How to Ace your Family Portrait Wardrobe Every Time
Okay, you’ve scheduled the photographer and worked it out so everyone in your family is available. Whew! Your work is now done.
But, wait. What is everyone going to wear?? Panic starts to set in. Then regret. Why did I ever schedule portraits in the first place?!
More often than not, one of the common reasons more families don’t schedule family portraits is because of the daunting task of dressing everyone for the event. You will be looking at these pictures for a while, no one wants to mess this up.
Not to worry, this task is actually a lot easier than most would believe. Read below to find out how to make dressing your family a piece of cake next time you are ready to schedule a photo session.
01 Pick your Colors
Long gone are the days of matching. Unless you are two years old, everyone showing up in overalls will date you faster than vertical blinds. But not to worry, this actually helps when it comes to dressing more people.
Okay, there is an exception here. Younger kiddos still get to match. I know, I know, I just said it would date you. Well, younger children can still get away with this, especially if you live in the South. Not that you have to dress everyone in the same outfit, I always liked my kiddos sporting different articles of clothing, but before I have all my southern belle mamas run me out of town, I realized I needed to make sure this was stated. 😉
That said, typically, now are the days of coordinating. A good rule of thumb is to pick 2-3 coordinating colors to lay as your foundation, then whites and neutrals are free. A quick search on Pinterest can give you a great feel for some color palettes that catch your eye.
Here is a great website to give you lots of ideas! Last year, when my extended family gathered for portraits, we sent out this picture to give everyone a guide to go by. When we gathered two months later, everyone looked great together, and there was definitely no matching(except for the two little sister cousins-and it was absolutely precious!!)!
02 Pick your Style
Along with your colors, it’s also important to make sure everyone’s style compliments each other. For example, do you want to go with a dressy look, or a more casual vibe?
Your location can help you with this decision. Will you be taking your portraits downtown? Maybe a more chic look is appropriate. Are you snapping those portraits in a woodsy area? Perhaps a casual, flannel look is what you should go for.
Going along with style is dressing for the season. You don’t want to bake in the summer sun with jeans and long sleeves, yet you don’t want to freeze in your Sunday dress in the middle of winter. Believe me, it is very easy to tell in a photograph when everyone is miserable.
Take a second to choose your desired style while keeping the season in mind. You have just one more step in selecting everyone’s outfit!
03 Pick your Outfits
We are almost there! Don’t cancel that photo session yet!
Okay, so you have picked your 2-3 colors, decided your style, and thought about the time of year the portraits will be taken. Now is time to pick the actual outfits!
To begin, I usually pick a patterned piece of clothing to begin my palette. If you have a little girl, it could be her dress, or Mom’s outfit. I then lay it on the bed or back of the couch, and start pulling out different colors from the patterned dress to coordinate the other outfits.
A word of caution, you want to make sure you balance patterned with solid clothing. If everything is so busy your eyes hurt just looking at the clothing, you need to add more solids.
Just to make it more simple for myself, I usually go for one or two patterned pieces, then the rest are solid or have very small details, such as tiny dots or small embroidered elements.
Pick a standard pants/bottoms selection such as jean for casual or khaki for dressier photos. Dresses can be either dressy or casual, depending on the style.
Laying all of my selections together helps me see if there is any color that appears too much, or if any shades clash. I usually only have to buy one or two items, such as a solid polo for one of my boys or a new pair of sandals for my girls. And I usually take the opportunity to buy myself a new dress, if truth be told. 🙂
And that is it!
As an extra measure of caution, you can always snap a picture of your selections and send it to your stylish friend and see if she has any suggestions. Another pair of eyes never hurt, especially when it’s something you have stared at for a long time!
04 Enjoy the Photo Session!
Now, you really are done! Sit back and relax as you wait for your portrait session date.
Your photographer is skilled at getting those images y’all discussed and is excited to step in and do her thing. Your hard work is done!
Are you searching for a photographer to help you walk through the process of creating heirloom family artwork for your walls? From picking out clothing and the perfect location, to deciding those sweet images you have been dreaming of, reach out and let’s begin the process today!