What to wear – tips for nailing your outfit on shoot day

When styling your family, make sure you look like YOU. Whether you want to dress up or dress down, I’m here to capture exactly who you are, right now.

Jeans, a classic shirt, chunky knitwear, a flowy boho dress and hat… it doesn’t matter, they all look great as long as you feel a million bucks.

Psssst – styling a maternity shoot? Check out my pregnancy style guide here!

A winter wardrobe done perfectly – a tonal palette, lots of texture, and repetition of key colours to tie it all together

What not to wear

The worst thing you can wear is something you’re not comfortable in.

If you’re going to be fussing with bra straps or rearranging ruffles throughout your session, don’t wear it. My photography is all about you being in the moment, so make sure your outfit choice allows you to embrace that.

The same goes for hair – you don’t want 60 shots of you pushing your hair out of your eyes. Windswept images are gorgeous, so if you want to wear your hair down then do it and embrace it!

Finally, please no logos or typography on your clothing – this will date and detract from your images.

What to wear: My top tips

Dress yourself and your partner first.
Aim to compliment, but don’t match.
Don’t be afraid of colour! Personally, I find all-neutral palettes much harder to nail
Choose one key colour, and create a neutral palette around it. Pinterest is great for this!
If you do want to stick to neutrals, make it tonal and use contrasting textures to add interest.
Use your key colour (or shades of it) at least twice across the family wardrobe to tie it all together.
Add depth with a contrasting secondary colour pop, or a darker neutral. If you’re wearing a print, that can help you to identify your secondary colour.
Make sure the little ones are warm enough – add layers in the shoulder seasons as the temperature will drop as the light fades. And cold kids are not smiley kids

Some of my favourite colour palettes. Simple but warm and effective.

Create contrast – if you are wearing a light top and dark pants, reverse that for your little one.
Introduce different textures to help you all stand out.
Make sure you’re warm enough – bring layers to add or remove during your session.

A masterclass in styling an extended family. One key colour is carried through the group – from deep reds to pink. Pops of blue add interest, and plenty of warm earthy neutrals tie it all together.

Need more styling inspo?

Take a look at my detailed STYLING GUIDE with more detailed information about what to wear for maternity, newborn and extended family photoshoots.