What to Wear for Your Fall Family Photo Shoot
Deciding what to wear for your Fall family photo shoot can be overwhelming. I know- I’ve been there with my own family! Hopefully this guide can help you, but please always feel free to reach out if you need any guidance.
The goal for the family photoshoot is to look coordinated, feel comfortable, and let your family’s personalities shine through. Here are my favorite tips to help you plan outfits that look beautiful together.
- Gone are the days of matching- welcome to the days of coordinating! You don’t all need to wear the same color or outfit. Instead, choose colors and styles that complement one another and create a cohesive look.
- Your clothes should complement each other, not distract from each other. The focus of your photographs should be your family and the connections you share, not an outfit that steals the show. Hint- that bright orange shirt someone in your family loves might not be the best choice! But maybe it is….be sure to read my closing thoughts.
- Dress for the season — and the weather! Fall colors and textures are lovely, but comfort matters, too. If it’s a warm fall afternoon, skip the heavy sweaters. Make sure everyone’s clothing is appropriate for the weather and that all the outfits feel like they belong in the same season. A too hot or too cold kid will not be happy!
- Choose a color palette of three or four colors. Pick a few colors that work beautifully together, then let everyone choose pieces that fit within that palette. Some of my favorite fall combinations include:
- Denim, cream, purple, and navy blue.
- Burgundy, mustard, navy, and cream.
- Golden mustard, denim blue, rust, and ivory.
- Ivory, taupe, camel, and chocolate brown.
- Burnt orange, olive green, denim, and cream.
You don’t need every person to wear every color. Mixing and spreading the colors throughout the family creates a much more natural, effortless look.
Be mindful of patterns. A little pattern can add personality and interest, but too much can become distracting. Avoid having several family members wearing plaids or stripes. Too many competing patterns can clash in your final images. Instead, mix a few subtle patterns with solid colors and textures.
Most importantly, choose outfits that feel like YOU!! When everyone feels comfortable and confident, it shows in your photographs. The best family portraits are not about what you wear — they’re about capturing the love, laughter, and connection that make your family unique.
My favorite trick!
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Lay everyone’s outfits out together before your session. This is one of the easiest ways to see whether the colors and patterns work together. Take a quick photo of the outfits laid out on the bed — you’ll often spot something that doesn’t quite fit.
It’s amazing what taking that iphone snap will show you, don’t skip that step!
My Unpopular Opinion: Let the Kids Dress Themselves
This might be an unpopular opinion, but sometimes I think it’s okay to let the kids have a say in what they wear — even if it isn’t exactly what you had in mind! It ok for me to post this picture because this is my kid and me!
Jax, my son was not having it wearing “itchy/scrathcy” clothes, as he called anything that wasn’t made from athletic material! All I wanted was a picture of us together, like the ones I do for the moms that I photograph.
I love this picture.
I may have been annoyed at the time but now, 6 years later, I adore seeing him in those clothes. I know if Jax was in clothes he hated, he would have never smiled as he does in this picture!
Some children have sensory sensitivities and genuinely struggle with certain fabrics, buttons, collars, or anything that doesn’t feel comfortable. Other kids have a favorite shirt they absolutely love and want to wear every single day. And sometimes, that favorite shirt is simply part of who they are right now.
Here’s what I want you to remember- years from now, when you look back at these photographs, you probably won’t care whether your child’s outfit perfectly matched your color palette. What you’ll remember is them. Their personality, their little quirks, the things they loved, and the stage of life they were in when these photographs were taken.
I’d much rather photograph a child who feels comfortable, confident, and completely themselves than one who’s miserable because they’re wearing an outfit they hate. Those little details that seem insignificant today might be the very things that make you smile and feel a rush of nostalgia years from now.
So, by all means, coordinate the family outfits — but leave a little room for individuality, too. Sometimes the most meaningful photographs are the ones that capture who your children really are, not just what they were wearing.
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