Josh and Brinley

Soo excited for this pair to get hitched in just a couple weeks!

What To Wear: Orange County Photographer

Every year, I get asked the same question when it comes to family photos....

"What should we wear?!?"

Really outfits are a personal choice and a reflection of your own style and taste. There are definitely some things to avoid (large horizontal stripes make you look wider, small prints or fine lines turn into zebra stripes on screen etc. etc) but overall, picking out family outfits is fairly easy in my opinion. Why?

It looks better when you DON'T try so hard.

Often times, family photos come across as being a little too "matchy matchy." People think they have to stick with two colors, white and navy, and everyone has to wear some combination of that. While that often times does look good in photos, it's my personal opinion that the less you think about it, the better it turns out! Take this for example...

This is a photo I snapped of my children the other day on the front door step. While none of these colors match in particularly, they all seem to look okay together. Sometimes it's good to mix bright colors and bold patterns. Think outside the box! Here's an idea board for a summer family session that I've put together...

Most of these clothes were found online at either, Gap, JCrew or Old Navy. I have found that typically their clothes are affordable because they normally have sales, and you can find something for every person in the family! I particularly love the mom's dress featured at Sonnet James. If you haven't checked out her new stylish & comfortable mommy approved dresses, I suggest you do now!

Here are some other ideas as we are heading into fall that might spark your interest..

It is nice to have a set of neutrals with just one or two pops of color. Some people say brown and black don't go together...but I disagree. Look at leopard print! It's a perfect example! Neutral tones generally all go well with one another, and it's nice to add a little color for intensity. Here are some examples of other families who had this same idea!

photos via Simplicity Photography

You can see how in the first photo, the neutral colors don't conflict with the bright backdrop and in the second, they really compliment the warm tones in the setting. 

Hopefully these give you a fresh idea of what to look for this year for YOUR family photos! Christmas season will be here before you know! So start brainstorming!

Shayli and Jake: Laguna Beach Photographer