What to wear on camera

Wardrobe – the key to unlocking the dreamiest images

What you and your loved ones wear to your family portrait session is vital. Coordinating colors and styles makes everyone look like they belong together and sets the tone for the images. You’ll want a semi-formal meets a garden party look for the best possible results. This guide is to enhance your session and ensure you get the same results you see on my website and social media.

Make sure your outfit choices match the location and season – you want to be comfy and in tune with the weather. Seattle weather can be very unpredictable so please bring layers if you opt for an outdoor session.

And don’t forget, classic styles and neutral colors never go out of fashion, ensuring your photos will stand the test of time.

---

Allow these picks to inspire you, you can either purchase these exactly or look for similar options on Amazon if you don’t have these in your closet.

Dreamy romantic imagery takes intentional planning

Here is a list of brands that I’ve used to inspire my photography style and encourage all my clients to at least reference when going through their own closet or shopping for clothing for their session. No one has to wear dresses, but you do need to pay attention to how fabric lays and whether or not your outfit has movement and layers.

• Worth Collective (tons of bump friendly dresses!)
• Beachwood Baby (bump friendly one size linen dresses!)
• Morning Lavender
• Nordstrom

I would also recommend visiting the following locations for your children’s clothing options:

• Post Alley Kids (local Seattle store, in-person shopping only)
• H&M (you’ll need to hunt for the right items)
• Carters (you’ll need to hunt for the right items)
• Old Navy (you’ll need to hunt for the right items)
• Maisonette (online)
• Minnow
• Etsy

SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO SEE OUTFIT STYLING IDEAS & SEASONAL SUGGESTIONS

Opt for natural fabrics in your wardrobe

If you can, lean towards linen in the summer, natural cotton in the fall and spring, and wool for winter. If natural fabrics are out of budget or not available, opt for things that skim over your body, think of stiffer fabrics and lean towards a fit that is loose and allows for movement vs tight.

Choosing undergarments

Undergarments are important to how your clothes fit. Selecting undergarments that fit comfortably – neither too tight or too loose will help your clothing lay correctly. I also really love a traditional slip underneath, which softens any panty lines or seams.

Worried about chaffing? Opt for a long flowy dress and wear skin tone soft biker shorts underneath. If you see lines from it, a slip will hide these.

Use this link to find out what bra size you ACTUALLY are to ensure a proper fit.

I also highly recommend avoiding backless dresses unless you have undergarments like sticky bras with no back or consider going braless if that’s the right option for you.

Wearing Clothes vs. Styling Clothes

If you’re on TikTok, you’ve probably seen those videos about “wearing clothes vs styling clothes” and this is where your wardrobe can go from blah to poised and interesting. Start with the base outfit, then add layers and texture. Check out some of the images below for inspiration for your family’s next photoshoot.

How should it all fit?

I love wardrobe options that fit a little loosely and have lovely movement but synch at the smallest part of your waist.

The most important thing to remember is that it should be comfortable and you should be able to relax in it. If it’s too tight, itchy or a color that’s so far outside your preference then it’s not right.

Again, no one is expected or required to wear dresses if that’s not the vibe for your family in that effort I’ve included a few photos below of outfits you could wear instead of a dress that still creates the same pulled-together look and feel.

Get Seasonal Ideas:

Christmas

Autumn