Planning a family photoshoot is exciting, but one big question always comes up: what should we wear? Outfits play a huge role in the final images. The right choices create timeless photos, while the wrong ones can feel distracting or dated.
This guide makes dressing for your session simple. Instead of generic advice, you’ll find specific, actionable tips to create a look that feels coordinated, authentic, and beautiful. From colour palettes to location-based choices, these eight essentials will help you feel prepared and confident. With the right approach, your family will look and feel amazing — and your photos will become memories you’ll treasure for years.
1. Coordinate Colours, Don’t Match Exactly
When planning what to wear for family photography, aim for connection and harmony, not identical outfits. Skip the old “white shirts and denim” look and choose a coordinated colour palette instead. Pick a set of complementary tones, then dress each person in different shades and textures from that palette. The result feels authentic, stylish, and timeless.
This approach highlights each person’s personality while keeping the whole family visually connected. It avoids a staged look and creates depth, balance, and interest in your final images — like painting with harmonious colours on a single canvas.
Actionable Tips for Success
To ensure your outfits work together perfectly on the day, follow these simple steps:
- Start with One Outfit: Find one piece you absolutely love, perhaps a patterned dress for your daughter or a favourite shirt for your partner. Use the colours in that item to build the rest of the family’s wardrobe.
- Visualise the Palette: Use tools like Pinterest to search for colour palette inspiration. Searching “family photo colour schemes” will give you endless ideas.
- Lay It All Out: Before the shoot, lay every piece of clothing out together on a bed or the floor. This is the most crucial step. It allows you to see how the colours, textures, and patterns interact and make any necessary adjustments.
- Consider Your Location: Match your colour palette to your session’s backdrop. Earthy tones work wonderfully in a park, while blues and whites are perfect for the beach.
2. Choose Timeless Over Trendy
When deciding what to wear for family photography, choose timeless pieces over fleeting trends. That puff-sleeve top or neon jacket might look fun now, but fashion changes fast. Classic clothing keeps your portraits elegant and ensures the focus stays on connection, not a passing style.
Timeless outfits also give your photos longevity. They’ll look just as beautiful on your wall in twenty years as they do today. Classic styles turn family portraits into heirlooms — images that carry grace, sophistication, and memories for generations.
You can explore more ideas on creating enduring images in our guide to family portrait photos.
Actionable Tips for Success
To ensure your family’s outfits create a classic and cohesive look, follow these simple guidelines:
- Avoid Large Logos and Graphics: Clothing with prominent branding or loud cartoon characters can instantly date a photo and draw attention away from your faces.
- Focus on Fit and Fabric: Well-fitting clothes look more polished and intentional. Choose quality fabrics that hang nicely and feel comfortable, as this will help everyone relax during the shoot.
- Think in Layers: Adding a classic blazer, a simple cardigan, or a denim jacket can add texture and dimension to an outfit while keeping the overall look timeless.
- Prioritise Simplicity: When in doubt, simpler is almost always better. A beautifully simple, well-made garment will outshine a complicated, trendy piece every time. This approach is fundamental to achieving elegant family photography what to wear results.
3. Layer for Visual Interest and Texture
Adding layers is a simple way to create depth and dimension when planning what to wear for family photography. A cardigan, denim jacket, vest, or scarf over a base outfit adds instant texture and visual interest. Layers break up solid blocks of colour and give your family’s look a polished, dynamic feel.
Layering also keeps things practical. You can change the vibe of an outfit by adding or removing a piece, and in Melbourne’s unpredictable weather, extra knits or jackets keep everyone comfortable. It’s an easy way to look stylish and stay relaxed throughout your session.
Actionable Tips for Success
To master the art of layering for your family photos, keep these tips in mind:
- Mix Textures: Combine different materials like denim, soft knits, linen, and corduroy. The contrast between textures, such as a smooth cotton dress under a rougher denim jacket, adds significant visual appeal.
- Ensure a Good Base Fit: The item underneath your layer should fit well on its own. A bulky base layer will make the outer layer look clumsy and ill-fitting.
