What to wear to a family photoshoot
It’s the most stressful…I mean wonderful… time of the year. Let’s face it moms, you don’t have a ton of time or energy to figure out what to wear for family photos. So here is a super quick guide to help you and even some helpful links of places you can shop locally for your family photos! As a general for the whole family, please do not choose super bright colors and definitely no words on clothes, stick with neutrals. Do not have any clashing patterns. If you’re going to have a pattern, only have one person in the family have a pattern and make sure the colors go together. A pop of texture can be so aesthetic to the photos so throw in a cardigan with a pattern or a sweater somewhere. These few tips will help make your photos timeless.
Mom’s outfit comes first. Find something you feel COMFORTABLE and CONFIDENT in. I realize this is a tall order, but it is necessary for you to love your family photos. If you don’t like your arms, DON’T wear a dress without sleeves. If you don’t like your stomach, DON’T wear a tight fitting dress. If it looks like I am yelling at you, it’s because I am. This is one of the easiest ways to hate your photos and people do it often. So don’t do it. I love mom in a long flowy dress (bonus if the dress is slightly see-through at the bottom). Yes it is stereotypical, but it looks damn good, and I stand by that. If you want some local shops to buy mom’s outfit from check out Franklin Street Collaborative in Downtown Monterey! There is also Bliss Boutique downtown as well! For jewelry I love me some Nautilus and Sway or Desert Moon Design. Shop local if you can, and if not I get it! Amazon and all the other online boutiques have tons of options, too!
Once mom’s outfit is chosen, the rest are easier. Kids can have a complimentary color to mom, or a pattern. Do not have both kids with a pattern as it can be clashing. In photos the little details matter so make sure you like the shoes and accessories as well. A local kids clothing store that I absolutely love is Meninas Clothing! Make sure kids can run and play in their clothes because we will be running around!
Fill in your spouse with any other complimentary colors. Typically dads or partners are in some kind of khaki pants with a solid button up and I love this journey for them. Keep your spouse comfortable and don’t have them wear anything too far out of their comfort zone! If you want a bit of a pop here, consider a jacket that compliments everyone else such as a leather jacket or a bomber jacket.
When all is said and done, just be sure to have everyone feeling good on the day of the shoot! I also recommend not dressing your kids until you get to the destination and have wipes ready for messy faces. And most of all, have FUN! (That sounded too cliche didn’t it?)
