If there’s one thing you’ll always treasure and never regret doing, it’s family photos. They capture moments in time that we can’t get back and will always cherish. Still, coordinating the event and choosing what everyone should wear for the pictures is often stressful. This is understandable, as these photos are an opportunity to freeze everyone in time that day with one good shot. To ease the stress, follow along as we discuss what to wear, what not to wear, and some outfit ideas for memorable family photos to get you started.

Why Coordinating Is Important

If you’re wondering if coordination is necessary for family photos, the answer is yes. This is mainly because coordinated outfits look better on camera. If you tell everyone to just show up wearing whatever they want, you may be in for a surprise when the result is a mismatched family portrait above the mantel. Also, when the outfits don’t go well together, your eyes have a hard time enjoying the picture when looking at it. The photo looks confusing. Therefore, plan outfits before picture day and have everyone’s outfits ready to go.

Some Good Clothing Ideas

In general, some types of clothing work best for family photos. These are little details you may not think of in the way a photographer would, but wearing certain apparel can contribute to excellent photos. Let’s look at the following list of things you should wear for pictures:

• Closed-toe shoes
• Clothes that fit well
• Patterns that coordinate
• Neutral colors
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Nice jeans
• Layers and textures

These aren’t hard and fast rules, but you can use the list as a guide when trying to decide what everyone should wear.

Some Bad Clothing Ideas

We must take the good with the bad, and some clothing ideas for family photos are just that—bad. The following is a list of clothing options to avoid on picture day:

• Baggy clothing
• Hats
• Clothes that leave nothing to the imagination
• Hoodies
• Solid white or black outfits
• Velcro shoes
• Running shoes
• Loud patterns
• Sleeveless shirts

One reason to avoid this type of clothing is so that you don’t regret it down the road. An outfit can look perfect in the mirror, but when you see the photo, you could wonder why no one stopped you.

Choose a Color Scheme

Stepping right into deciding which outfits to wear for memorable family photos is overwhelming if you don’t even know what colors you’d like. Choosing a color scheme before anything else helps narrow things down a bit.

Here are some attractive color schemes that are neutral yet anything but boring:

• Navy, tan, and cream
• Navy and white
• Navy and dark red
• Navy, yellow, and white
• Khaki and denim
• White and blush
• Tan and white
• Red, gray, and black
• Light blue with gray or white

No matter what color scheme you choose, make sure it’s something that flows naturally with your family’s aesthetic. And keep in mind that soft colors result in softer-looking photos. Conversely, bold or dark colors add contrast to the environment of the picture.

Outfit Ideas

Now that you know generally what clothing pieces to wear and some solid color schemes, let’s get into some outfit ideas for your family photos. There are many categories to choose from, and we are going to look at the following ones: hobbies, seasons, holidays, and recreating the past.

Hobbies

Using hobbies to coordinate the family for photos is a fun way to capture everyone’s personality that year. Just think of how you’ll smile when you look back and see what everyone was into. Here are a few ways to express hobbies in a photo while still maintaining a look that matches:

• Wear neutral colors that go well together, and have each person hold an item that shows their hobby. It might be something like a tennis racket, a camera, or a fishing rod.
• Allow everyone to wear gear that resembles their hobby, but limit the amount so it’s not a silly picture. For example, a baseball player could wear their baseball uniform but not the hat.
• Choose a hobby you all enjoy together, such as hiking, camping, or skiing, and dress accordingly.

Seasons

Coordinating with the seasons is a natural way to choose family photo outfits since we tend to choose clothing that goes with the current temperatures. Still, to look seasonal and coordinate, you can take it a step further with these outfit ideas:

• Florals and pastels in spring
• Shorts and summer dresses in summer
• Shades of browns and oranges in fall
• Cozy sweaters in reds and grays in winter

Holidays

What better way to memorialize family time than with a holiday theme for your family photos? It’s the perfect way to remember that holiday season and your time together. Here are some fun holiday looks for your pictures:

• Christmas sweaters
• Christmas pajamas
• Pastel tops and white bottoms for Easter
• Shades of browns and golds for Thanksgiving
• Red and pink for Valentine’s Day
• Red, white, and blue for Independence Day

These will vary depending on which holidays your family celebrates.

Recreating the Past

Have you ever looked at old family photos and remembered how warm your heart felt that day as the whole family matched their outfits and took beautiful pictures? Why not recreate that day? It’s even more fun if the kids were little and are now grown.

You don’t have to wear the exact same outfits, and it’s likely not possible years later. However, you can find something similar or in the same colors and put each person in the position they were in when the shot was originally taken.

Family portrait day should be fun—not stressful. Try to let go of perfection and just enjoy the moment.

At Tees2urdoor, we are the one-stop shop for picture-perfect coordinated outfits. We make matching the family easy anytime, especially for holiday portraits, with things like Thanksgiving tee shirts and accessories to match. It’s easy to look like you planned any event for weeks when Tees2urdoor gets you dressed. Contact us, and we’ll be happy to help you pick out the right tops and accessories for yourself and your family.