What to Wear for Fall Family Photos | Lehigh Valley Family Photographer | Kristin with an I Photography
What to Wear for Fall Family Photos | Lehigh Valley Family Photographer
One of the most common questions I hear before a family session is, “What should we wear?”
And I completely understand why! You want everyone to coordinate without looking too matching, you want the kids to be comfortable, and, most importantly, you want to choose clothing that will still feel beautiful hanging on your walls years from now.
This sweet fall family session is such a perfect example of how simple, thoughtfully coordinated outfits can photograph beautifully.
For their session, Mom chose a gorgeous olive green dress and paired it with soft creams, warm taupes and brown accessories for the rest of the family. The result was classic, warm and perfectly suited for a beautiful fall evening in the Lehigh Valley.
Let the Fall Colors Be the Color
When the leaves are already giving us gorgeous shades of orange, yellow and red, a softer wardrobe can actually allow the scenery (and your family) to shine.
For this session, olive green was the richest color in the family's wardrobe. Cream, oatmeal, taupe and warm brown rounded out the palette. And, against the colorful fall foliage, it was simply beautiful.
Instead of competing with the background, their clothing complemented it.
Coordinate Your Family Without Matching
One of my favorite pieces of advice for family photos is to think of your family's outfits as one collection rather than four separate outfits. You don't need everyone wearing the same color. In fact, I usually prefer that you don't!
Here, Mom's olive dress anchors the palette. Dad is in a soft neutral, their little girl wears a beautiful cream dress, and baby is dressed in cream and taupe. Nothing matches exactly, but everything works together and that's the goal.
A good trick is to choose three complementary colors and use them throughout everyone's clothing and accessories.
For fall, I love combinations like:
Olive + cream + camel + taupe
Burgundy + oatmeal + navy + brown
Chocolate + cream + muted rust + khaki
Deep green + ivory + warm brown + charcoal
Start With Mom's Outfit
If you're staring at everyone's closets wondering where to begin, start with Mom. Mom's outfit often sets the tone for the entire family's wardrobe, and dresses are especially beautiful for family portraits because they add movement and softness to the photographs.
Once you've found something you love and feel confident wearing, pull two or three colors from it—or choose complementary neutrals—and build everyone else's outfits around those.
One beautiful piece can become the starting point for the entire family.
Add Texture Instead of Lots of Patterns
Notice something else about these outfits?
There aren't a lot of competing patterns.
Instead, there is texture.
The detailing on the little girl's cream dress adds visual interest, while Mom's dress has beautiful gathering and movement. Brown shoes add another warm element without introducing another color or pattern.
Knits, linen, lace, corduroy, subtle ruffles and textured sweaters are all wonderful ways to add dimension to fall family photos.
Patterns can absolutely work, too—I just recommend using them intentionally rather than putting several family members in competing prints.
Dress Little Ones for Movement
When you're choosing outfits for babies and toddlers, don't forget that they're going to move!
During a family session, little ones may be sitting, crawling, walking, snuggling, being tossed into the air or running straight into Mom and Dad's arms. Their clothing should be just as functional as it is beautiful.
For little girls wearing dresses, I also recommend bloomers or a diaper cover underneath. We do lots of sitting, playing and movement during sessions, and having something coordinating underneath means we don't have to worry about a diaper or underwear showing in your photographs.
Comfortable shoes are important, too, especially for outdoor sessions.
Your Family Session Is About More Than One Family Portrait
Of course I want to give you that beautiful photograph where everyone is together and looking toward the camera. But I want to give you so much more than that.
Some of my favorite images from family sessions happen in between those traditional portraits.
Which is why I make time during family sessions for the whole family together and for individual portraits, sibling photographs, parent-and-child moments and all of those sweet interactions that happen naturally along the way.
Because someday, the photographs you treasure most may not be the perfectly posed one.
It may be the photograph that takes you right back to exactly who your children were at this age.
Planning Your Fall Family Photos in the Lehigh Valley?
If figuring out what to wear has been keeping you from booking family photos, don't let it!
You don't need a closet full of perfectly coordinated outfits to create beautiful family portraits. Start with one outfit you love, choose a simple color palette and build from there.
And when you book a session with me, you don't have to figure everything out on your own. I'm always happy to help guide you toward clothing and colors that will photograph beautifully and work with the location and season we've chosen.
Get Inspired…
Ready to update your family portraits? I'd love to photograph your family this season. Get in touch to learn more about family photography sessions in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas.