How to coordinate the whole family's outfits without matching: the simple method
No more jeans and white shirts for everyone. A three-color palette, a few textures, and your family looks naturally in harmony.
Family- Pick a palette of 3 soft colors and spread them across the family.
- Mix textures (linen, knitwear, light denim) rather than bright colors.
- Start with the outfit of the hardest person to dress, often Mom.
All-white, or jeans and a white shirt for everyone, was the trend a few years ago. The result often looks a little stiff, and in a bright setting, white “burns out” easily. Today, the goal is a family that looks good together, without a uniform.
The three-color method
- Pick a palette of three colors that go well together: for example cream, sage green and camel; or dusty blue, sand and off-white.
- Dress the hardest person first: often Mom, because she has the fewest options in her closet, or she's the one who most wants to feel good.
- Spread the colors around: each person wears one or two colors from the palette, never exactly the same outfit.
- Add some texture: knitwear, linen, corduroy, light denim. That's what makes the image rich.
Your son swears by his superhero T-shirt and refuses to take it off.
Offer a compromise: he wears it when we arrive, then we do part of the session in an outfit you chose together. Or we keep a few pictures with the T-shirt: in ten years, it'll be a memory of who he was at that age. No session is worth a meltdown.
What works especially well in photos
- Solid colors, soft or earthy
- Dresses and skirts that move, for moms and little girls
- Bare feet or simple shoes (sandals, light canvas)
- One statement piece at most, worn by just one person
What I avoid
- Big logos and printed slogans
- Neon and very thin stripes (they “shimmer” on camera)
- Head-to-toe black for the whole family, which flattens details outdoors
- Brand-new clothes never worn before, which feel awkward and show it
Picture a family of four for a session in the olive groves in the fall. Palette: cream, olive, camel. Mom wears a long olive dress, Dad a cream linen shirt and camel pants, their daughter a cream dress with a knit cardigan, and the little one camel overalls. Nobody is dressed the same, yet everyone goes together, and the setting flatters them all.
Lay all the outfits out on your bed and take a picture. If one piece catches the eye more than the others, it's one too many. You can also send me that photo: I'll be happy to give you my opinion.
The checklist to keep
Frequently asked questions
What colors should we wear for a family photo session?
Pick a palette of three soft colors (for example cream, sage green, camel) and spread them across the family, with no identical outfits.
Should the whole family wear white?
No. All-white looks more rigid and burns out easily in the light. A harmonious palette feels more natural.
Want to talk about your session?
Tell me about your plans: I reply personally, with advice tailored to your date and location.
Contact meRead next
All articles →
FamilyFamily photo session with kids who can't sit still: a guide for parents
Good news: I never ask anyone to stand still. Kids running, laughing, climbing all over dad: that's exactly what we want to keep.
FamilyFive family session ideas that truly feel like you (and make you forget the camera)
An activity you love doing together beats any backdrop. Here are five ideas for lively photos that you can adapt to your own family.
WeddingThe wedding album: why I have mine made by Dreambook (and how we design it together)
Not a book with flimsy pages: a true keepsake, with 800 gsm pages, printed on Fuji photo paper and made in Europe. Where my albums come from, and how we design them together.