What to wear for your Family Session?

This is no doubt THE number 1 question for most of my clients, what on earth do we wear? If you grew up like me in the 90's and early 2000's what you used to wear for family photos were white jeans with blue or red tops tucked in with socks touching your knees. THANK GOD times have changed and we have many more options for outfits!

One perk you have working with me as your photographer is my client closet! I have a closet just for mom with a few pieces for young children! I do however have a large closet for my newborns! If you didn't know this, I am a retired Boudoir Photographer, I previously owned Lotus & Lace Boudoir Studio, which gave me almost 6 years of experience learning what women like and don't like when it comes to what to wear, as well as years of studying women's different body shape's to help guide you in what would look best on you! With that experience I know just how to guide you during your session to help make sure you feel and look your best when you receive your gallery!

Lets get started!

First thing we need is to know where we are shooting, if we have your session in the middle of summer in a lush pasture, we probably don't need you to wear green right?

Once we know where your session is, we can plan color palettes that would look best with your background!

Instead of being all matchy-matchy we choose 3-4 colors and mix them throughout your outfits.

If you want to stay more neutral to match your home decor year round, I would suggest soft colors, like creams, soft pink or blue, olive, soft browns or black. This helps create a pretty harmony with personality for each person!

• Fall sessions: Earthy tones like rust, mustard, forest green, and warm neutrals.

• Spring sessions: Soft pastels, blush, sky blue, sage green.

• Summer sessions: Light, airy colors like white, light denim, soft pinks, and seafoam.

• Winter sessions: Deep jewel tones, dark greens, burgundy, navy, and cozy layers.

Dress Mom First:

Let’s be honest—mom is usually the star of the show. I always recommend mom pick her outfit first, then build the rest of the family’s outfits around it.

• Flowy dresses and skirts photograph beautifully and add movement.

• Solid colors or soft patterns (like florals or subtle stripes) work best.

• Avoid stiff fabrics—comfort is key, we wont be standing still often especially if there are young children around so make sure you can move comfortably in your clothes!

A stunning momma to be for her a maternity session in Dallas, Georgia, featuring an elegant gown from our client closet.

Texture VS Patterns:

What is the difference between texture and patterns? Textured clothing is usually a solid color with a texture of lace, chambray, wool, linen, corduroy, denim, silk, knit, crochet, etc. I think each texture emits a theme in itself, for example, linen = beach. Wool, knit, and corduroy = wintery backdrops. Denim, linen, silk and lace = summery backdrops. You get the point. Patterns can get tricky since there tends to be a ton of different colors or too much pattern. Patterns can be floral, stripes, checkered, polka dots, etc. While I'm not against patterns, I think some can be timeless and classy, some patterns can be too over the top, and really "loud". If that's your thing, awesome, we just add more solid colors or texture to help even it out!

My go-to patterns for clothing are subtle stripes and small florals. Small and subtle go a long way with patterns, we don't want the focus of the photos to be the clothing you wear, but add to your personality and style!

If you want to add more textures to your images and more movement we can add a cardigan, denim jacket, crochet shawl, suspenders, or a hat for variety and texture.

Something many people forget about is SHOES:

Yes! Your shoes will be in your photos especially in those full-body shots—so plan accordingly!

• Neutral boots, sandals, or flats are always safe bets.

• For young children I think tall knee high socks are precious to add!

• Avoid bright sneakers, bulky running shoes, or anything with neon logos.

• Even barefoot is an option especially for the beach, backyard sessions, or at-home sessions.

Things you should stay away from:

Some things that I highly recommend you DO NOT wear are any tops or dresses that have characters on them or any large logos, they are very distracting and never look great for photos! Little things like this make a huge difference in the end.

Let Your Family’s Personality Shine!

The best outfit is the one that feels like you! These photos are about capturing your family’s love, connection, and personality—so don’t stress too much. When you feel good, it shows.

If you’re ever unsure, reach out! That's what I am here for! Let schedule our time to chat and get to planning your families outfits!

I also have a Story Highlight Bubble on our Instagram that has photo after photo of dresses in our client closet! Find our Instagram here!

Lets find some outfit inspiration! Check out this Pinterest board I put together to get some inspiration for your session! Find it HERE!

Here's a list of my favorite Boutiques; Ivy City Co, Indie Blue, One Loved Babe, Joyfolie, Worth Collective, Free People, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Lulus, Madewell, and ShopBop.

For the kids’ outfits: Zara (my absolute fav and where I buy 99% of their clothes), Rylee & Cru, Jamie Kay, Old Navy occasionally, and Target or Amazon!

For the men outfits: Nordstrom, Zara, and Target (Goodfellow brand).

Amazon is also a go-to for their quick shipping and budget friendlier options for everyone!

We are located in Rockmart, Georgia but we travel and have many beautiful locations that we shoot at all over Northwest Georgia and beyond!

Contact us via the contact page on our website or on our homepage!

Email us at: savannahellisphotography@gmail.com