard, dusty rose, dark terracotta, caramel, and burgundy wine.
If you're still not sure where to start, ask yourself: what would look good on my walls? Your family photos are art you'll display for years, so let your home's palette guide your wardrobe choices.
Add Texture and (a Little) Pattern
Natural textures - linen, knitted sweaters, lace - add richness and dimension that solid colors alone can't achieve, and they help each family member feel like an individual within the group. A subtle floral can be a great way to break up an outfit, but keep it to one family member. When more than one person wears a pattern, the eye doesn't know where to land, and the photo starts to feel visually busy.
Look for Flow and Movement
Clothing with flow and drape adds beauty and motion to outdoor sessions. Flowy dresses on moms and daughters, for example, create movement that brings a photo to life. Loose-fitting clothing sets a relaxed, romantic mood, while more fitted pieces read as polished and sophisticated. Neither is "right" - it depends on the mood you want your photos to capture.
What to Avoid
MATCHY-MATCHY OUTFITS. Everyone in white shirts and khakis (or matching jeans) tends to look stiff and dated rather than cohesive. Coordinating beats matching every time.
MORE THAN ONE PATTERN. Limit florals, stripes, or plaids to a single family member and keep everyone else in solid colors. Small, busy patterns, especially on synthetic fabric, can also visually distort in photos.
BIG LOGOS OR CHARACTERS. These date photos quickly and pull focus away from faces.
NEON OR BRIGHT COLORS. They tend to overpower natural light and skin tones.
BASEBALL CAPS. They cast shadows across the face that can't be edited out afterward, so even on a sunny day, they're best left at home.
