It’s that time of year for holiday photos with the family! You have booked your photo session with your local photographer, now what? It is time to pick out what everyone will wear. Planning for what everyone in the family is going to wear in your family photos will save you a major headache on the day of your photos. I’ve put together some ideas that will help you get the ball rolling on gathering the perfect outfits for your holiday family photos.
This will give you some ideas for different styles and looks you can go for when planning your outfits for holiday photos.
Outfit ideas for Mom & Dad:
I usually encourage you to plan Mom’s outfit first. This will allow you to build off of one piece and make sure there is a cohesive look when all your outfits are put together. Do the colors complement one another? Are there any distracting patterns or prints that will be distracting in your family photos? Choosing complementary colors, textures, and styles is helpful when choosing what to wear for your family photos.








Outfit ideas for the kids:
You want everyone to feel comfortable in what they are wearing. The outfits you pick out should not be itchy, too big, too small, or uncomfortable. You can feel someone’s mood in photos when they are not comfortable, or they are tugging and pulling on the clothes they are wearing. Avoid a meltdown and plan for comfortable outfits for the whole family. (You’ll thank me later!)






More tips for picking your outfits:
Focus on choosing timeless and classic outfits. When you look back on these photos, think about how you will look 10 or 20 years from now. Are the clothes going to look “out of style” or “dated”? You don’t want to look back on these photos and think, “what the heck was I wearing?”.
Keep it simple. I am a fan of “less is more”. In this case, when choosing outfits for family photos, keep it simple. The big fluffy dresses and elaborate outfits more than likely are not comfortable for someone to wear, and you may look back on the photos and think you wish you had not picked that outfit. Simple is good. Simple allows for your true beauty to show through the photos and not distract from the smiles and laughter you will see in your family photos.
Getting your whole family on board for family photos is no small task – trust me, I know! Rather everyone running all over the house an hour before your family photos trying to find something to wear – that isn’t in the wash waiting to be put in the dryer – will save you stress and frustration on the day of your family photos. Planning ahead will take some time, but I PROMISE it will all be worth it!
Please keep in mind, these are only outfit ideas, not requirements or strict rules you need to follow. My goal is to leave you feeling comfortable and confident before your holiday family photos, and feel really good about what everyone is wearing.