“What should we wear?”
After a client books a photo session, a frequent question we get is, “what should we wear?”
We genuinely love documenting lifestyle sessions because clients can incorporate their home and their style into the session. Lifestyle sessions are natural and so spontaneous that you can clearly feel the love between those people when looking at those photos.
But here’s the thing: Dressy or casual? Colourful or neutral? Classic or trendy? We don’t usually dictate rules on how the family should dress during the sessions, but it’s good to aim for a balance in the outfits to achieve harmonious images.
Here are some tips on what to wear when planning an About Love session:
As long as there is a balance between the outfits, we get harmonious images and the emotions stand out in the photo.
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___________Patterns
To be honest, we don’t recommend patterns for the photo session. However, if that type of clothing is something you love and wear so often it could describe your personality, why not wear it? But one piece of advice, if you prefer to wear some type of pattern: Avoid having more than one person in a print.
If someone is wearing plaid, for example, avoid having another pattern, like stripes or floral. Try something simple for the other family members: a white T-shirt and jeans or black pants.
You can also try having the top in solid or pastel colours that harmonize with the patterned outfit.
Take a Look:
If the mom or dad is wearing a pattern, try something simple for the other family members: a solid top and jeans or black pants look great.
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Neutrals
We always suggest a neutral palette.
Neutrals aren’t just about a white T-shirt. Colours like grey, cream, blush, light blue, etc. are considered a tonal palette. The most important part is that the colours complement each other, so we recommend three or four colours (including denim) at most.
Men might have trouble finding shirts without a pattern; in that case, a sweater over top is a great suggestion:
Look how light and airy the photos turn out 🤍
Look at the knitwear!
Yarns add texture to the photos and make everything feel more romantic and cozy. Be careful about adding more information to the combination (other patterns and other textures). In the right amount, it looks very beautiful to see 🙂
Classic or modern?
If the mom is wearing a casual dress and the dad is dressed formally, it creates an imbalance.
That imbalance is what we have to prevent so we have images that are pleasing to the eye.
If one dresses casually, the other family members should follow the same style.
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Some palettes for you to get inspired by:
Blush and light blue are always a winning combination!
Earthy tones work in any season. Whether they’re cool, medium, or warm:
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Marsala and other bold solid colours:
Sometimes, taking a risk is the way to go! Some people don’t want to risk wearing a very strong colour, but if you know how to combine neutral tones with the burgundy, for example, it results in a super interesting palette!
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Still unsure?
When in doubt, consult Pinterest, a stylist, or visit local boutiques to help you decide what to wear for our photo shoot. A professional can help, even if you plan to work within the wardrobe you already own (which I prefer, because your current clothes show your style) and don’t plan to buy more than one or two pieces. They alone can already take your style to the next level.
What matters is that everyone is comfortable and in simpler designs. You’ll show off your style, and your photos will always look current 🙂
Tags: Photo session looks, choosing outfits for photos, best colours for family photos, what to wear for a photo shoot
