Jesse Coulter

I'm excited to have my friend and wonderful photographer, Kim of Kim Neuman Photography, talk about what to wear for your family photos! Kim took Turner's 2 year old photos last month, and I can't wait for our family photos. I'll be taking tips from Kim, because it is not as easy as I thought coordinating outfits for my family.

"It’s that time of year again!  Your family’s holiday card is going to be the best on everyone’s mantel.  You have your favorite photographer booked. You’ve picked out a super cute location and your session will be during golden hour so you get that warm, glowing light that is oh so flattering. But what are you going to wear?? That is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? It certainly is one that most of my clients seem to struggle with, and I’m sure you are too! Don’t worry, you are not alone and I’m here to offer you some pieces of advice.

I always suggest my clients start with whomever is going to be the most difficult family member to dress. That may be dad, baby sister, teenage brother, or even mom. No matter who it is, start with him or her because you will build your wardrobe around that outfit, instead of running around town trying to find something he or she will wear that fits in with everyone else. Trust me on this!

I recommend three or four colors. We definitely don’t want everyone wearing the same exact outfit; that is terribly dated and you will not love those images. Finding outfits that coordinate is a bit more work, but totally worth the effort! You can choose color families (earth tones, jewel tones, etc.) or you can go for complimentary colors (colors that are opposites on the color wheel). I’m not saying that you have to go with bright purple and bright yellow, but you could use gray as your main color and throw in buttery yellow shades and deep purples. There are many different ways to work in your colors. I love layers and accessories.  Think earrings, necklaces, hats, scarves, belts, and headbands. 

I recommend giving yourself a good two to three weeks to get your outfits together to find sizes and correct colors, especially if you are ordering online.  It might be a good idea to buy a few different things for your children to see what they are comfortable in.  Make sure to keep those receipts handy!   

Please don’t forget footwear!  We don’t want your running shoes in your family photo, friends.  I know it sounds like a relatively small detail, and they probably won’t be in every picture, but they are really important.  If you’ve spent the time and the money on getting professional portraits, those dingy whites Nikes are going to ruin the shot.  Again, trust me on this!

My final recommendation, for mom, is to try on your outfit and have someone snap a picture of you in it.  That way you’ll know how you look in it and if you truly like it.  We all know that looking in the mirror is totally different than looking at a picture of yourself!  And, we also know that if mom doesn’t like how SHE looks in the picture, she doesn’t like the picture, no matter how perfect everyone else is!

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful and here are some of my go-to places for family outfits:  GAP, Old Navy, Zara, H&M, Matilda Jane Clothing, and J. Crew/Crewcuts. You don’t need to get everyone’s outfits from the same place! Nordstrom is a great place to go if you need to grab a pair of shoes for the kiddos. Enjoy pulling your wardrobe together!"