If you’re wondering what to wear to a photoshoot, start with clothes that feel like your family, then use color, texture, and pattern to help everyone’s outfits work together. You don’t need to match. You don’t need to wear all neutrals. And you definitely don’t need to convince your kid to wear something they’d normally refuse to put on.
I want your family photos to look like you. Maybe that means a bright dress, a kid who loves stripes, or Dad in the same kind of sweater he wears all fall. The goal is to be a little more intentional than you would be on a regular Saturday while still recognizing everyone in the photos.
Hi, I’m Megan! I’m a Minneapolis family photographer and a mom, so I know getting an entire family dressed and out the door is already an event. When you work with me, I’ll help you plan for photos that feel playful, energetic, and true to this stage of your family. You can learn more about my Minneapolis family photography sessions and what it’s like to work together.
Start With One Outfit You Feel Really Good In
If you’re trying to figure out what to wear to a photoshoot for your whole family, don’t start by planning five outfits at once.
Pick one.
Often, I recommend starting with Mom’s outfit. Moms are usually thinking about everyone else first, and then suddenly it’s the night before family photos and you’re wondering what you are going to wear.
Choose something you feel good in and can move in.
That could be a flowy dress, jeans and a sweater, a jumpsuit, or something colorful you already love. You don’t need to wear a dress just because you’re having professional photos taken.
Once you have that first outfit, look at its colors and build from there.
If your dress has blue, cream, and green, Dad could wear a deeper blue. One child could wear cream with a small pattern. Another could bring in a softer green.
You’re creating a color palette, not assigning everyone a uniform.
Coordinate Your Family’s Colors Instead of Matching Them
One of my biggest tips for what to wear to a photoshoot is to coordinate rather than match.
Everyone can look like they belong in the same photo without wearing the same colors.
An easy way to put your family outfits together is to:
- Choose 2 to 4 colors that look good together.
- Use different shades of those colors across everyone’s outfits.
- Mix solid pieces with one or two patterns.
- Add texture with denim, knits, linen, corduroy, or other fabrics.
- Lay everything out together and look at the outfits as a group.
For example, navy can work with a softer blue, cream, and khaki. Rust can sit alongside olive, brown, and cream. A brighter pink can look great with a deeper navy.
You can even have family members wearing the same color in different ways. Maybe Mom has a blue dress, one child has blue stripes, and another has denim.
Before your session, put all the outfits on your bed or floor together. This is one of the easiest ways to see whether something feels completely out of place.
And if everything looks a little too coordinated? Mix it up. Add a pattern or swap one piece for a different shade.
You Don’t Have to Wear Neutrals for Family Photos
Some families love cream, taupe, denim, and other soft colors. If that’s you, go for it.
But if your closet is full of cobalt blue, rich green, red, pink, mustard, or other bold colors, you don’t need to become a neutral person for family photos.
Color is absolutely welcome in my sessions.
The easiest way to use brighter colors is to give them some room.
If Mom is wearing a bright dress, Dad might wear a deeper, simpler color. If your child has a colorful patterned dress you love, pull one or two colors from it for the rest of the family.
You can also choose one general color family and play with different shades.
There isn’t one perfect family photo palette. When you’re deciding what to wear to a photoshoot, I care much more about whether the colors work together and feel like your family.
Use Texture and Pattern to Give Your Outfits More Personality
Color isn’t the only thing that can make an outfit interesting.
Texture can add a lot to a photo without adding another color.
Think about a chunky knit sweater, denim jacket, linen shirt, corduroy pants, embroidered dress, or soft cardigan.
Patterns are welcome too.
Stripes, florals, plaid, gingham, and other prints can add personality, especially when the rest of the family’s clothes give that pattern a little breathing room.
You don’t need to limit yourself to one pattern if you have two that work well together. I just wouldn’t make every outfit the loudest outfit in the room.
A patterned dress paired with solids and textured pieces can work beautifully. So can a striped sweater on Dad that picks up a color already worn by one of the kids.
This is also where you can have some fun. Family photos don’t need to look like a clothing catalog. I want to see a little bit of each person in what they’re wearing.
Dress Your Kids for the Photos We’re Actually Going to Take
This might be the most important part.
Your kids need to be able to move in their clothes.
I’m not expecting them to stand beside you with their hands nicely folded for an hour. We’ll move. We’ll play. There will probably be some running, snuggling, climbing, dancing, and general kid chaos happening. (That’s a good thing.)
So when you’re planning what to wear to a photoshoot, think about what your kids will actually be doing once we get there.
If your child never wears collared shirts and hates how they feel, photo day probably isn’t the day to introduce one. If your daughter loves dresses, choose one she can run and twirl in.
