What to wear for our family portrait session?
What to wear for our family portrait session is the question that is most frequently asked by my clients, and there is no one right answer. There are a few rules, but hey, sometimes rules are made to be broken.
Here are a few guidelines to help you choose what to wear on the day of your shoot. The number one thing is to just be yourself. If your family loves to get all dressed up from time to time, then show that off by having the ladies in beautiful dresses and the men looking sharp in suits and ties. Portraits such as this have a timeless and classic look, that make for beautiful Canvas Wraps. Do you like the thought of it, but you aren’t really sure? You can always bring your casual clothes as well.
Dress for the location where we will be holding the photo session. 
Outdoor sessions will obviously have a more natural look, so casual clothing usually works best. We recommend medium to dark jewel tones of black, green, brown, rust, wine or blue. Another thing to consider is that darker shades tend to be more slimming, while lighter colors or flesh tones can drain color from the face. The general rule of thumb is that wearing white will add 10 pounds and wearing dark or medium tones will subtract 10 pounds.
White shirts and khaki pants are very popular, but, that’s just it…it’s already been done. Also, remember the rule of thumb about white? White reflects light, tends to be the first thing people look at when they see the image, and really competes with the face for attention.
A nice touch to a family portrait is
when everyone is wearing long sleeves. It’s not imperative, but adds a sense of elegance and brings more attention to the faces. Are you starting to see a theme here? It’s ALL about the faces and NOT about the clothing. Denim and khaki always photograph well and are perfect for casual attire. Just be sure to wear them with darker toned tops.
I recommend not wearing strong patterns, such as plaids, stripes or tie-dye (yes, tie-dye…I’ve had it happen and it doesn’t look good in family portraits) because they will be distracting in an image. If you just can’t help yourself because your absolute favorite shirt breaks all the rules and you MUST wear it, make sure you are the only person wearing a pattern. Have everyone else complement it with solid colors in similar tones. It’s not all about matching, it’s all about blending similar tones so that no one in the group stands out more than the rest.
Avoid clothing with words, logos, and stripes as they distract from your expression and date the photographs. This rule can be broken if one person is being photographed alone, such as a high school senior, but doesn’t usually look good in a group pose. Dress from head to toe because many poses will include your feet. Avoid bright colored tennis shoes, or, think about going shoe-less. The bare foot look is in and always will be.
Make Up:
We recommend that your make-up be 
no heavier than you would wear for an evening out. Even if you don’t normally wear make-up, we recommend a light foundation and powder to reduce shine and even out your skin tone. (Powder is great for guys, too, and no one will be able to tell that you’re wearing it.) Gentlemen – unless the “grunge look” is your style, come in with a fresh shave. Five o’clock shadows cannot be retouched.
Hair and Jewelry:
Wear your hair the way you like it best. If you plan to have a haircut, try to schedule it at least a week prior
to your session in case you don’t care for the results. Also, a fresh cut may reveal un-tanned skin during the summer. 
Very light hair spray will tame loose ends that may catch the light and show in a picture. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE bring a brush.
Jewelry should be kept simple and to a minimum. Avoid large wristwatches. If the images include children or infants and Mom is going to have her arms around them a lot, then avoid bracelets that will be distracting. Please trim, file, and remove old polish from your finger and toenails. Check your children for band-aids, temporary tattoos and hand-stamps as these cannot be removed later. Lotion prevents your skin from looking itchy and dry.
Final thoughts:
Using these tips to help you decide what to wear for your family portrait session will ensure that your images have a timeless and professional look.
Please visit our Family Portrait Gallery for more ideas.