What to wear for your first family photoshoot | San Diego Family Photographer

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You’re here because you mostly likely just booked a family photo session with your photographer and are ready to move on to the next steps: Family Wardrobe and Styling

The most common question I get asked after a client books me as their photographer is, “what should my family and I wear?“

This question is asked frequently because you simply don’t know where to start.

It’s very smart to ask your family photographer because it saves you time from searching through Google and finding inspiration on Pinterest board for outfit ideas.

Warning, I’m not a stylist for Vogue magazine or any big designer, but here is what I can tell you: The following tips were created based on my observation after documenting numerous family portraits. I have seen what works well and what hasn’t.

BEST advice for the light & airy style:

This is the best way to start. Before you scroll, please read this section first

• Choose 2-3 lighter colors or neutral tones (Examples: beige, white, cream, blush, etc.). This will be your color palette.
• The most important thing is to pick mom’s outfit first, then plan a wardrobe for the rest of the family members.
• The goal is not to match, but to coordinate colors. Each family member can pick any piece of clothing as long as it’s the colors you selected.
• Choosing only solid colors makes a huge difference because the focus will naturally be navigated to your emotions and candid moments. 
• Example: This family chose white, khaki, and ivory. Do you see how every individual is wearing clothes that match the 3 of the colors selected?

Things to Avoid:

This list was intended for families to focus on selecting outfits that match the light & airy style. I have seen some families wear the list of things to avoid, but don’t worry because it ultimately does not ruin the overall experience of your photoshoot.

Focus on the big picture, you will still have fun and get beautiful family pictures.

By all means, you are more than welcome to wear your favorites and what makes you feel best.

1. Busy patterns 
2. Bold colors
3. Short skirts
4. Bold patterns 
5. Dark colors or dark shirts 
6. Bright colors 
7. Every single individual is wearing matching outfits
8. Being too casual (an outfit you’ll wear to go grocery shopping or take a walk)
9. Wearing different patterns
10. Baseball hats
11. Dressing up as if everyone in the family is going to a job interview

Tips for Moms

• There are many different body types in the world and moms I trust that you know what’s best for you.
• In case you’re not sure, my default recommendation is an A-line dress is the most flattering because it cinches at the waistline and is the ideal choice for most body shapes.  
• Any flowy dress is a good choice. 
• Trust your instinct, you know a dress is beautiful when you see one
• Depending on the location, you’re more than welcome to wear high heels, and always bring comfortable sandals/slippers to wear after the session.
• Purchasing a brand-new outfit is not required, but if you do, make sure that the dress can be worn to multiple events or a special occasion.
• Lip gloss is optional or you can always go for the matte look (it’s just a personal preference, but I like matte more)

There are many beautiful dresses to choose from, but these are my top favorite shops:

• Morning Lavender
• Ivy City Co.
• JessaKae
• Anthropologie

Tips for Men

Using the same guidelines from the first section of this blog, “Best advice for the light & airy style“, you should have 2-3 colors already selected.

Is it just me or do I just feel like it’s a lot easier for men to style themselves?

It’s just so simple for men and you can’t go wrong with wearing a dress shirt (preferably long sleeves), slacks, and a blazer. Just make sure you select the colors you originally agreed.

Add layers to make it look sophisticated.

The key is to ensure that anything you wear fits well, but not loose.

Here are a few of my images for inspiration:

Tips for Children

I can spend hours in the children’s section of any shopping store because they’re just so cute.

Toddler Girl

Most of the little girls I had the opportunity to take pictures of really love wearing dresses. However, you are welcome to let your little girl wear what she loves and feels most confident in.

If possible, help your daughter pick a piece of clothing that matches the 2-3 colors you originally selected.

Toddler Boy

I know as adults, some may find that wearing suspenders is annoying, but something about a toddler wearing suspenders is just too cute to not consider.

For boys, they will follow the same criteria as tips for men (mentioned above).

In case you’re curious, these are my favorite children’s stores below.

Yes, these are the stores that attract me the most. For some odd reason, I spend most of my time window-shopping at these stores, but yet I don’t have any reason to purchase them (yet). I do hope so in the future!

• Zara Kids
• H&M
• Janie and Jack
• Nordstrom Kids
• Gap Kids
• Carter’s
• Old Navy

Tips for Babies

Styling for babies is listed last on my styling tip, not because they’re not important, but because I would like to prioritize mom’s outfit first.

I love how baby clothes come in all different forms, especially the ones that are gender-neutral. It’s not always a must to wear pink for girls and blue for boys.

While a baby doesn’t have much input in their outfit, you can’t go wrong with picking 2-3 colors from Step #1.

Just remember to keep it a solid color and stay away from any type of pattern that is too bold and distracting.

If you find yourself having a hard time, this is a perfect opportunity to reach out to your photographer to get a second opinion.  

A gentle reminder – At the end of the day, it’s important that everyone feels comfortable in their outfit. 

Thank you!

Dear families,

My goal as a family photographer in San Diego is to provide my clients with the most useful information to make their upcoming family photo shoot a success.

If you read to the bottom of this blog, I want to say thank you and cordially invite you to continue to be inspired by my photography journey in San Diego.

You’re more than welcome to follow my work on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook.

Feel free to leave a comment below or personally email me at hello@sarahsphotobooklet.com for any questions you may have related to photography.

If you like what you see and would like me to be your family’s personal storyteller through photography, please fill out the Contact Form on my website, thank you!