5 Tips to Choosing Your Fall Family Outfits

Family

September 1, 2021

It’s that time of year! When it’s hot as Nick Lachey outside (#98Degrees) and yet Starbucks has already released the Pumpkin Spiced latte. That means it’s nearly FALL season in Texas, which means it’s PICTURE season! It may seem too soon to be thinking about fall family photos and outfits, but the sooner you plan ahead the easier it will be for you and your family.

The most common question I receive as a photographer is “what should we WEAR for our family session?” Well honey, i’ve got your back! With a keen visual eye and a creative mind I am an expert in knowing what looks good on camera, and what colors coordinate the best. Here are a few tips to help you and your family totally ROCK your fall family outfits this season, and turn all the heads as you walk by!

a family of four smiles at the camera in beautiful outfits

1. Avoid “Matchy-Matchy”

Long gone are the days of families wearing the same plain black t-shirt and jeans. The last thing you want is to blend in with everyone else in your family and not stand-out. It’s important to let every personality shine through with your outfits. It’s always best to think about what “fits” together, and doesn’t actually “match.”

2. Choose Colors Wisely

For fall it’s always tempting to dress everyone in buffalo plaid and orange sweaters. However, a lot of people don’t realize they can still have a “fall” aesthetic and feel to their images, without actually dressing everyone in fall colors. Think about it, what draws people to fall? The colors, right? The leaves are beautiful and changing into gorgeous shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. So, when you’re planning your outfits, you don’t want to wear the same colors as the environment around you. Doing this will cause you to blend in, and not stand out. Which is not something you want. Instead, focus on neutral shades and colors, and mix in pops of color here and there. Colors such as pink, blue, white and grey all look fantastic in nearly all outdoor locations during any season.

3. Limit Patterns

When selecting your outfits, it’s always important to consider the style of your outfit as well. You’ll want to avoid wearing clothes that have distracting patterns or graphics, because just like selecting colors, we want to focus on the love and emotions between you and your family, and not be distracted by the patterns you’re wearing. I recommend selecting a color palette, and working in solid colored outfits to fit that palette. Another good tip is to bring in fabrics that have texture rather than pattern. Items such as lace, corduroy and fleece are all great.

4. Layer it Up

Even though fall in Texas still usually means it’s 77 degrees outside, you can always add additional visual elements to your photos with your outfits. Adding layers brings extra dimension and movement to your photos, which always looks stunning. Consider adding blazers for boys and Dads, or cute cardigans for girls. Even though it may feel too warm, it will look fabulous on camera!

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Dress it Up

Have you ever though about rocking a beautiful gown or a tulle skirt but just never had the occasion for it? Well, now’s your chance to do it up! I always say you can never be too dressed up for your portrait session. Images always tend to stand out and have a more luxurious feel when you are dressed up rather than just wearing a t-shirt and jeans. So take family photos as a fun opportunity for you and your crew to get dressed up and have a good time! You can even make a fun family date out of it and go out for a nice dinner afterward!

In conclusion..

I know I just gave you A LOT to think about, but these are just a few of so many AMAZING tips I have up my sleeve! Every client that books a session with me has access to my Client Experience and Style Guide, which has SO many great tips and information on how to prepare your family for a session. But whether you decide to book with me or not, I hope these tips help you and your family to pick the best fall family outfits for your photos this season. No matter what you choose you will look AMAZING!

Just a heads up this post is not sponsored by H&M, but if you work for H&M and you’re reading this i’m totally open to partnering up! 😉 Honestly though, I LOVE H&M and buy a ton of my boy’s clothes from there, so trust me when I say it is a fantastic one-stop-shop for the whole family! Here is some great fall family outfit inspiration i’ve put together for you all to see how these five tips can be implemented into selecting your outfits.