Fall family photo season is officially upon us!

The slight change in weather and the fall colors are the perfect time to get those family photos updated. Just in time for the holidays too! This is also a great time to take engagement photos as I did.

One of the most exciting things about scheduling your fall photo session, or engagement session in case, is planning your outfits, am I right?

As a bride, I was so excited about what outfits to wear for our engagement shoot and what my fiance should wear as well. I spent hours searching online for inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram and online shopping to pick out the perfect combos for dreamy shots and if picking out the perfect wardrobe stresses you out then I’m here to help you decide what to wear for your fall family photo session!

There are a few rules and tricks that can help when it comes to your fall photo session, especially when it comes to clothing choices. You’re not going to want any logos on your clothing, no crazy patterns, and don’t match too much. It’s easy to fall into the idea that you should match to show that you’re a family, but that can actually cause the photos to come out looking cheesy and dated. We recommend bringing a few different staple options just in case.

When it comes to your outfits, it’s better to think simple.

With family photoshoots, it might seem easy to start with the kid’s outfits and then move to the parents. It’s okay to think of yourself first and what you want to wear and what you feel comfortable in. No matter what, the kids are going to be adorable in whatever they wear and it’s important to love the pictures, so it’s okay to think of yourself first and choose your outfit first.

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Tips for Your Photo-Ready Outfit

The first thing to think about when choosing your outfit is to think about those features on yourself that you love to show off. Is it your legs, your back, your hair?

Show off the features you love and be conscious of the parts you might be self-conscious about, like your arms. If it’s your arms, opt for a long sleeve dress, or jacket like I did.

Dressy Versus Casual

Once you have an idea of the direction you want to go for your outfits, whether it’s a dressier outfit with a dress or skirt or a casual outfit with jeans, it’ll be easier to decide what the rest of the family will wear.

We recommend if you’re going for a dressier outfit, to make sure your family is a bit dressier as well. You don’t want to stick out too much.

For this outfit, I went more dressy with my outfit with the leather skirt and white shirt. I also knew I wanted a hat since that adds such an added element to the look. I wanted my fiance to coordinate a bit with me and didn’t want us to look too dressy. So we went with a simple black undershirt to compliment my hat and skirt and then paired it with a neutral-colored flannel and jeans to keep the look more casual.

Having two sets of outfits will help with this as well. Have a dressier option and a more casual outfit. Wear a dress or skirt for your more dressy option and dress the kids and partner in a dressier outfit as well. A dress shirt, or nicer button-down for the guys, and dresses, skirts, and button-down for the kids.

Choosing a Color Palette

When it comes to family photos, we recommend sticking to a more neutral color palette. Pick two to three colors you like and you think would look good for the season. Then from there, coordinate your outfits.

The key is to not be matchy-matchy but instead, play off of the colors of each other.

In this outfit for our engagement pictures, I went with a black tank top, jeans, knee-high boots, and a camel coat. I wanted Cooper to play off of those tones, so we paired with khakis and a burgundy button-down. Again, we complemented each other with the dressy versus casual and had both tones in our outfits. My knee-high boots and Cooper’s button-down brought out the dressy, while my jeans and tank top toned it down.

We kept the fall color palette that we wanted to go for with the natural tones and a pop of a dark color – the black and burgundy – to play off of the fall vibes we were going for.

Add Variety with Subtle Patterns & Textures

To add depth and to make sure there isn’t too much matching going on, create dimension by having mostly solid colors solids with a few coordinating subtle patterns and textures.

Cooper matched my simple black and white outfit with his flannel. I also wore a leather skirt, so that again brought out the differences.

Don’t go too bold, though. Avoid large or bold prints that can distract the eye from the overall photo. Layers are also a great way to add variety, like Cooper wearing his flannel unbuttoned with another shirt underneath, or how I layered my black tank top with my camel coat. It’s also a way to create another outfit without having to completely change.

Coordinate with Your Interior Style

How you decide to style and decorate your home says a lot about you, your personality, and your style. Consider coordinating your outfits to the decor you use in your house, as you will most likely display your photos on your walls or somewhere around your house.

Be Comfortable

The most important thing to remember when it comes to family photos is you want to feel comfortable in what you’re eating and you want to look at those pictures and love them.

Choose clothing that allows you to move comfortably and freely and outfits that feel good on you.

For guys, this means that shirts that look well untucked are usually better since they’ll be moving around. Maybe picking kids up or lifting up his partner.

When it comes to planning what to wear for your family photo session it’s important to remember that coordinating color combos are much better than matching to the same color.

Don’t be afraid to go bold or layer and add texture.

Wear the hat or add the bow or little tie for the kiddos to add that fun element.

Check out these outfits combinations we came up with for each person in your family.