What to wear to your family photos

Figuring out what to wear for family photos can honestly feel like the hardest part. I’m sharing tips to help dress the whole crew without looking too matchy or cheesy.

• Tips for your outfit
• What to wear for winter photos
• What to wear for summer photos
• What to wear for fall photos

Tips for choosing your outfit

1. Coordinate your colors

Start by picking 2 to 3 colors that you can mix and match across your group. Instead of having everyone wear the same color top or outfit, alternate the colors and space them out from person to person. Simple patterns and textures are a great way to break up outfits and add interest.

For example, if olive green is one of your colors, one person could wear an olive top, another could wear olive pants, and someone else might have it in a jacket, scarf, or even a piece of jewelry.

Pro Tip for Colorado: Earthy tones like olive, rust, navy, cream, and warm browns work well year-round in the mountains. They blend with the environment without fading into it.

2. Pick out your favorite pieces from your closet

You don’t have to buy something new for photos! Raid your closet for that reliable outfit you already know you love. Start there, and build around your favorite pieces.

• Do you have an outfit you feel confident in?
• Does your kid have a favorite outfit that won’t be a struggle to get them to wear?
• Does your partner have a favorite outfit you wear?

Bonus: You’ll all feel more like yourselves and be more comfortable.

3. What not to wear

• Watch out for clothes that show wrinkles easily, collect lint or anything else that may stand out in photos.
• Be sure to love all angles of the outfit vs something that only looks good while you’re standing still.
• Avoid anything that’s too stiff or too hard to move in.
• Watch out for logos or text. That will pull your eye away from the outfit and right to the logos.
• Stay away from multiple patterns that are too busy or bright.

4. Try a styling box or local boutique

If you’re itching for a new outfit or coordinating for everyone sounds too stressful, try:

• StitchFix – You can request outfits for the whole family, describe the vibe and the setting, and they’ll put together outfits for you. When you get your box, you can choose what you want to purchase.
• Nuuly – or rental boxes, if you don’t want to buy anything new. You can ‘rent’ the clothes and then return them when you’re done or you can choose to buy if you really love it.
• Shop at a local boutique like Breck Kidz or Beloved

What to wear for your winter photos

Since we’re in an area that gets 9 months of winter, we’ll start here first! Photos in the snow can look so magical! Staying warm and comfortable is essential to your photos going well and keeping everyone happy.

Keep warm! Wear layers

First things first — stay warm! Layers look great in photos and are key to Colorado’s winter temperatures when you’re outside.

Here are some things to wear:

• Cute outerwear like jackets, scarves, vests, or even cozy blankets
• Base layers if they don’t look too bulky under your outfit (like long underwear under dresses or pants)
• Warm socks and waterproof shoes with good traction – the higher the shoe/boot the better so snow doesn’t get in
• Wear hats, mittens, and any knits that you love that you could incorporate into the photos (plus stay warm!)
• Your big jacket for any downtime (you can choose whether you want to wear it in the photos or not)

Bonus tip: Grab hand warmers to put in your pocket, and they even have feet warmers that go on the bottom of your foot. Activate them when you’re on your way to the session so they’re warm by the time we start.

Color palettes for the snow

Pops of color against the bright snow can be so beautiful! Don’t be afraid to play with navy, burgundy, dark green, or some of the other deeper jewel tones. Keeping it traditional with neutrals like cream and white is a classic look that always looks incredible!

• Jewel tones like navy, burgundy, forest green, mustard, or rust — a fun pop of color without being too overwhelming
• Cool Neutrals like cream, tan, gray, light blues and soft whites

Optional extras

• Thermos with hot chocolate
• Hand/foot warmers
• Sled for some fun sledding photos

What to wear for a summer photos

A lot of the above will still apply to summer photo sessions! In the mountains, it typically stays in the 70’s/maybe 80’s. Once the sun goes behind the mountain or a storm rolls in, it gets pretty chilly pretty quickly. You’ll want to make sure you have a few layers or a light jacket. The evenings are usually in the 50’s so come prepared for all sorts of weather!

Here’s what to consider for your summer session:

• Layers for warmth (yes, even in summer) Bring a light jacket, vest, or other layer that will keep you warm when the temps drop.

Color palette for summer

Choose something that will look good against the bright summer backdrop with the green grass and blue sky!

• Earthy and warm neutrals – rust, camel, sand, cream, soft white
• Jewel tones for a pop – olive green, navy, mustard yellow, burgundy
• Blues – navy, light grey, soft blue, white

Comfortable shoes

Most of our locations around Summit County involve a little bit of walking and sometimes involve uneven terrain. Many of our locations are dirt trails, so be sure to wear shoes that you’re going to feel comfortable walking in.

Optional extras

• Bring water
• Sunscreen
• A blanket to sit on
• A little picnic for fun, candid lifestyle shots

What to wear for fall photos

Fall in the mountains is a short but gorgeous season. The leaves usually start to change mid-September and finish early October. The days are cool with Aspen’s yellowing and a beautiful golden light.

Bring your layers

Fall brings cool temperatures in the mountains of Colorado and cold nights. It’s such a fun time to lean into a cozy vibe. Chunky knits, flannels, vests, beanies, and boots look super cute and help to keep you warm.

Color palatte for fall

You can go neutral and let the fall colors do the work — or lean in and match the palette.

• Earthy neutrals: cream, tan, charcoal, denim
• Fall tones: burnt orange, mustard yellow, deep red, forest green

Comfortable shoes

Boots or closed-toed shoes are perfect during fall with the temperatures cooling down. Also makes things easier to walk through uneven terrain and brush.

Optional extras

• A blanket to wrap up in for a few photos – a fun way to add a little variety to your photos
• Thermoses with hot chocolate