What to Wear for Family Photos

“What should we wear?” is the question I get asked more than any other once a session is booked — and honestly, it’s the right thing to be thinking about. After 13 years of photographing families around Riverside, I can tell you outfits make a bigger difference in how photos feel than almost anything else, including location. Here’s the guidance I actually give my own clients.

Start With a Color Palette, Not Matching Outfits

The biggest myth in family photos is that everyone needs to match. They don’t — and when they do, it tends to look stiff and dated. What actually works is picking a loose color palette and letting everyone wear something within it.

A palette that works well for most outdoor Riverside locations:

  • 2-3 neutral tones (cream, tan, soft white, dusty blue, sage green)
  • 1 accent color for a little visual interest (rust, burgundy, or mustard work especially well in fall)
  • Avoid pure white and pure black together in the same frame — it creates harsh contrast the camera struggles with

Patterns: Use Sparingly

A little texture or pattern adds visual interest, but too much competes for attention.

  • Good: subtle stripes, small florals, waffle-knit textures, denim
  • Avoid: large logos, busy graphic prints, and character shirts on kids — cute in person, distracting in photos
  • Rule of thumb: if more than one person is wearing a bold pattern, it’s probably one too many

Think About Layers and Textures

Photos with a mix of textures — a knit sweater, a linen shirt, denim — tend to feel richer than everyone in flat cotton tees. Layers (a light cardigan, an open flannel) also give kids something to fidget with that isn’t a phone.

Season-Specific Notes for Riverside

  • Fall sessions: this is when the color-palette approach shines — rust, olive, and cream against Riverside’s parks look great as the light gets warmer in October and November
  • Spring/summer sessions: lighter fabrics and softer colors hold up better in the stronger midday light common at spots like Fairmount Park
  • Golden hour sessions (Mount Rubidoux, etc.): warm tones photograph beautifully against the golden light — this is a great time to lean into rust, terracotta, or mustard accents

What to Avoid

  • Neon or very bright colors that pull the eye away from faces
  • All-white outfits for young kids (park sessions get messy — nobody needs that stress)
  • Brand-new, stiff shoes that will make toddlers miserable half an hour in
  • Outfits nobody’s comfortable in — a great outfit that itches or feels wrong will show up in every expression

A Simple Way to Plan It

If you’re stuck, this order usually works:

  1. Pick the parent outfits first, since they set the palette
  2. Choose kids’ outfits within that palette rather than the other way around
  3. Add one accent piece per person (a scarf, a patterned shirt, a fun pair of shoes) to keep it from feeling too uniform

Still Not Sure? That’s What I’m Here For

Every family I work with gets outfit guidance specific to their session — the location, the season, and your family’s own style all factor in. If you’re overthinking it, don’t — send me a photo of a few options before your session and I’ll help you pick.

Booked a session already? Check out our guide to Best Places for Family Photos in Riverside to help plan the rest of your day, or head back to the Riverside Family Photographer.