What to Wear | mysite

Choose ONE Outfit You Love First – Shop beforehand and find ONE outfit it you really love, whether it is yours, your kids or your husbands. This time, I had my dress chosen before anyone else’s so we based everything off of it. I keep in mind color and season when I am choosing outfits! Also, make sure that you feel comfortable and great in what you choose! It will show, I promise!

Coordinate Colors without Matching – Once you pick that one outfit (for us it was my olive green dress) so we went with tones that complement olive green. Navy, denim, fuchsia – these colors are complementary but don’t “match.” If everyone wore one color, it would take away from making the photo work. Try to not have everyone dress in white or black, but colors that coordinate. If you aren’t sure about if a color works well, you can just search online the color and it’s opposite on the color wheel.

Plan Before the Shoot – Plan in advance to make sure that your clothing fits right, is steamed/ironed and accessories are ready to go on the day of the shoot. There is nothing that stresses a person out more than having to run around and find something right before getting ready (let’s be honest, this takes forever on family photo days) so lay it all out, make sure it works and plan ahead of time. This is some of the best advice, I think, because stressed people don’t make happy photos! Relax and know that you’ve done the work before. When it comes time for the shoot, relax, wear the lovely clothes you chose and have FUN!

Dress for Comfort – If you aren’t comfortable in what you’re wearing, or your husband’s shirt is too stiff or he had to dress in 18 layers, he is probably not going to be comfortable in the photo! This is so important with kids, and if they aren’t comfortable they are not going to be happy! Try to keep in mind that you can find stylish clothes that are still comfortable. Uncomfortable clothes make uncomfortable people which makes uncomfortable photos!

Pattern Ratio – Stick with one or two people in subtle patterns and the others in solids. You don’t want too much going on in the photo that it takes away from your faces and your beautiful family, so lean to the minimal side of patterns. I love a good leopard print (leopard is a neutral, right?) but, you are not going to want leopard head to toe on anyone. If you aren’t sure, try it on and ask a friend! If you are styling for a large 6+ family in the photo, two or three patterns won’t be too much, just make sure they are offset and the photographer places them to make it work (not all right next to each other). Textures are also great for depth in the photo!

Pre-Photo Your Photo Clothes – This sounds silly and like a lot of work, right? Well you’ve probably laid it out to make sure it all flows, right? Just snap a picture on your phone (make sure it’s good lighting and not dark) and look at the photo. You can even send it to friends to see what they think (just make sure you can take constructive criticism). This will give you confidence in knowing that it looks great together, and will be even greater when your family has the clothes on in their smiling faces!

Trendy isn’t Always Better – Try to stick with some timeless pieces. I think one or two trends are great, but as you know, trends come and go. You are not going to want to look back in 10 years and think What in the world was I wearing? I am so guilty of this in the past, and while my dress is “on trend” in this photo, it’s the only piece that’s trendy and it’s also a solid color so it’s balanced. It is offset by others that are more traditional and classic. There is balance!

Shop Around – As much as you probably want a one-stop-shop for everyone in your family, I don’t know a place that you can find EVERYONE something that complements each other. Step out of your comfort zone and mix and match from different places. Try to stay away from logos, brands written on the front or back of clothing and character tees! You’ll thank yourself later, I promise!

Have Confidence – Strut yo’ stuff! Have confidence in the clothing you chose for everyone! You know what you’re doing, even if you feel like you don’t! Have fun and enjoy the memories that you’re making! I love the style of photography here because even if we aren’t all looking, there is a story to be told. I will look back on these photos and cherish the moments captured!