Dress for Success: The Dos and Don’ts of Dressing for your Family Session

Now that family session season is back and in full swing, I wanted to address (get it?!) a question I get asked often: How do I dress for my portrait session?

While I am far from a fashionista, after photographing hundreds of families in the Ridgefield area and beyond, I’ve come to realize that there are a few, tried and true tips for dressing best for photographs. To break it down, I’ve created some Dos and Don’ts of how to approach dressing you and your family for your portrait session. 

Do - consider prints and patterns. But keep prints and patterns to one person in your family, and dress everyone else in colors and shades that coordinate with that pattern. Soft colors and neutral shades always work beautifully. 

Don’t - wear large logos or tops with writing or lettering. Whatever the shirt says inevitably distracts from the subjects - all of you - and ends up dating photographs over time. At the end of the day, I want what you want: to give you timeless photographs that focus on the connections you have with your family. Not on what you’re wearing. ;)

Do - dress yourself first, Mama. While I know that you’re used to putting everyone else’s needs before your own, this is not the time for that. Once you’ve picked the outfit that makes YOU feel comfortable and confident, you can focus on everyone else. Because we know that if Mama’s happy, everyone’s happy. 

Don’t - wear athletic sneakers if you can avoid it. Instead, choose footwear like loafers, boots, slip-ons or even bare feet – no footwear at all. Athletic sneakers can be bold and distracting and again, we want these photographs to be about you and your people – not a bold swoosh. 

Do - remove smartwatches and hair ties from your wrists.

Don’t - skimp out on hair and makeup if it would make you feel more confident. These photos will be shared on social media and displayed in your home for years to come. If you can, make the investment in looking and feeling your best. While professional hair and makeup, I know, isn’t for everyone, in my experience, it makes everyone feel so much more camera ready, and that confidence shines through. And if you need recommendations, there are several superb local MUAs I can connect you to!

Do - consider soft neutrals over black, which doesn’t photograph well, even though we all love to wear it. Myself included. :) Also consider flowy dresses, even if that’s not something you or your daughters wear every day. Long dresses are universally flattering and the movement makes magic happen in photographs. 

And finally, my number one tip when it comes to dressing for your photo session is to make sure everyone is comfortable. Shoes that don’t fit, pants that are too tight, and outfits you don’t feel like yourself in show up on your faces. We want to bring ease, joy and confidence to the session so that you have a FUN and beautiful experience, and photographs that show it. 

Any questions? Shoot me an email and I’m happy to chat!