The same goes for shoes. Pick something that makes sense for where we’ll be and what your child can comfortably move in. Bare feet can be perfect for an at-home session.
And if your child has something they love right now, we don’t automatically need to hide it.
A favorite hat, little dinosaur, stuffed animal, or other beloved item can tell us something about who they are at this exact age. We can always take photos with it and without it.
Those little details are part of the story too.
If you’re already wondering how you’re going to get everyone ready without making photo day a whole production, I also have a guide on how to prepare your kids (and yourself) for a newborn and family photography session.
Make Sure You Can Move Too, Mom and Dad
Comfort isn’t only for the kids.
I’ll probably ask you to sit, walk, cuddle your kids, pick somebody up, or join whatever game has broken out.
Your clothes need to let you do that.
If you love how something looks while you’re standing perfectly still but can’t comfortably sit down in it, keep looking.
The same applies to anything you’ll be adjusting all session. A strap that keeps slipping, a skirt you can’t move in, or shoes that hurt after five minutes can quickly become annoying.
I want you thinking about your family during the session, not your clothes.
If you’re unsure between a couple of outfit options before your session, reach out and ask me. I’m happy to help you think through what will work with your family and our location. And if you haven’t booked yet, you can learn more about my Minneapolis family photography sessions here.
Let Your Location and Season Help Guide Your Outfits
Where we’re taking your photos can help narrow down what to wear to a photoshoot.
For an at-home family session, bare feet, denim, knits, comfortable dresses, and everyday layers can feel right at home.
For a fall session in Minnesota, you have more room to play with sweaters, jackets, corduroy, denim, and other cozy textures.
During warmer months, lighter fabrics can make it easier to move around outside without feeling uncomfortable.
You can also think about the colors around you. You don’t need to perfectly match your surroundings, but it’s worth considering whether your outfits make sense in that setting.
The question I like to come back to is simple: Can you comfortably be yourselves in these clothes, in this place?
If the answer is yes, we’re getting somewhere.
And if you’re planning to have your photos taken at home, read my five tips to prepare for in-home family photos. It’ll help you figure out what’s actually worth doing before I arrive (and what you really don’t need to worry about).
What Should You Avoid Wearing to a Photoshoot?
I don’t have a giant list of things you’re forbidden to wear. Your family has its own style, and I don’t want to turn getting dressed into a long list of rules.
Still, a few things are worth checking before you leave:
- Large logos or graphics that pull your eye away from faces
- Very bright neon colors that can reflect color onto skin
- Clothes that need constant adjusting
- Shoes that don’t work for the location
- Anything your child is already begging to take off
- Outfits you chose because they feel like “photo clothes” instead of your clothes
Try everything on ahead of time, including shoes. If you have little kids and a longer drive to the session, you may also want to wait until you arrive to put on anything you’re worried about getting messy. (Snacks and photo outfits have a complicated relationship.)
FAQs About What to Wear to a Photoshoot
What colors look best for a family photoshoot?
There isn’t one color palette that works for every family. Choose a few colors that work well together and use different shades throughout your outfits. Neutrals, earth tones, soft colors, and bolder colors can all work.
Should family members match for photos?
You don’t need to match. Coordinating gives you more freedom to let each person look like themselves. Choose a general palette, then mix different colors, shades, textures, and patterns within it.
Can we wear patterns in family photos?
Yes. Florals, stripes, plaid, gingham, and other patterns can all work. Balance stronger patterns with simpler pieces so every outfit isn’t competing for attention.
What should Mom wear for family photos?
Wear something you feel good in and can comfortably move in. Starting with Mom’s outfit can also make it easier to build the rest of the family’s colors around one piece.
What should kids wear for family photos?
Choose clothes they can run, sit, play, and snuggle in. Let their personality show through color, patterns, layers, or favorite accessories. They don’t need to look more formal than they normally would just because you’re having photos taken.
Choose Clothes That Let You Forget About the Clothes
When you’re deciding what to wear to a photoshoot, I want you to think beyond whether an outfit looks good on a hanger.
Can you pick up your toddler in it? Can your child run? Does your daughter light up when she puts on that dress? Does Dad still look like Dad?
That’s what matters to me.
Coordinate without worrying about perfectly matching. Use color if you love color. Mix in texture and pattern. Let your kids have some personality.
Then, once your session starts, you can stop thinking about everyone’s clothes and actually enjoy being together.
If you’re ready for family photos that have room for movement, big personalities, and your kids being exactly who they are right now, get in touch to plan your family photography session. I’d love to photograph this version of your family.
Want more ideas for making family photos feel easier and more like you? Join my newsletter for photography tips, inspiration, and resources for Minnesota families delivered straight to your inbox.
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