7 Tips on Dressing For A Stress Free At-Home Photoshoot

It is the first question every family asks their photographer after they’ve booked their portrait session. “What do we wear?!” Deciding what to wear can be just as challenging as finding the perfect photographer. These are photos you are going to share on social media, hang on your walls and cherish for years to come. It can seem overwhelming when considering what to wear but it doesn’t need to be. I’ve learned a lot over the years of helping my families simplify choosing outfits and looking picture perfect. And I want to share my favorite tips for what to wear in family photos with you!

Start With Mom’s Outfit

Let’s be honest, we are often more picky about how we look, and moms are typically pulling the outfits together anyways. Wear an outfit you feel great in! Please do not feel like you have to dress to the nines for the photo shoot. Relaxed and casual clothing like jeans and a t-shirt or light shirt/blouse or a floaty dress work particularly well for an at-home session. Clothing that is too formal may make it harder for you feel relaxed and in the moment. If you’d like to get a more formal shot then have that outfit on standby. You’ll be at-home so it’s no big deal to have a quick wardrobe change.

Coordinate Don’t Match

Today’s family pictures are more about coordinating than matching. Each person in your family can dress in a way that fits their own personality and you can still look pulled together in your family pictures. Start by picking a color palette and then add in accessories to pull the whole look together. For big family shots this can be particularly helpful advice. Telling everyone to wear what you want as long is it’s cream, navy or yellow for example, can help make picture day planning so much easier on everyone. Click HERE for color and outfit inspiration for the whole family.

Watch That Watch

Do you really want to wear your watch in your family photos? Yes, if it’s a piece of jewelry. No, if it’s constantly lighting up with incoming text notifications. It’s a great idea to skip the watch for the shoot. This applies to hair ties too!

Empty Your Pockets

Pocket bulges from phones and car keys don’t ruin a photo, but they sure do make your pants look silly!

Newborn Outfits

I think less is more when it comes to dressing your newborn. A plain or neutral onesie or snug fitting jammies is perfect attire for your babe. I’m sure you’ve received a ton of swaddle/receiving blankets over these past several months, chose a few of your favorites to have on hand for your photographer. Don’t worry about swaddling, your newborn photographer is likely a pro in this department. And, if you want some shots in that cute little outfit that is completely impractical but you had to buy it anyway, just have it ready to go. A quick outfit change isn’t a big deal if baby is still calm and happy at the end of the shoot.

Get Some Pro Help

Consider hiring a professional hair and makeup artist to come to your home before the shoot. This might seem like an unnecessary expense at first but I can promise you that having this help on picture day will be a good investment!

What-about Those Toes?

Like with the outfit, casual is best. Bare-feet, socks or even slippers are all great options!

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