- Stick to Your Colour Palette: Make sure your layers and accessories all belong to the coordinated colour palette you’ve chosen. A rust-coloured cardigan, for instance, should complement the other earthy tones in the family’s outfits.
- Keep It Practical: Don’t overdo it, especially with young children who might feel restricted. Choose layers that are easy to remove and comfortable to wear for the duration of the shoot.
4. Avoid Busy Patterns and Logos
When planning what to wear for family photography, avoid busy patterns, big logos, and bold graphics. These draw attention away from the connection and emotion that matter most. Choose solid colours or subtle, classic patterns instead. This keeps your portraits timeless, elegant, and focused on your family’s story.
Simple, uncluttered outfits create a clean visual canvas. They let personalities and relationships shine without distraction. The result is sophisticated images that look just as beautiful in twenty years as they do today.
Actionable Tips for Success
To ensure your clothing choices enhance your photos rather than distract from them, use these practical tips:
- The “One Pattern” Rule: Strictly limit your selections to one patterned piece for the entire family. This item can act as the anchor for your colour palette, as discussed in our previous point.
- Scale is Everything: If you do choose a pattern, ensure it is small and understated. Bold, geometric prints or wide, contrasting stripes can create a jarring effect on camera and date your photos quickly.
- The Quick Photo Test: Unsure if a pattern is too busy? Take a quick photo of the outfit with your phone. The camera often exaggerates patterns, and this will give you a clear idea of how it will look in the final shots.
- No Logos Allowed: Large logos, brand names, and character graphics are the biggest culprits in dating photos and drawing the eye away from faces. If a favourite shirt has a small logo, consider turning it inside-out if the fabric allows, or simply choose another option.
5. Consider Your Background and Location
Your family are the stars, but the setting plays an important role too. When planning what to wear for family photography, always consider the location. Outfits should complement the background, not clash with it, creating balance and letting your family shine naturally.
Matching your wardrobe to the environment makes the final portraits feel cohesive and intentional. A modern outfit works well in the city but may look out of place in a rustic field. By aligning clothing with the setting, you enhance the mood and create images that feel timeless and beautifully curated.
Actionable Tips for Success
To ensure your outfits are perfectly suited to your location, follow these simple guidelines:
- Scout the Location: If possible, visit the location beforehand at a similar time of day as your shoot. Alternatively, ask your photographer for recent photos of the area to get a feel for the colours and lighting.
- Avoid a Direct Match: The goal is to complement, not camouflage. If your backdrop is a wall of green trees, wearing shades of blue, cream, or rust will create a beautiful separation and make your family the focal point.
- Consider Contrast: Think about creating a visual pop. Lighter-coloured outfits often stand out beautifully against darker, moodier backdrops, while darker tones can look striking against a bright, airy setting.
- Discuss With Your Photographer: Your photographer is an expert on their favourite locations. Have a conversation with them about what colours and styles work best for your chosen spot. For more detailed guidance, White Salt Photography provides excellent advice on what to wear for your Melbourne photography session.
6. Ensure Comfort and Proper Fit
Beyond colours and styles, the most important factor is comfort and fit. Ill-fitting clothes make people self-conscious, which often leads to stiff poses and forced smiles. When outfits feel good, everyone relaxes, interacts naturally, and lets their true personalities shine.
Comfort is key to authentic photos. A child tugging at an itchy sweater or a parent adjusting a tight shirt won’t be fully present. Choose well-fitting outfits that allow easy movement — sitting, walking, and even playing — so your images feel natural, dynamic, and full of genuine connection.
Actionable Tips for Success
To guarantee comfort on the day, a little preparation goes a long way. These steps will help you avoid any wardrobe-related stress.
- Conduct a Full Dress Rehearsal: Have every family member try on their complete outfit-including shoes and accessories-well before the session. This is your chance to spot any issues.
- Test the Outfits: Don’t just stand in front of a mirror. Ask everyone to sit, walk, squat, and lift their arms. This simulates the movements during a photoshoot and reveals any fit problems.
