What to wear for pictures? This can be one of the most daunting tasks of the photo shoot. Most moms including myself will agree; getting everything to coordinate and look stylish is a complicated task. Sometimes you don't even know where to start. Keep reading for some fun tips and tricks to make it all a little less stressful and find the perfect outfits for family pictures, engagements, family newborns, or even senior sessions.

The first and most important thing to consider is the season your session will take place. You want to dress according to the weather, choose colors that work well with the environment and keep you comfortable in the heat or cold. Below are some examples and tips for each season.

WINTER

 Winter sessions can be very fun and magical. The snow can make for beautiful scenery, but with snow comes cold. My first tip for winter is to dress WARM! Bundle up, coats, scarves, and boots. Layering looks great in photos and creates lots of texture and visual interest. Have a winter adventure and maybe even a snowball fight! If you don't want to bundle up so much but still want that winter look, long sleeves, boots, scarves, vests and flannels look great. For winter colors I recommend darker and deeper colors like burgundy, emerald, olive, eggplant, and plaid. 

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/524387950354864295/

SPRING

Spring is an absolute stunning time for photos. Blossoms, tulips, and all the green come back in full force and it is so beautiful. I recommend soft and flowy fabrics, dresses, lace and florals. Choose soft pastel colors such as blush, soft blues, lavendar, and whites. 

SUMMER

Summer is a great time for pictures. There are so many location varieties, no one is cold and you can really get away with so many outfit and color options. For this season I don't really have color recommendations. I would recommend deciding on a location and choosing colors that go well with the scenery. Softer colors palettes as well as more colorful ones look good all summer long. I also love whites in the summer months. 

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FALL

Fall is one of the most popular times for photos. Like winter I recommend darker colors. I also recommend lots of neutrals. If you choose a location in the colorful autumn leaves neutrals make you stand out and don't clash with all the color going on around you. Layers also look great, vests, boots, scarves, etc. 

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PUTTING TOGETHER OUTFITS

Regardless of what season you choose, coordinating and putting together outfits can be challenging. Here are some steps to building a cohesive look without being "matchy"

1 - PINTEREST!

Stalk pinterest for different color combos and find the ones you are most drawn to. I have created a clothing inspiration board you can check out for ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/dreederphoto/clothing-inspiration-and-color/

2. INSPIRATION PIECE

Once you have decided a color palette, find an inspiration piece. A piece with color or pattern is a great starting place because you can start pulling colors from that piece into other outfits. You can see in this image that the inspiration piece is the scarf and all the colors tie into that. 

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Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413627547025588383/

3. NEUTRALS + SOLIDS!!

Both are essential to a balanced color palette for outfits. It's usually best to keep guys in neutrals, they tend to be more comfortable and its easier to find pieces that work. Jeans, khaki, whites, creams, grays, just to name a few favorites. I'm even a fan of an all neutral color palette!

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Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413627547011765596/

Solids colors should always be incorporated to ensure there's not too much going on. An all solid color palette is actually one of my favorites. Add interest with different textures.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413627547025774825/

4. PATTERN

More than 2 colorful patterns can become overwhelming or clash with each other. Depending on the number of people in your group I would stick to 1 or 2 patterns. A bold print mixed with a smaller one works great or pick patterns that are different like a plaid and a floral.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413627547025774984/
 

5. COLORS TO AVOID

There are so many color options to choose from, but I suggest avoiding these few. Super bright and florescent colors don't photograph well and are harder to process in editing. They just are too saturated and bright, sometimes even reflecting the color onto your skin and we do not want that! Bright orange, coral, hot pink and bright red can all cause this, but I would avoid choosing any color that is too bright. 
 

My last and final tip.... if you're in a rut or just need an opinion on a piece, ask your photographer! Most of us are more than willing to help and know what looks best in pictures. I am always more than happy and really enjoy helping my clients with this! Remember less is more! You don't need to be perfect, your colors tones don't need to be exactly. Wear what makes you happy, comfortable and colors you love. I hope this post helps in finding your picture perfect outfits. Thanks for reading!!