Family photos are some of the best memories you will have when you get older, and therefore, you want them to look their best. Here are a few tips for choosing the right outfits for you and your family on shoot day.

Location

The first thing you need to consider is the location, as this can have a big impact on what you should and shouldn’t wear. For example, if it is indoors, you can wear a pair of platform shoes by Melissa, but if it’s outdoors, you may need warmer clothes.

While you don’t need to put a lot of time into this step, it is still important to remember as you don’t want to find the perfect outfits and then need to change them later on.

Color Palette/Theme

While not essential, if you want some consistency, opt for a color palette or theme. While your photos can look however you want them to, it is important to ensure everyone is similarly dressed as it will simply make the photos look better.

For example, if you are at a wedding and everyone is wearing cocktail dresses and suits, the one person wearing a hoodie and jeans would stick out like a sore thumb.

Season

Incorporating the season into your photos and dressing to match it is a simple yet effective step to take. Firstly, for practical reasons, you don’t want to dress in Summer clothes during the Winter, because you will get too cold, for example.

Secondly, you want to be comfortable, as some family photoshoots can take several hours. If it is hot, you don’t want to be wearing layers of clothes and overheating.

Keep it Simple

Many photographers will tell you that the best kind of outfits for family portraits are simple ones. While loud patterns and colors may seem fun they will take away from the photos and can clash with the other outfits, location, background, etc.

Instead, choose basic colors like white, black, grey, etc, and make that the predominant look for everyone. For example, if there are men and women in your photos, the men can wear white T-shirts while the women can wear white dresses, skirts, etc.

Think Long-Term

You will be looking at these photos for years to come, which means you want them to be as timeless as possible. There are a few ways to achieve this, starting with the point above of keeping your outfits simple and clean.

You should also avoid including clothing items that are seen as trendy at the time, as these will quickly date and age your photos. For instance, if you saw a photo and someone in them was wearing Heelies, you would immediately know when the photo is from, and it would date it in a way you don’t want.

Instead, stick with clothing items that don’t go out of fashion, such as t-shirts, shorts, button-down shirts, dresses, etc. Don’t forget, your outfit choices do not need to be boring, but simply future-proof.

Fit Before the Day

Another small step, especially if you are planning on wearing clothes you haven’t worn in a long time, is to try them on beforehand. Once again, the small details of a pair of shorts being too tight or a shirt just not fitting right will be the ones you always notice.

This also applies to the condition of the clothes, as you don’t want to wear a button-down that is overly wrinkled or has a weird stain somewhere, as chances are, there will be one good photo where you will see it, even if you tried hard to hide it.

Keep the Kids in Mind

Kids can and are obviously a massive part of family photos, but they are also the ones who are most likely to ruin the clothes for the day. Whether it be dirt, food stains, a spill, or something in between, you want to be prepared.

The first thing you should remember is to put them in clothes which, if the something happens, will hide any stains or marks. Black, for instance, can look as good as new after a quick wipe even if they spill food or drinks on themselves.

You should also remember that kids get uncomfortable and cranky far quicker than we do, especially if they are wearing clothes they aren’t used to. Because of this, keep their outfits simple as well, and just ensure they are comfortable.

Glasses & Make-Up

Finally, if you wear glasses, don’t take them off for the photos. Moe often than not, you are wearing glasses because you are near or far-sighted, and taking your glasses off can easily cause you to squint when trying to look at the camera. Therefore, keep them on, unless you are accustomed to contact lenses.

For make-up, keep your look simple and natural. Foundation and eye make-up in particular can be accentuated depending on the light being used, and the last thing you want is to look like a raccoon or see a foundation line across your jaw or neck, as both are easily preventable.