Choosing what to wear for family photos is the question we hear most once a session is on the calendar. The good news: you don’t need matching outfits or a closet full of new clothes. A simple color palette, comfortable fabrics and a few pieces that fit the season and setting will carry the whole family. Here’s how our team plans family photo outfits with our clients, from color palettes and fabrics to what works for each age and season.
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What to Wear for Family Photos: The Quick Answer
- Pick 2 to 3 colors plus one neutral, and let each person wear their own mix of them.
- Coordinate, don’t match. Different shades and textures look richer in photos than identical shirts.
- Choose solids and small, soft patterns, and save bold prints for one person at most.
- Dress for the setting and the season, with layers you can add or remove.
- Start with Mom’s outfit (or whoever loves clothes most), then build everyone else around it.
- Make sure everything fits and feels comfortable, especially for little ones.
How to Build a Color Palette for Coordinating Family Photo Outfits
The easiest way to coordinate family photo outfits is to start with one piece you love, usually a dress, sweater or patterned shirt, and pull 2 to 3 colors from it. Add a neutral (cream, camel, gray, denim or navy) so everyone has an easy anchor.
From there, spread the colors around the group so no one color sits all on one side. If Mom wears a dusty blue dress with cream flowers, Dad might wear a cream sweater, one child a soft blue, another camel, and the baby a cream knit. In the photos, the family reads as one group, and each person still looks like themselves.
A few palette ideas that photograph beautifully:
- Sage, cream and camel
- Dusty blue, navy and ivory
- Mauve, navy and soft gray
- Emerald, champagne and cream
- Rust, olive and cream
- Navy, burgundy and camel
What Is the Best Color to Wear for Family Photos?
The best colors for family photos are rich, slightly muted tones: dusty blues, sage and emerald greens, mauve and blush, camel, rust, burgundy and navy, paired with soft neutrals like cream and oatmeal. These colors flatter most skin tones, look natural in both sunlight and indoor light, and give the family photos a timeless feel.
Neutral family photo outfits (cream, beige, taupe and white) are lovely too, especially on a white or light set. Add one deeper accent color or a few textures, like a cable knit or linen, so the group has depth in the photos.
What Colors Don’t Look Good on Camera?
A few colors are harder to photograph well, so we suggest using them sparingly:
- Neon and very bright colors reflect color onto skin and draw the eye away from faces.
- Large areas of bright white can lose detail in sunlight. Cream and ivory give the same light, fresh look with softer detail.
- Head-to-toe black for the whole family can blend together in group photos. Black looks elegant when it’s paired with cream, camel or one rich color.
- Busy patterns and big logos pull attention to the clothes. Small florals, subtle plaids and textured knits are beautiful choices.
Fabrics, Fit and Patterns That Photograph Beautifully
Texture adds so much to family photos. Knits, linen, velvet, chiffon, tulle and soft cotton all catch light in a flattering way and move nicely when kids are walking, twirling or being lifted.
- Fit: clothes that fit well look best on camera. Pieces that are a little loose in the waist or long in the sleeve tend to bunch when you sit or hug.
- Movement: flowy dresses and skirts look lovely in motion, and we often use movement in posing with families.
- Patterns: one patterned piece per photo group is plenty. Let it be the outfit you build the palette from.
- Wrinkles: steam everything the day before and bring layers on hangers.
Family Photo Outfit Ideas for Every Age
What Should Mom Wear for Family Photos?
A dress or skirt in one of the palette’s richer colors is a classic choice for Mom, and it often becomes the outfit the rest of the family builds around. Midi and maxi lengths make sitting on the ground or a settee easy. Many moms choose to dress up a little more than the rest of the family, and in our experience that looks beautiful in photos. Bring one pair of comfortable shoes for walking and one you love for the photos.
What Do Men Wear for Family Photos?
A sweater, button-down or quarter-zip in a neutral or one palette color works for nearly every setting. Chinos or dark, well-fitting jeans keep it polished, and a blazer or a velvet jacket dresses it up for holiday photos. Check that sleeves and pant lengths fit, since those show in seated poses.
Kids and Teens
Comfort comes first for kids, since a happy child photographs best. Soft dresses, cardigans, sweaters and knit sets in the palette colors are great choices. Teens look most like themselves when they help choose their outfit within the palette.
Babies and Toddlers
Simple knits, rompers and soft dresses in a palette color or neutral look sweet in photos and keep little ones comfortable. Bring a second outfit or a backup in case of spills.
What to Wear for Extended Family Photos
For extended family and large group photos, give everyone the palette ahead of time with a few example pieces, and ask each household to choose 1 or 2 of the colors. Mixing colors across households keeps the group balanced in the photos. Grandparents look wonderful in the softer neutrals of the palette, and one or two rich accent colors spread through the group tie it all together.
What to Wear for Family Photos by Season
Spring Family Photo Outfits
Spring family photo outfits look fresh in light, soft colors: blush, butter yellow, sage, dusty blue, lavender and cream. Light cotton, linen and chiffon dresses, chinos and light knits are perfect for mild spring days. Spring weather in Georgia changes quickly, so a light cardigan or jacket in a palette color is a smart extra.
