What to Wear for Your Family Photo Session: A Fairfield County Photographer's Guide
Outfit questions are the number one thing families ask me after they book a session. And I get it, you're trying to wrangle clothes for multiple people, make everyone look cohesive, and not end up in something you'll regret in ten years. I've been photographing families across Fairfield County, CT and Westchester County, NY for years, and I've landed on a framework that works every single time. Here it is — and once you have it, the whole thing gets a lot simpler.
(And if you're specifically trying to figure out what to dress the kids in (fit, shoes, what to skip) I have a separate guide just for that: What Should My Kids Wear for a Family Photo Session? A Photographer's Do's and Don'ts
What Not to Wear for family pictures
Skip the matching outfits (even for twins & YOUNG CHILDREN)
My two oldest kids are girls and I LOVED buying them matching dresses when they were little. It’s so fun (and adorable) to buy matching clothes for kids for special occasions. But I don’t recommend it for styling your family for your photography session. As a photographer, I’m always trying to balance out people and colors within every shot I take, and matching outfits always means I’m a lot more limited on posing. Visually speaking, it’s a lot more interesting to see a variety of colors, patterns, and textures in the shots.
The 5-step outfit formula
1. Stick to a Color Palette of 3-4 tones
Pick your colors before you start shopping or pulling things from closets. Three to four tones is the sweet spot — any fewer and the look can feel flat, any more and it starts to compete for attention.
I photographed a family of six at Tarrywile Park in Danbury not long ago (two sets of twins, which is its own adventure!) and they built everything around yellow, blue, and sage green. Every outfit connected back to those three tones, and the result was a gallery that felt intentional without looking staged. That's exactly the goal.
Soft, muted tones photograph beautifully across every season and every location I shoot in Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Other options I recommend are dusty rose, sage, warm tan, slate blue, ivory, and olive. Bright primaries and neon colors aren’t ideal, as they pull the focus off of the faces of your family in pictures. They can also reflect those colors back onto your skin tones, and that doesn’t look natural.
2. Add ONE OR TWO Patterns, Sparingly
Patterns are what tie a family's look together, but they work best as the exception rather than the rule. For a family of four, one person in a pattern is ideal. For a family of six, two patterns look great. More than that and the frame starts to feel busy.
Florals and plaids are my favorites because they tend to pull in multiple palette colors naturally. If the plaid on your son's shirt contains blue, yellow, and green, it does a lot of the coordination work for you.
Avoid large logos, graphic tees, and novelty prints. They date quickly and pull focus away from faces — which is where you want the eye to go.
3. Mix in solids with interesting textureS
Solids aren't boring when they have texture. A waffle-knit henley, a linen button-down, a denim dress with ruffled straps, a thick cable-knit sweater — these add visual interest without competing with the pattern pieces.
Look for details like buttons, ruffles, smocking, lace trim, and interesting fabric weight. Two people in plain solid cotton can read flat on camera. Two people in textured solids look rich and layered.
4. Use neutrals to ground everything
Neutrals — cream, white, khaki, gray, and denim — are the glue of a well-coordinated family look. They work with almost any palette and give the eye a place to rest.
A dad in a white linen shirt and black pants can anchor a bold palette beautifully. A mom in a cream dress lets everyone else's colors shine. When in doubt, put one adult in a neutral and build outward from there.
5. Be Thoughtful About Bottoms
This step gets overlooked, but it matters. When everyone shows up in jeans — even if the tops have variety — the lower half of every frame looks monotonous. Mixing dresses, skirts, shorts, chinos, and jeans creates a much more visually dynamic image.
For a family with multiple boys, try one in khaki shorts, one in chambray pants, and one in overalls. Different silhouettes read as intentional coordination, not chaos.
One more tip
Moms, pick your outfit first. Once you're happy, comfortable, and confident in what you're wearing, choosing everyone else's look becomes much easier. The rest of the family's outfits can build around yours. And when you feel good, it shows in every single frame.
Just for JW Brown photography Clients
Every client who books a session with me gets access to a complimentary styling service. You share your preferred colors and overall vibe, and I'll pull together outfit suggestions for your whole family from across the web, with direct links to purchase at a range of price points. Check your closets first, fill in the gaps, and skip the mall entirely.
Ready to book a family session?
I photograph families throughout Fairfield County, CT, including Ridgefield, Westport, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Wilton, Norwalk, and Stamford, as well as families in Westchester County, NY, including Pound Ridge, Chappaqua, White Plains, and Bedford. Get in touch and let's find a date that works.
