More than any other question, I am already asked by clients what they should wear to their family session. Coordinating outfits can be a daunting task, and trust me I feel you, I’m not a fan of it either.

Below I have complied a few tips and tricks as well as a few visual references to help inspire you to create your own ensemble that is unique to your family.

Skip the uniform

Your family does not need to wear a “uniform” by this I am the same khakis and white polo shirt. As some personality and mix it up! Along the same though of not being to “matchy-matchy” you do want to coordinate.

Choose two main colors to plan your color scheme around.

The best fall family session come with a well-coordinated color scheme! You don’t have to be a stylist to get your family looking great for portriats. Choose two colors or hues that you love for fall and plan your outfits around them. Some popular fall color tone choices are reds, oranges, tan, ivory, navy or even yellow if you are feeling daring. Use the brightest colors – also known as the accent color – sparingly.

You may also want to consider where these portraits will live in your home. What are the colors in your house? If you have lots of deep rich, warm colors in your living room, stick with deep rich warm colors.

Layer it up!

This might be hard for us since we live in the desert and it will be hot well into November! Fall is for sure my favorite season because my two favorite holidays reside in “Fall” Halloween and Thanksgiving! Who’s doesn’t love Halloween and Thanksgiving?!

Layers help create the look of fall even if we don’t have those gorgeous organ eye and red leaves 🍁 like they have on the east cost. Layers are the perfect way to add some style and flair to your session. Don’t stop at a simple cardigan add a stylish scarf to add more of a fall/holiday look to your ensemble. Guys can also add a nice sweater or jacket to their look for a cozy feel.

Don’t forget to accessorize…

Add special touches like burlap suspenders or a flowery crown for kids. A statement necklace for mom and a nice tie for dad to help with a pop of color to your photos. The possibilities are endless and the more creative you get, the more unique your family photos will be. Definitely choose accessories that highlight your families personality.

Choose outfits you are comfortable in

One of the most important things for any session is your comfort. If anyone in your family is uncomfortable you can almost always see it in the photos. Since we live in the desert there is a good possibility it will be hot, make sure you don’t dress your kids in too many layers as kids can get VERY fussy if they are uncomfortable.

Don’t forget about footwear

Shoes will show in your portraits, make sure they match along with the rest of the look. White tennis shoes often don’t compliment a fall look. Think dress shoes for men and boots for women.

Mommas…wear what you feel great in

I’m speaking to the mammas here, the ones who mainly do all of the coordinating for the family photoshoots. DO NOT put yourself last in this. I’m fact start with your outfit first, because if you dress yourself last and only fit into what everyone else is wearing, you won’t like your photo. Mamma, dress yourself first, I promise you will like the end result much more.

If your stumped with coordinating outfits I’m here to help! Please contact me anytime before your session and we can talk it through.

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Now let’s take a look at some inspiration to help you create your own unique look.