One of the most common reasons families put off a portrait session is because coordinating outfits for everyone feels overwhelming.
That’s where we love to help!
The truth is, what you wear has a huge impact on the finished artwork.
The right wardrobe helps create portraits that feel polished, connected, and timeless, especially for multi-generation portraits.
The wrong outfit choice can distract from what matters most: your family!
The good news?
You don’t need a closet full of new clothes or perfectly matching outfits. With a little planning, I can help you create a look that reflects your family’s personality while ensuring your portraits will look beautiful for years to come.
START WITH A COLOR PALETTE
The easiest way to coordinate your family’s outfits is to choose a color palette instead of trying to make everyone match.
When selecting a palette, we’ll consider the style of the portrait as well as the colors of the room where the final artwork will live in your home.
We recommend aiming for 3-5 complementary colors, then let each family member choose outfits that fit their personality within that palette.
This creates variety, depth, and a much more natural look.
Of course, I’ll help recommend clothing styles for everyone, and I invite family members to text me their options to help narrow down choices!
COMMON COLOR COMBINATIONS
EARTHY TONES
Neutral palettes of cream, brown, white, and gray paired with shades of olive green, rust, and other soft hues provide a harmonious balance that makes for a timeless portraits. These shades are also becoming very popular for homes, ensuring your portrait art will complement your interior style.
WHITE WITH DENIM
This classic combination feels clean, timeless, and effortlessly relaxed as family members can select a white cotton top with denim for a cohesive look. Adding in white dresses with denim jackets or similar layers can also help switch up the look.
CRISP NEUTRALS
Whites, creams, browns, tans, and camel hues may seem simple at first, but when combined together, this palette creates an editorial feel that combines beautifully with many modern home styles.
BLUES AND NEUTRALS
A cocktail formal style is the perfect balance between casual and formal. Whether your family choose khaki with navy, dusty blue with gray and white, or a combination of blue hues. Families tend to have more wardrobe options within these palettes and can select between dresses, sport coats, and dress shirts or blouses.
PASTELS WITH DENIM
Think blush, sage, sky blue, lavender, butter yellow, peach, and cream with a light or medium-wash denim. This palette creates portraits that feel light, joyful, and full of connection.
JEWEL TONES
When balanced right, vibrant colors like royal blue, red, green, and mustard yellow can create an energetic color palette that pairs beautifully with a home that loves pops of color.
NAVY WITH BURGUNDY
This color palette sets a tone for warmth with sophistication. Add cream, camel, or soft gray accents to balance the palette. For more options, swap the burgundy for mustard yellow, dusty pink, sage, or forest green.
BLACK & DARKER TONES
For families who prefer a more formal, refined editorial style, black or deep navy are great options for a timeless look. Add small pops of white or cream to provide more balance. The simplicity allows the focus to stay on your faces and your connections. Mixing different fabrics, subtle textures, and some grays keeps the overall look elegant without feeling flat.
THINK TIMELESS
These portraits aren’t just for today. They are meant to be heirlooms that tell your family’s story for decades to come.
That’s why I encourage families to choose classic clothing, typically solid colors with layers and simple jewelry or accessories. Wear clothing and shoes that you feel comfortable in and that fit properly.
Avoid clothes with loud or busy patterns, logo’ed items, neon colors, or fast-moving fashion trends that can date your portraits.
Your family’s faces should be the first thing you notice when you look at the portrait. Don’t let your clothing compete for the viewer’s attention! Simple, well-fitting clothing in harmonious colors keeps the attention on the people in the portrait!
PLANNING AHEAD
A little preparation makes portrait day much more enjoyable.
A few recommendations:
Dry clean and iron clothing in advance
Schedule haircuts or hair color touch-ups, spray tans, or manicures several days before your session
Place all outfits, shoes, and accessories together the night before your session so you are not scrambling the day of.
Pack a water bottle and a non-messy snack for younger children
If your pet is joining the session, take them for a walk beforehand and bring treats, water, a small dish, and a leash or carrier/travel habitat.
Give yourself plenty of time to get ready so everyone arrives relaxed.
When you work with Block Portrait Studios, you can send outfit snapshots to us, and we’ll give you recommendations and feedback to help narrow your choices even further!
As a full-service studio, we do more than take the photos; we help you through the entire process from start to finish.
We hope you are now feeling more confident about what to wear to your session!
