A simple Guide to Coordinating Family Photo Shoot Outfits
Capturing beautiful family moments through photography is a wonderful way to create lasting memories. However, preparing for a family photoshoot can be a bit overwhelming, especially when it comes to choosing the perfect outfits for everyone. But fear not, because I've got a simple solution that I'm going to lay out for you step-by-step. This should help you put together super simple and charming outfits for your family's photoshoot!
STEP 1: Start with Mom's Outfit
Choosing mom's outfit is a great place to begin this process because once her outfit is chosen, it's much simpler for the rest of the family to coordinate around her than trying to find something for mom to match everyone else. Children's clothing tend to be more affordable and diverse too, so it'll be easier to find something to match mom & the whole color palette too.
KEY: Choose a muted color to make the next step easier for you!
OPTIONS: Dress, Skirt, Jumpsuit, Turtleneck, Cardigan
ACCESSORIES: Hairpieces, Belts, Hats, Jewelry, Scarf
Step 2: Create a Color Palette
This is the magic step! And I'm going to share with you a trick to make this super easy. The simplest color palette you can make that works every time is:
Brown + White + Mom's Outfit Color
Like I said, they key is to use a muted color, because it always works with this color palette and it will be less distracting.
Blues = dark navy or dusty blue (great for denim)
Reds = maroon or terracotta/burnt red
Purple = burgundy
Yellow = mustard
Green = olive green
Black = charcoal black
If you feel up for it, you can even add 2 colors! I find the following combinations of colors to work great together:
- Green + Reds/Yellow/Black
- Black + Reds
- Yellow + Terracotta/Burnt Red
Step 3: Determine Dad's Outfit
The benefit of using white and brown in your color palette becomes apparent here: Dad can literally wear a white button down and khaki pants and be SET for any color palette. So simple and manageable! But of course there's room to play. Ideally, dad has a darker shade of the main color as a sweater or a cardigan that will complement mom's outfit well. The goal is to make sure you don't wear the exact same color/shade and that you don't clash either.
OPTIONS: Cardigan, Sweater, Vest, Button Down, T-Shirt, Long Sleeve, Plaid, Striped
ACCESSORIES: Wristwatch, Suspenders, Bowtie, Hat, Glasses, Belt
Step 4: Determine the Kids' Outfits
Picking out outfits for the little ones is often the most fun part of the process. Kids' clothing tend to be simpler and have a wider variety of options, making it easier to find pieces that fit the color palette. Ensure that their outfits match the chosen color from the palette while allowing each child's personality to shine through. You can opt for dresses, shirts, or accessories that incorporate the color elegantly. You can also play around with texture: button down shirts, knitted sweaters, furry/fuzzy jackets, etc.
Sep 5: Pick Out Everyone's Shoes - or don't;)
So here's another reason why white & brown in the color palette is a great idea: SHOES! Brown shoes are not only common, but easy to obtain if you don't have any already.
KEY: Shoes should be comfortable for everyone! Consider the grounds you will be on for your family shoot (ex: beach vs vineyard).
This is not the only way to do this of course!
This is merely one way to coordinate your family's outfits. You can easily swap out white with black or beige with grey for instance. The only thing you should avoid is wearing something with a recognizable character on it (i.e. Mickey Mouse) or large texts & logos. Other than that, as long as it's a true reflection of YOU, that's all that really matters:)
