Helpful Styling Tips

Things to include:
These tips can amp up your look and make your outfits cohesive, stylish, and flattering:

• Accessories: Jewelry, hats, suspenders, knee-high socks, cardigans, vests, and hair bows can add layers and help coordinate across multiple people.

• Multiple colors: Choose a 2–3 color palette in the same tone and sprinkle in some neutrals to avoid matching too much.

• Patterns and textures: Don't be afraid to mix patterns like florals and stripes, or plaids and polka dots. Adding in textures such as velvet, lace, crochet, or corduroy can bring visual interest.

• Colored pants: If you're going for an all-neutral or earthy-toned look, blue denim jeans can throw off the overall feel. Instead, try complementary colored chinos like olive, burgundy, khaki, gray, etc.

• Outfits with movement: Flowing outfits can create beautiful, dynamic images—especially for girls. Avoid stiff or tight fabrics. Flowy maxi dresses and skirts are great options. For a more casual look, wide-leg pants, colored trousers, or shorter dresses also work well.

• Flattering fits: Accentuate what you love and don’t hide your entire body. Shift dresses can sometimes create unflattering lines. Try wrap-style dresses that highlight your shape without being overly form-fitting.

Things to avoid:
You and your family are the main focus of the images, so it’s best to avoid anything that may be distracting or unflattering:

• Bright neon colors: They can be distracting and reflect unwanted color on the skin.

• Athletic tennis shoes: Dress from head to toe. Bright, sporty shoes can throw off a coordinated look. Instead, go for neutral sneakers, boots, booties, or sandals.

• Large logos: They can draw attention away from the people in the photo.

• Everyone in jeans: Mix it up with different colors or styles of pants.

• Loud patterns: These can be too busy and take the focus away from you.

• Too matchy-matchy: Try to coordinate rather than match. A palette of several colors usually works better than only two.

• Too much black: All black outfits can flatten the look of the photo. Break it up with whites, tans, grays, or ivory tones.

• Repeating patterns: Don’t dress everyone in the same pattern—e.g., all boys in plaid or all girls in floral. Mix patterns for balance (like florals with stripes).

A few extra reminders:

• Steam or iron your outfits—no wrinkles!

• For in-home sessions, avoid black—lint and pet hair show easily.

• Try everything on before the session! Don’t wait until the day of (speaking from experience).

• Hats are great—but plan for some photos with and without them.

• Little girl dresses: Add bloomers, diaper covers, or biker shorts underneath. Elsa undies in photos? Yep, it's happened.

• Men’s shoes: Avoid running shoes. Stick with neutral or dressier options.

• Newborns: Nylon-style bows work beautifully on tiny heads (Etsy has lots!).

• Simple onesies, gowns, or swaddles work best. If you have a special outfit in mind, make sure it fits well ahead of time.