Football season, back to school and… family photos! Yes, it’s that time of year again, and in the midst of all the scheduling, supply lists, lunch packing and general chauffeuring, the last thing you need to be worrying about is what to wear for your fall family portrait session. Curious how to style your family for a fall session?
Read on for some quick tips:
Client styling is one of my favorite parts of my job, and one of the most important aspects for a successful photoshoot….sometimes the most important. I have a growing client wardrobe filled with flattering dress options for mom (and moms-to-be), and sweet wraps and hair ties for your littlest ones.
We’ll work together to match your style to the location you’ve chosen to make sure your portraits are as gorgeous as they are memorable. To learn more about choosing the best location for your outdoor session click here.
Quick Tips on How to Style Your Family for Fall Photos
My photography style is light, airy and casual. My goal is to make family photography simple, beautiful and most of all–fun. Flowy, natural styles and fabrics work best for this approach for fall, so textures like soft cottons, knits, and other natural, relaxed materials work best.
Yes, I hate to break dad’s heart, but his dark performance khakis and that bright soccer jersey (the one that your child never wants to take off) are sadly not the best options.
FIRST: THINK FALL COLOR PALETTES
To begin the process of figuring out how to style you family, I recommend choosing a color family to build your outfits. For fall, I generally I say stick with either warm tones (think taupes/tans, warm muted tones, mixed with creams/off-whites) which are especially great for fall, then add in some layers.
Cozy layers like corduroys, cashmeres and chunky knits are perfect for the fall and winter season and add lovely textures. If you are looking for maximum fall vibes, muted jewel tones for mom’s dress work beautifully too. Be sure to balance them out with soft neutrals for the rest of the family.
Pro Tip: Neutral colors and small ditsy print patterns keep your family photos timeless. They work well in any setting or when displaying your images in your home.
SECOND: STYLE MOM FIRST
When styling for a fall family photo shoot in the Washington DC area, I like to start with mom’s dress. Since making MORE decisions is often the last thing on a mom’s mind as we barrel toward the holiday season, I have tons of options for mom to choose from, including dresses to borrow from my client wardrobe if you don’t want to shop or happy to provide links to options if you do.
Timeless, flowy midi and maxi dresses are my go-to as they make for gorgeous, stress-free styling for moms who may be pregnant, newly postpartum, breastfeeding or otherwise just want effortless and timeless style.
Pro Tip: Some of my favorite places to shop for mom are: Morning Lavender, Lait, Doen and Nothing fits But.
THIRD: CHANNEL THE FAMILY MADRIGAL
Once you’ve nailed down mom’s dress, we can start to fill in the details for dads and little (and big!) kids. I love matching holiday pjs just as much as any mom, but I find too much matching in family portraits causes everyone’s outfit to blend together and you won’t get as much dimension.
If Encanto has been on repeat in your house this year, like it has in mine, think about the Family Madrigal: each family has its own special colors, but each member expresses themselves in a different way.
Pro tip: Shopping at one store for the whole family helps the look stay cohesive. My favorite? Zara. For a classic look J.crew is great too.
FOURTH: LET ME DO THE STYLE WORK
In addition to my client wardrobe, as your Washington DC Family Photographer, I love creating style-boards, like the ones you see throughout this post, to guide your family in wardrobe selection, with exact recommendations on where to shop and what to borrow.
I will also bring a variety of soft hair accessories for the little ones to keep haired pull back so we can see your children’s beautiful faces.
For how to style your family for spring/summer click here
Or ready to book? My fall availability for family sessions are nearly full this year, but I do have a few spots left. I’d love to work with your family for the perfect DC-area photo shoot this season. Contact me here or email lrgportraits@gmail.com to check available dates.
Lauren from LRG Portraits is a maternity, newborn, family and baby photographer based out of the Washington, DC area. She specializes in timeless outdoor and in-home lifestyle portraiture, plus offers a full client experience from a curated client wardrobe to custom-designed heirloom albums and framing. Service area includes Chevy Chase, MD, Bethesda, MD, Potomac, MD and Arlington, VA, and surrounding areas.
