What to wear for spring family photos | Portland, Oregon
Spring has sprung and what better time to get those family photos taken than when flowers are blooming and everything is green and beautiful?
I know that one of the most stressful things about getting family photos taken is the dreaded outfit planning (trust me - I’ve been there), and I am here to help make it easy. Today I will go over suggestions for everyone in the family as well as some things to avoid (logo shirts, anyone?!). One thing I offer all my clients is a mood board (complete with color scheme and outfit suggestions) personalized for them and their upcoming session. If you would like to learn more about this and the entire experience you can visit this page on my website!
The below photos are from a recent May photo session with the sweetest family. I had so much fun helping this mama plan out all the outfits (and she did such a great job - planning what 7 people will wear is not an easy task!).
What color schemes work for spring family photos:
I always recommend starting with a neutral palette and going from there by adding in one or two colors. I love the palette below, which is a mix of creams and tans with some blues and greens thrown in. Earthy tones are so beautiful and blend well with the spring background of tall grasses and wildflowers. Depending on your location and color preferences, pastel pinks and light blues also look amazing in spring photos! Incorporating a pattern or two into the mix is a great idea to get variety in your wardrobe - just remember that when it comes to patterns, less is more. Try to limit patterns to one or two people in the family and make sure they don’t distract from what everyone else is wearing!
What should mom wear for spring family photos?
I always recommend that mama you choose your outfit first and then plan out what everyone else will wear. It is so important that you love what you are wearing and feel comfortable in it, and by prioritizing yourself you will have more success than if your outfit is an afterthought. From there, you can plan other family members’ outfits that compliment yours.
I love long flowy dresses for moms as they are very flattering on different body types, and they look especially beautiful in spring photos! Adding something with a pattern is always a great idea and you can even add a hat, jean jacket or bangles as accessories. Some of my favorite places to find photoshoot dresses for moms are Joyfolie (they even have a “made to match” shop with adorable Mommy and Me outfits - check it out here! Altar’d State has stunning, boho-vibe dresses to choose from - this is one of my favorites and I love that they have a location at the mall to go try on the dresses in person! And let’s not forget about Amazon. There are so many amazing and affordable dresses you can find there like this and this to name a few.
What should dad wear for spring family Photos?
Dad can choose to go casual or dressy - both looks work! For the more casual look a henley or polo with khaki shorts or jeans look crisp and collected. A button up shirt can give a more dressed up vibe and paired with some loafers like this from Olukai his outfit is complete! As with mom, make sure dad is comfortable in what he is wearing, because if he isn’t his discomfort will show in the photos.
What should kids wear for spring family photos?
My rule of thumb is - dress kids like little adults and you can’t go wrong! I absolutely love sundresses on girls and button up shirts and suspenders on little boys. Kids usually love to accessorize so think about adding that hat to their outfit to complete the look. The most important thing to remember is to make sure your kiddo is comfortable in what they are wearing! Comfortable kids are happy kids and we definitely want happy, comfortable kids on photoshoot day! A few of my favorite shops for kids clothing are Joyfolie (for girls), Gap (for both boys and girls) and…you guessed it - Amazon (for both boys and girls).
What not to wear for spring family photos
As much as I love talking about what TO wear for your spring family photos, it’s also good to be aware of what NOT to wear.
If you want to add ONE pattern to your outfits I say go for it - but don’t mix and match patterns, or have everyone wearing the same pattern. A good example of pattern coordinating is to have dad wearing a pattern on his shirt and one of the boys wearing the same pattern on his shorts or bow tie or hat.
Avoid bright colors (neon is a no-no) and try to avoid really dark colors like black (which can just end up looking funky in the final photos).
Avoiding logos on shirts and shoes is also a good idea as they can be extremely distracting. And while we are talking about shoes, try to stay away from athletic shoes if you can (the dressier athletic shoes are fine but plan to leave the Nike frees at home).
If you have thought about BOOKING YOUR OWN spring family photos, please reach out to me!
Contact me for package pricing and more details - I would love to hear from you!
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