Style Guide {what to wear}
So you have made the decision to have your family portraits taken and you’re excited about personalizing your home with pictures of the ones you love.
Then the dreaded question pops into your head, ”what are we going to wear“.
Worry no more! The following style guide will help get you inspired…the result will be fresh, classic yet modern portraits that tell the story of your family.
{BabyBrandNew}
Newborns are perfect when they wear nothing at all.
Adding hats and headbands are soooo cute! Fun pops of color using blankets or swaddeling them in cloth or gauze gives variety…I have many baskets, bowls, blankets, wraps, etc. to use or you can bring something from home to personalize.
Mom and Dad can also be a good addition….simple black long sleeve clothing works the best.
Remember to schedule this session between 3-7 days old…a call from the hospital or as soon as you get home is fine if you forgot to call ahead of time. I will fit you into my schedule.
{BellyBump}
Simple clothing for your maternity session is best.
Schedule this session when your tummy is about the size of a basketball or around 7 months.
A fitted tank top and low-waisted yoga pants or jeans works well for showing “just enough”. The “fitted” part for any style choice is key. A few fun images with fitted tees with cute sayings/graphics on them, dresses, skirts…whatever your style.
Adding a personal item in a few is fun…a stuffed toy…tiny shoes…blanket…book.
Having a baby is the most amazing time in a woman’s life….show how much you love your “BellyBump”.
{siblings}
Style choices for sibling pictures should be contemporary but far from “matchy-matchy”.
A formula for a boy/girl sibling duo includes a patterned dress or skirt for the girl, with the boy in a solid shirt pulled from that pattern. If the girl is wearing a solid shirt have the boy’s shirt a different color pulled from the skirt so their shirts don’t match exact.
{families}
Coordinated but not “uniform” looks for families creates a modern photograph. Again, not “matchy-matchy”.
The style rule for family portraits is simple….choose items for the entire family as if you were creating one outfit…sticking to 3-4 blending colors.
Lay everything out on the bed…does everything work together…great choices…does one thing pop out…then a change is in order.
Many online stores offer different “look” collections that make it easy to coordinate at least the kids…then choose something in coordinating colors for the adults.
Example: a print dress for your daughter or plaid shirt for your son, then select the rest of the family’s clothing from colors within the pattern.
{kids}
A favorite patterned dress with tights, boots, Mary Jane shoes…jeans with hipster tee…funky tutu and jean jacket with cowboy boots/hat. Anything that says fun!
A superhero cape…jean jacket….hats…keds….boots…graphic tees…layered shirts.
Individual pictures of your children should show their personality…possibilities are limitless!
Break out your daughter’s bright, crazy ensemble – or your son’s beloved rain boots…let’s capture something bold, memorable and fun!
{putting it all together}
Still confused…a good place to start is by defining the style you want your session to reflect. Indoor traditional posing…indoor fun contemporary posing…outside…urban.
How do you figure out your style….again notice magazine spreads that you like…chances are that these have everything to do with your style and can point you in the right direction for your session choices. Tear them out (quietly if you are in a waiting room)…then go shopping.
Call the studio to schedule your session and we can chat about styling your personalized session. 605-772-4473
Other style tips:
Haircuts – 1-2 weeks old
Nails – groomed – clear poish or French manicure best.
Shoes – stay away from white…go with dark shoes/boots – or go barefoot.
Accessories – lay them on the bed with the outfits to make sure they blend…heavy/thick metal jewelry can cause shine.