What to Wear for Your Family Session

It's the first question almost every family asks me — usually before they've even picked a date: "What should we wear?"

Good news: this is easier than you think, and you almost certainly already own most of it. Here's exactly how I guide my families, the same conversation we'd have on our call.

The one rule: coordinate, don't match

Gone are the days of everyone in identical white shirts. Instead, pick a palette of colors that belong together, and let each person wear their own piece of it. One person — and only one — wears a pattern; everyone else wears solids in the palette colors. Mom, we usually start with you: pick the color that makes you feel beautiful, and we build everyone else around it.

Chicago Outdoor Family Photographer Alina Renert - Lopez-3Chicago Newborn Photographer

Start with a palette by season

These are my favorite starting points — combinations that photograph beautifully in each season:

• Spring — Blush Garden: blush, sage, cream, dusty blue, butter
• Spring — Fresh Meadow: mint, lavender, soft white, sand, peach
• Summer — Coastal Classic: navy, chambray, white, sand, coral
• Summer — Sunny Day: sunshine yellow, aqua, white, denim blue, peach
• Fall — Warm Harvest: rust, mustard, olive, cream, cocoa
• Fall — Burgundy Orchard: burgundy, camel, forest, ivory, denim slate
• Winter — Holiday Classic: deep red, emerald, gold, ivory, charcoal
• Winter — Cozy Neutrals: charcoal, camel, cream, soft blush, black

01-spring-blush-garden 02-spring-fresh-meadow 03-summer-coastal-classic 04-summer-sunny-day 05-fall-warm-harvest 06-fall-burgundy-orchard 07-winter-holiday-classic 08-winter-cozy-neutrals

Now, the honest part: these palettes are ideas, not rules

Every family is different. What flatters one person's complexion may wash out another's, and the right palette also depends on where we're photographing and the time of year. That's why I talk it through with every family personally — your complexions, your session location, and the season — before you shop for a single thing.

For dads (I promise, this is painless)

Clean and classic wins: khakis or dark-wash jeans with a solid-colored sweater. If you like, a dress shirt underneath — or a collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up. That's it. No suits, no ties, nothing stiff. You'll look like yourself on your best day, and you'll actually be comfortable holding your kids.

Chicago Mini Family Photographer Alina Renert - Madaras-26-

For the kids

Same idea, smaller sizes: boys are perfect in jeans with a sweater or a simple dress shirt. Girls look lovely in a dress or a soft top in the palette colors — I don't generally recommend tights; bare legs or simple leggings photograph more naturally and kids are happier in them. Comfort matters more than anything: a child who feels good in their clothes gives you real smiles.

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And the baby?

Real clothes, please — a onesie and a hat is too simple for portraits. Baby girls wear a cute little dress in the palette colors. Baby boys wear jeans and a sweater just like their older brother, in the same palette. Tiny versions of the family's look, and impossibly sweet in photos.

Want a palette made just for your family?

Just ask. Tell me who's in your family, and I'll build a palette around your complexions, your session location, and the time of year — then you can shop it from your own closets first. And send me photos of outfits you're considering any time; I'm happy to weigh in before the session, not after.

Celebrate Your Family

Alina Renert Photography is a Chicago, IL photographer, with national and international publications.

Are you looking for a Chicago, IL family photographer? I would love to work with you! I offer a fun, unique experience in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, including Wheeling, IL. I also serve surrounding areas, including Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Northbrook, Vernon Hills, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Glenview, Des Plaines, and other surrounding Chicago suburbs. To book your session, use this contact page.

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