Mary’s Style Guide

Trying to coordinate multiple outfits for your photo session can feel overwhelming for some people, but it does not have to. This guide will help take some of the guess work out of your planning and leave you with guiding principals to allow your family to look cohesive without being too “matchy-matchy.”

-Select a color palette

Begin by selecting your color palette. You want to aim for about two main colors and 2-3 supporting colors. This will help you avoid the everyone-in-jeans-and-a-white-shirt look. We loved it in 2004. In 2026 not so much.

Main Colors: a safe choice is always neutrals. Think cream, tan, grey, black, denim, brown, etc.

Supporting Colors: this is where you can have some fun. If you like to go bold, do it! If you want to lean into an autumnal feel aim for some orange, auburn and dark greens. Ensure that each supporting color that is featured in the outfits is cohesive in tone and shade. You do not want someone in a very grey-blue and someone in a bright blue.

Every person should be wearing at least one main color. Aim to have only 50% or less of your people wearing each supporting color. This is seen well in the above photos. The two boys are wearing the blue denim supporting color, the mom and the daughter are wearing the burnt orange supporting color, and the daughter, dad, and mom all have the black supporting color seen in the tights, skirt, and pants. Every person in this photo is wearing some variation of the tan/khaki color, as well as brown (seen in the shoes).

*a note: this is a personal preference, but in general I recommend avoiding any neon colors. I also general steer all clients away from teal and most greens as many outdoor backdrops will already be green-heavy from grass and plants and have the potential to clash with your outfits. This is not a hard and fast rule, just something to keep in mind.

**another note: if you like a light & airy style to your images keep this in mind while selecting your color palette. Outfits heavy with darker tones will bring a moodier/dark academia vibe to your images.

-Keep the formality level consistent

Ensure the formality level of all outfits are consistent. You don’t want someone in a formal dress and someone in torn jeans. Aim to have each person casual, or everyone formal, or everyone consistently somewhere in between.

-Aim for seasonal consistency

Trying to match your fabric weights can bring cohesion to your images. You want to aim to have everyone dressed for the same thermostat. Avoid having one person in light summer sandals and one person in heavy boots. You don’t want half the people in thick heavy sweaters and half the people in short sleeves.

On a practical note, try to dress comfortably for the forecasted weather on the day of your session. You want to avoid everyone sweating uncomfortably. You also want to avoid red noses from the cold.

-Keep patterns to a minimum

Too many busy patterns can bring a chaotic feel to your images. I recommend sticking with solids or simple/small prints. Avoid having everyone wearing a pattern, as a general guide only have about 20% of the people in your photos in patterns.

-Have fun!

At the end of the day, pick clothes you actually enjoy wearing. Aim for something comfortable that fits with the style you lean toward naturally. A great place to start is to select your own outfit first and build your family’s outfits around your own color palette. Please reach out with any questions you might have, I am here to help!