This is one of my most frequently asked questions, and definitely one I know most people worry about (or get excited about!) when they decide to invest in a portrait session with a photographer…what should they wear?!  Like I mentioned in my wedding planning post, in the end, you need to be happy with what you have chosen, regardless of what that means or who’s rules your clothing follows- so that is the first thing to keep in mind!  I think at this point, most people know that MATCHING, everyone in the exact same shade of the same color, is really not the most modern or visually appealing way to go.

The main concept to go for is coordinating!  You want to wear outfits that coordinate with each other, and have some elements that go together without being too matchy matchy.  I will show some examples of this in a bit, but first, some ground rules!

1). It is ideal to pick one or two colors that you like together, and then add in a neutral of some sort.  My favorite neutrals are grey, navy, or cream…I’m not sure if those technically are neutral colors, but they REALLY tie in other colors together in a very modern way.  You could also choose a color “palette” to go with.  Some examples could be: “earth tones” (browns, greens, beiges, creams), “neutral colors” (grays, creams, beiges, muted light colors), “jewel tones” (deep and dark purples, pinks, blues, or teals), or another palette, and have everyone stay within your palette but wear whatever they want!

2). I think often families decide to tell everyone to “just wear a black top and jeans”, because surely everyone has a black top!  The truth is that ALL black and ALL white don’t always photograph wonderfully because they often really wash out people’s skin tones.  While black can be very slimming, any dark color will have the same effect!

3). While subtle patterns (or one bold pattern on just one person) photograph wonderfully, insignia and logos usually do not.  Try to avoid these- they just draw attention but without real purpose.

4). Layers!!! If there is one rule I could emphasize for everyone, it is to include layers if you can! First, it can add variety by removing or adding a jacket, but even more so, they add such DEPTH to images!  If there are any opportunities for multiple layers, adding a vest, adding a coat, or a sweater, your images will look so much more cohesive and interesting!

5). Accessorize! Necklaces, scarves, a well placed hat- all of these things enhance your outfits so much and add such variety like layers do!   A bold pair of earrings or a statement necklace can add so much to an outfit!

Today, I am just going to show a few examples of WONDERFULLY coordinated families–next week I will walk through the process of creating these types of look that suite YOUR family!

An extended family…and layers, coordination, statement necklaces, and some pattern variety WITHOUT it being too busy- such a great job done here!

Must have been the year for blue- this group did a really good job too!
This smaller group from the extended family above has demonstrated the layers point PERFECTLY—everyone is wearing multiple layers but they all look different- one of my favorite styling jobs to photographed to date!

And then there is this group…admittedly, little sister looks a little less than thrilled in this particular image, the styling is WONDERFUL- and she’s a bit happier in the next shot! 😉

See the girls’ matching boots?! So cute!

Love the dimension of the layers on dad, and the sweet pop of color on baby girl!

This was a GREAT styling job too- the daughters bow ties it all together, and there are layers galore!
Love love love the layering here of her vest and patterned tights and mom’s scarf and belt!

And even if there are multiple patterns, as long as they are all subtle, it works fine (and, a baby bump might be the best accessory of all!).

I hope this was a helpful start!!  If you need some inspiration, feel free to visit the JGP Pinterest board here for coordinating outfits- there is a good mix of family and couple inspiration there!

Click here for part II of this post, highlighting exactly how to go about this process with examples (and some of my favorite places to shop for girls and womens clothing!).