What To Wear: Family Photo Shoot

Q. Jordan,

We are having professional pics taken in two weeks of our family…and I have no idea what to wear. I know we should look like a family, but I don’t want to be too perfectly matched. Any suggestions?

– Lucca’s Mom

A. Something that I’ve discovered over the past several months: family photo shoots (whether that means a professional photographer or a willing in-law) are virtually the only way to get family photos. I have a million photos of Kendrick and the baby, or me and the baby, or the dogs and the baby…but all of us together?

The only ones in existence are courtesy of a for-real, professional photographer and a scheduled shoot.

Above, one of my favorite all-of-us photos (by Ariane Moshayedi Photography). You can see that I went for extremely understated clothing…but honestly, the reason for that is that I was exhausted on the morning of the shoot (a newborn will do that to ya), and couldn’t wrap my head around anything other than a black t-shirt and jeans.

And sure, I like that the outfit is simple and won’t ever look dated…but for the family photo shoot I have scheduled in a couple of weeks (I’m hoping to finally transform into the kind of person who gets it together to send out holiday cards, but I’m not optimistic), I’d like to do something slightly more pulled-together.

So let’s talk tips!

– It’s not about matching; it’s about creating a cohesive look. What this means: you should all look like you’re in the same season (if your child is wearing a winter coat, your husband shouldn’t be in shirtsleeves) and like you could arguably be going to the same place.

– For you: Choose necklines that frame your face, like cowl-neck sweaters or boat-neck shirts…but avoid turtlenecks (Tyra knows what she’s talking about when she says that neck elongation makes for a great photo). Style your hair away from your face to avoid shadows, and choose jewelry that doesn’t distract.

– For your baby: Teeny-tiny suits are cute, but even cuter is a baby who’s not crying, so I’d go for comfortable, relatively casual layers that you can take on and off as the weather requires.

– For your husband: Few things look more awkward than a man who has been trussed up for a photo in an outfit that he’s uncomfortable in, so don’t try to stick your husband in a suit if he’s more of a tee-and-sneakers kind of guy. (Most men will be OK with a button-down and decently non-ripped jeans, I’d wager.)

– For all of you: Skip the patterns in favor of solid colors, and avoid shiny fabrics, as well as red, white, and black (white and red are too bright for the camera, and black absorbs too much light). Bright colors can look pretty and “pop” depending on the background, but I like the idea of warm neutrals for a family holiday photo – they look so natural, relaxed, and cozy.

Have fun at your shoot! I’ll post the pictures from my own once they’re up, as well.

Product info after the jump.