- Consider Tailoring: A small investment in tailoring can make a huge difference. Hemming trousers or taking in the waist of a dress can elevate an off-the-rack item into a perfectly fitted piece.
- Prioritise Familiar Styles: While a new outfit is exciting, it’s often better to stick with familiar cuts and fabrics that you know are comfortable. This isn’t the best time to experiment with a brand-new, untested trend. By ensuring everyone is comfortable, you’re setting the stage for a relaxed and enjoyable experience, which is the foundation of a stress-free family photography session.
7. Plan for Different Ages and Personalities
A successful family portrait captures real connection, and that starts with comfort. When planning adapt outfits to suit each person’s age, style, and personality. Forcing a toddler into a stiff suit or a teen into clothes they dislike only leads to stress and fake smiles.
By honouring individual preferences, you create a space where everyone feels relaxed and authentic. This approach keeps your look coordinated while allowing each personality to shine. The result is joyful, genuine images — and a session everyone actually enjoys.
Actionable Tips for Success
Follow these steps to ensure every family member feels their best:
- Involve Everyone in Planning: Start the conversation early. Show older children and teens the colour palette and ask for their input on styles they like.
- Offer Pre-Approved Choices: Instead of dictating an exact outfit, give options. For a teenager, you might say, “You can wear either these navy chinos or your dark-wash jeans, paired with this cream or grey knit.”
- Prioritise Comfort Above All: This is especially true for kids. If they’re uncomfortable, it will show in the photos. A happy child in a simple, comfy outfit is always better than a grumpy child in a “perfect” but restrictive one.
- Do a Dress Rehearsal: Have everyone try on their full outfit before the shoot day. This helps you spot any issues, like itchy tags, uncomfortable shoes, or awkward fits, giving you time to make adjustments.
8. Prepare Backup Options and Final Details
Even the best-planned outfits can face surprises on the day of your family photography session — a spilled drink, sudden weather change, or a scuffed shoe. Bringing backup clothing and handling final styling details ensures the session runs smoothly and keeps everyone relaxed.
Planning ahead for small things makes a big difference. Managing details like flyaway hair or an uncomfortable child prevents stress and keeps the focus on connection. This preparation turns a potentially chaotic shoot into a calm, enjoyable experience, resulting in polished, timeless images.
Actionable Tips for Success
To ensure you arrive at your session feeling calm and fully prepared, follow these final steps:
- Pack a “Go Bag”: The day before, assemble your styling kit and any backup clothing in a separate bag. This keeps everything organised and easy to access without rummaging through your main bags.
- Iron Everything the Night Before: Wrinkles and creases show up prominently in high-resolution photos. Iron or steam every single garment, including backups, the evening before your shoot and hang them up or lay them flat for transport.
- Do a Final Outfit Check: Before you leave the house, have everyone get dressed and do one last inspection in good light. Check for stains, loose threads, or awkward fits. This is your last chance to make a swap at home.
Bringing It All Together for Your Photoshoot
Choosing what to wear for family photography can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, styling becomes a fun and creative part of the process. From colour palettes to timeless styles, every detail works together to create harmony that lets your family’s connection shine.
Think of your outfits as one collective look. Each person adds a note to the chord, and together you create a beautiful balance. Avoid loud logos or clashing patterns, and instead focus on complementary tones, simple textures, and classic silhouettes. The result feels polished, authentic, and timeless.
These photographs will become heirlooms — images that hang on your walls, fill your albums, and get passed down for generations. By investing thought into your wardrobe, you’re not just choosing clothes; you’re curating a legacy of love and connection.
Ready to create timeless, heartfelt portraits of your own family? At White Salt Photography, we specialise in capturing the authentic, unposed moments that define your family’s story. We guide our Melbourne clients through every step, including personalised advice on what to wear for your family photography session, to ensure a relaxed and beautiful experience. Book your session with White Salt Photography today and let’s create something beautiful together.
