I don’t know about you, but I am tired of rummaging my closet and making a mess to find the perfect outfit. I can’t imagine trying to do the same for each member of your family. This is why I put together the perfect guide to outfits for the family.

First and foremost, I have a few guidelines. My #1 rule for families is to coordinate and NOT match. Although matching sounds fun and can very well be, I never recommend it for anything other than a cheesy holiday photo. My best piece of advice is to choose a color scheme and mix and match. Including varying textures, colors, shades, and styles in your outfits is the best way to create an aesthetically pleasing family photo. This creates an organic look that comes off very natural and effortless.

Take a look below at some of my absolute favorite examples of this.

The Bankes Family executed this idea to a T. They took my advice by wearing earthy tones and including some cozy flannels for a Fall look. My favorite part about their outfits is how both boys were wearing flannels, however, they chose different color patterns. Then, mom and dad chose a secondary color from the boys shirts to use as their main outfit color.

Another thing that I simply adore about their styling choices is that the boys stuck to a khaki pant, but dad went with a nice dark denim. This let the boys match a little, while keeping some separation between them and dad.

Yet another perfect example of this is the Boyle Family. I love their outfit choices because I feel that this color scheme can be used year round. (Bonus points if you pick some of my brand colors!) This family went with a pastel blue, green, and pink. I think the reason their photos are so visually appealing is because of the variety in their clothing. It comes off very organic and natural to me.

Something else I really enjoy about this family’s outfit choices is the variety in texture. Their little girl is wearing a warm fuzzy top, while mom has a ruffled dress. Dad and son chose very similar outfits style-wise, but they switched things up with differing colors.

Let’s take a look at this dreamy destination beach session in Cape May, New Jersey. Starting off with fabric choices, this family chose linens and airy pieces. This is perfectly suited for the weather and the beach. The boys stuck to a similar outfit formula with a button up and khaki pants. I loved how they decided to mix things up with varying patterns, shades, and sleeve and pant length.

This family chose a very popular color palette of blues and whites. Blue is a great Summer color! It’s also super easy to mix and match because there are so many different shades of blue. I like that the girls both wore a blue sun dress, but in differing styles and length.

To conclude this guide, I want to leave you with a few key points and some extra tips:

• Remember to coordinate and don’t try to match.
• Mix it up with texture and shades of color.
• Dress for the weather and consider what colors reflect the season.
• Mixing and matching khakis and denim is OK.
• Think like a bridesmaid when choosing dresses. stick to the color palette but switch up the style.
• Kids will be kids, let them wear the light up sneakers or no shoes. It’s not the worst thing.
• If it’s chilly, bring a coat to wear between shots.

Lastly, I am here to help whenever you need it. I’m just a call, email, or text away. I love helping out in the planning process so if you need a second opinion or suggestions on where to shop, feel free to ask.

Looking for more inspiration? Find some ideas on my Instagram and Facebook!