If there’s one question I hear more than any other, it’s this: “What should we wear?” It’s the question that keeps clients up at night scrolling Pinterest, and honestly, I get it — your outfits play a huge role in how your photos feel. So let’s break down exactly how to get it right for an in-home session.
Keep It Casual — You’re Home, After All
The biggest mindset shift for an in-home shoot is this: you live here. These aren’t formal portraits in a studio or even dressed up pictures in a park — they’re a glimpse into your real life. Your clothing should feel like an extension of that. Skip the stiff, dressed-up looks you might choose for a session outside your home and lean into something more relaxed.
That also means bare feet — for everyone, little ones too. No socks, no shoes. Bare feet read as comfortable and at-home in a way that even the cutest shoes just can’t, and they keep the focus on connection rather than wardrobe.
Let Your Outfits Complement Your Home, Not Compete With It
Your home has its own colors, textures, and personality, and your outfits should work with that backdrop rather than against it. This doesn’t mean everything needs to match — in fact, please don’t try to match your outfits to your walls. What you want to avoid is clashing or overpowering the space. If your living room is full of warm wood tones and soft neutrals, a neon orange sweater is going to fight for attention. Think of your home as part of the photo and dress in a way that feels harmonious with it.
Cozy, Comfortable, and Layered
Think Anthropologie meets J.Crew — that effortless, well-loved style that still feels a little curated. For the grown-ups, that might look like a flowy dress with a cardigan, a linen romper, or a relaxed button-down layered over a simple tee. For kids, the same idea translates easily: a soft knit cardigan over a classic dress or a chambray shirt with rolled sleeves. Layering doesn’t have to mean heavy fabrics — it can be as simple as adding one extra piece for texture. Accessories do a lot of this work too, and they’re an easy way to dress kids up without making them uncomfortable: a delicate necklace, a woven belt, a headband or bow, a pullover, a cute pair of earrings. The goal is outfits that feel like there’s a little more than one element to look at, while still staying light, breathable, and easy to move in.
Stick to Soft, Neutral Tones — With A Pop of Color
This is the golden rule of photo outfit planning: keep your palette soft and neutral, then let one color act as your accent. Think cream, ivory, soft gray, taupe, sage, dusty blue, blush — these tones photograph beautifully and never compete with each other. Then pick one or two members of the family, or a few elements throughout, like a dress, shirt, and a headband, to carry a slightly bolder pop of color, like a rich green, deep blue, berry, or mustard tone.
Avoid Busy Patterns, Bold Prints, and Bright Colors
Large patterns, loud logos, and bright primary colors tend to pull the eye away from faces and emotions — which are really the whole point of the photos. This goes for the kids’ clothes too; character tees and busy graphic prints can be tempting for little ones but tend to compete with their faces. If you love pattern, which can help add depth, choose something small-scale and subtle, like a fine pinstripe, gingham, or a delicate floral, and use it sparingly (one person, one piece).
Coordinate, Don’t Match
I always tell clients: coordinate, don’t match. Everyone wearing the exact same color or the exact same plaid can actually look a little flat and matchy in photos. Instead, choose a palette where everyone’s outfit could believably exist in the same color family — but vary the specific shades, textures, and pieces. This creates a look that feels pulled-together and intentional, while still looking natural, even across the range of sizes, grown ups and little ones, in a family.
A Few More Tips
- Mix textures within your neutral palette. A waffle-knit cardigan, a linen dress, and soft cotton shorts all in similar tones will look more dynamic together than three pieces in the same fabric.
- Think about the season and the light in your home. If your home gets a lot of warm afternoon light, cooler tones can balance that beautifully. If it’s more neutral or cool-toned light, warmer outfit colors can add richness.
- Plan outfits around your favorite rooms. If you know we’ll be shooting in the kitchen, nursery, or living room, glance at those spaces before you decide on colors.
- Comfort equals better photos. If you’re tugging at a waistband or worried about a too-tight collar, it shows — and kids will let you know immediately if something itches or pinches. Choose pieces everyone can move, sit, and snuggle in without thinking about them.
- Have fun with accessories — within reason. A great scarf, a statement necklace, a bow, or a belt can add personality without overwhelming the frame.
At the end of the day, the goal is for your outfits to feel like you — comfortable, cozy, and right at home, because you are. When in doubt, keep it simple, soft, and let your family’s connection be the star of the photos.