Summer Family Photo Outfits
For summer family photos, we recommend an indoor location. Atlanta summers are hot and humid, and an air-conditioned studio or venue keeps everyone fresh, comfortable and smiling for the whole session. Our guide to indoor portrait locations in Atlanta has a few favorites, and indoor family photo ideas can help you picture the look. Light fabrics like linen and cotton in white, cream, soft blue or sage look clean and bright indoors.
Fall Family Photo Outfits
Fall is one of the most popular seasons for family photos, and warm, earthy colors photograph beautifully against fall leaves: rust, mustard, olive, burgundy, camel, cream and denim. Sweaters, cardigans, boots and textured scarves add depth. For palettes and layering ideas, see our guide to fall family photo outfits.
Winter and Christmas Family Photo Outfits
Winter family photo outfits can lean richer and dressier: navy, emerald, burgundy, cream and champagne in velvet, satin, cable knits and wool. For holiday sessions, a touch of plaid or sparkle on one or two people is festive and still timeless. Our family Christmas picture outfits guide has palettes and real examples from our holiday sessions, and you can see more in our family Christmas portraits.
Dress for Your Location: Studio, Outdoors or At Home
- Studio and indoor sets: on a white or light set, almost any palette pops. Rich colors (navy, emerald, burgundy) and soft neutrals both look elegant, and dressier outfits feel right at home.
- Outdoors: look at the colors around you. Soft blues, creams and blush stand out against green trees, and warm tones glow with fall leaves. Choose shoes you can walk in on grass or gravel.
- At home: pick colors that suit your home’s decor so the photos feel cohesive, and plan for cozy, relaxed pieces like knits and soft dresses.
What to Wear to Spring and Christmas Mini Sessions
Mini sessions are short and run back to back on set dates, so we suggest one outfit per person, ready to go when you arrive. The same palette rules apply: 2 to 3 seasonal or neutral colors, coordinated in different shades. Our holiday sets use a warm, neutral palette so families stand out, which means rich colors and creams both look beautiful. See what to wear to your mini session for more tips, and Christmas mini sessions for this season’s details. Bring snacks or treats for little ones, and relax: we’ll guide the posing.
Bringing the Family Dog?
We love including dogs in family photos! A regular portrait session is the best fit for family photos with your dog, since it gives everyone extra time to settle in and a location that suits a pup. Coordinate a collar, bandana or bow with your palette, and see our pet-friendly locations for family photos near Atlanta and family pictures with dogs tips.
Shoes, Accessories, Hair and What to Bring
- Shoes: they show in full-length photos, so choose ones that go with the palette. Boots, loafers, clean sneakers and simple flats all work.
- Accessories: delicate jewelry, a hat, a scarf or a hair bow can finish an outfit. Keep it simple so faces stay the focus.
- Glasses: wear them if you usually do. We’ll angle the light to keep glare down.
- Hair and makeup: come ready, with everything done the way you like it. Professional hair and makeup is a lovely treat for Mom.
- Touch-up kit: a hairbrush, hairspray, makeup, lipstick, lint roller, wipes and a few bobby pins.
- For little ones: snacks or small treats and a favorite comfort item for between photos.
How We Help You Plan What to Wear
Wardrobe questions are part of planning every family session with our team. Each regular portrait session includes a complimentary planning call where we talk through your palette, location and how many outfits to bring (most sessions have time for 1 to 2). You’ll also fill out a Retouching Preferences Questionnaire, so your photos look like you. After your session, we reveal your fully edited images at your Ordering Appointment on Zoom, where you choose your favorites. You can see session details on our portrait photography prices page and more about family sessions on our Atlanta family photographer page.
Family Photo Outfit FAQ
Should Families Match for Family Photos?
Coordinating looks better than matching. Identical outfits can look a little dated in photos, while a shared palette with different shades and textures looks polished and lets each person’s personality show. The exception is a fun holiday look, like matching pajamas, which can be a sweet extra.
What Not to Wear for Family Photos?
Skip neon colors, large logos and graphic tees, busy patterns on several people, and clothes that are too tight or too loose. Plan around anything uncomfortable too, since comfort shows on faces, especially for kids.
Can You Wear Jeans for Family Photos?
Yes. Dark, well-fitting jeans are one of the easiest neutrals for family photos. Pair them with a sweater, button-down or blouse in a palette color, and keep the rest of the family in a mix of denim and palette colors so it doesn’t read as a uniform.
Can You Wear Black or White for Family Photos?
Yes, in balance. Black looks elegant paired with cream, camel or one rich accent color. For a white look, cream and ivory photograph with more detail than bright white, especially outdoors. A black and white family palette is striking on a light studio set.
How Many Outfits Should We Bring?
For a regular portrait session, most families plan on 1 to 2 outfits. For mini sessions, plan on one. We’ll talk it through on your planning call.
What Should We Wear for Family Photos in the Studio?
Studio and indoor sets are a great place to dress up. Velvets, satin, tailored pieces and rich colors all photograph beautifully indoors, and a light set lets almost any palette stand out.
Ready to Plan Your Family Photos?
We’d love to help you plan your family’s session, from the color palette to the perfect location. Schedule a call with Jaimie and we’ll talk through outfits, timing and everything else.
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