It’s that time of year! Spring and Summer style guides are here for the ultimate inspiration! If you have an upcoming session, take note of these different styles, the colors chosen, and a few tips for styling your crew that I’ll share along the way!

PS – each style graphic listed here is linked to my LIKEtoKNOW.it profile where each clothing article is linked (along with a few other options that would also work well) to make shopping the pieces that much easier!

I truly believe that what you wear to your session makes all the difference on the final look of your images. Yes, location matters and so does having a knowledgeable and capable professional photographer that knows how to shoot technically and pose you comfortably and flatteringly. But what you wear and how you style your family is what brings it all together in a beautiful way. I promise, if you take the time to plan out your outfits, avoid little details that can be distracting, and invest in needed clothing pieces, it will be so worth it in the long run! And when you’re willing to do that, I believe you will love your images that much more!

Each style of this Spring and Summer Style Guide was created with versatility in mind. That way, no matter what kind of session you are preparing for (family, maternity, engagement, etc.), the ages of your kids, or the ranges of budgets, there is something here for everyone! The goal here is not to have you buy each piece of the style you love the most (I mean unless you really want to), but more so to give you an idea of how to coordinate your crew and what photographs beautifully! Don’t let outfit planning stress you out! If you need assistance, feel free to reach out! I love to help my clients in this way if it means they can show us feeling less stressed, more confident, and ready to enjoy their session!

PRO TIP: Pick your (mom) outfit first! It’s easier to plan everyone else’s outfits once you know you have an outfit for yourself that you really love and feel confident wearing. If you feel insecure about something you’re in, don’t wear it! And also, don’t be afraid to do whatever it takes (professional hair and make up, nails done, new dress or outfit you love, etc) to make you feel beautiful! Feeling confident in what you’re wearing and how you look will help you to love the outcome of your images even more. Trust me on this! If you don’t feel good about yourself during your session, you’re not going to love how you look in your images. Confidence really is key!

The goal when styling your family is to not match, but coordinate (no straight out of the 90s matching white shirts and kaki pants, okay?). Think about planning EACH outfit with a “dominant” color or shade in mind. If you have a great patterned dress/outfit for you or your daughter, use that pattern and the colors within it to establish your color palette and build your family’s outfits off that. Florals will always be your friend. I always recommend sticking to lightweight fabrics and softer muted colors as these tend to photograph the best!

THINGS TO THAT MAKE OR BREAK AN OUTFIT:

If your man has his shirt tucked in, make sure he’s also wearing a belt that matches his shoes.

Speaking of shoes… Nothing can make or break an outfit like the shoes! Let’s leave the flip flops and tennis shoes at home, even for the kids! Men should always wear close-toed (might I even add, dress) shoes and kiddos don’t need to wear play shoes. A pair a heels, nice sandals, brown casual dress boots, or nice dress sneakers are the way to go! Can you tell I’m passionate about the shoes!? 

On that same thought, make sure the socks are good too. More than likely you will be sitting at some point in your session, and typically when sitting the socks are seen. Just keep that in mind!

Logos shouldn’t be seen. I understand that some dress shirts tend to have the brand’s small logo on the chest, and that’s fine. But I would try to stay away from anything that has a name brand or larger logo noticeable. Also, things like tv shows characters, animals and butterflies, etc. can easily distract and date your images. When choosing your children’s clothing, try to keep them simple and timeless.

Bright and bold colors or patterns can photograph harshly, so sticking to soft, muted colors will photograph best! If you are going to choose a pattern, look for very light and subtle patterns. These can be pleasing to the eye and photograph nicely, whereas some pinstripes or plaids can show up distorted and distracting on camera.

Nails – paint or nails and don’t forget the toes! This subtle tip can make a huge difference and make you look even more polished! *pun intended*

Texture, texture, texture! You’ll notice that so many of these clothing items have some type of texture. This is a GREAT way to add visual interest to your outfits in a simple way. Instead of finding a simple pink dress, find a pink dress with some ruffles on it or in a flow fabric that will add some natural movement to your images. Instead of a solid colored shirt, find something with a heathered look to it. Not everyone needs texture to their outfit, but adding a few pieces here and there will make a big difference! The camera loves layers, texture, and movement, so keep that in mind!

LTK does include commissionable links, which basically just means that I might receive a small, and I mean very small, commission if you purchase anything through my links. Every link click and purchase made through these link is so greatly appreciated and helps me to continue sharing resources like this all for you!