Wondering how to coordinate your family’s outfits for your next photo session? Start with one outfit you love, build out your colors, and then build up with accessories and layers.

Welcome back to What Moms Should Know!

I’m Lacey, and I’ve been a professional Kansas City family, newborn, and maternity photographer for well over a decade.

This weekly series was born from the questions I hear all the time from moms who want to have beautiful photographs—but also want to feel confident, prepared, and excited about the experience of creating them.

One of the biggest questions I hear is:

“How do I figure out what everyone should wear for our family photos?”

If you’re a Lacey Renee Studios family, this is something I help you with as part of your experience. I create custom outfit inspiration boards to help you visualize how all of the pieces will work together before your session ever begins.

But even if you’re not one of my families, I wanted to give you the exact thought process I use when I’m building an outfit inspiration board.

And the good news?

It’s really simple.

I use three steps:

Find Your Base.
Build Out.
Build Up.

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Find Your Base

The first thing I recommend doing when planning your family photo outfits is to find your base.

Your base is the one piece of clothing that inspires everything else.

And, honestly, about 98% of the time, that piece is Mom’s outfit.

More specifically?

Mom’s dress.

Here’s why I recommend starting there.

Mom is often the person who feels the most pressure to find an outfit she loves. She’s also frequently the one coordinating everyone’s clothing, making sure the kids have shoes, remembering the accessories, and somehow getting everyone out the door on time.

So let’s start with something that makes her feel beautiful.

Find the dress or outfit that makes you think:

“Yes. I love this.”

Maybe it’s a color you’ve always looked beautiful in.

Maybe you love the texture.

Maybe it’s the way the dress moves.

Maybe it’s a style you’ve been wanting an excuse to wear.

Whatever it is, start there.

Your base piece doesn’t have to be the most elaborate outfit in the group. It simply needs to be something that inspires the rest of your wardrobe.

What If Mom Isn’t the Base?

While Mom’s outfit is my most common starting point, it doesn’t have to be.

Sometimes the base might be:

• Your daughter’s special dress
• Your son’s adorable overalls
• A meaningful heirloom piece
• A specific color you love
• A piece you’ve already purchased for the session

The most important thing is to choose one piece that sets the direction for everything else.

Once you have your base, you’re ready for the next step.

Step 2: Build Out Your Colors

Now it’s time to build out.

This means looking at your base outfit and pulling out two to three coordinating colors.

Think of your base as your inspiration.

Then ask:

“What colors can I pull from this piece that will work beautifully throughout the rest of my family’s outfits?”

If Mom’s dress is a soft floral, for example, look at the colors within the print.

Maybe you see:

• Cream
• Sage
• Dusty blue

Those colors can now become your family’s supporting palette.

Dad might wear a soft cream shirt.

Your daughter might wear a sage cardigan.

Your son might wear dusty blue overalls.

Suddenly, everyone is coordinated—but no one is wearing the exact same thing.

That’s the goal.

Two Colors Is Good. Three Is Better.

When I’m building an outfit inspiration board, I generally like to work with two to three coordinating colors.

Two colors can create a beautiful, simple palette.

Three colors often give you a little more variety and visual interest.

The idea is to give your eye somewhere to move as you look through your final gallery.

You don’t want every family member to look identical.

You also don’t want everyone’s outfit to feel completely disconnected.

Instead, think about creating a visual thread that moves throughout your photographs.

One person’s outfit might bring in the cream.

Another might bring in the sage.

Someone else might incorporate the dusty blue.

And then you can repeat those colors subtly throughout the gallery.

This creates a sense of cohesion without making your family look overly matched.

Step 3: Build Up With Accessories and Layers

Once you have your base and your color palette, it’s time to build up.

This is where accessories, layers, and those little unexpected details come in.

And this is often what takes a family wardrobe from beautiful to exceptional.

Think about:

• Cardigans
• Bows
• Hats
• Suspenders
• Overalls
• Shawls
• Scarves
• Jackets
• Textured blankets
• Special shoes
• Hair accessories
• Layered shirts

These details add dimension.

They add texture.

They add personality.

And they give your photographer more options to work with throughout your session.

For example, your daughter might start the session wearing a cardigan and then take it off for a few photographs.

Mom might wear a shawl for a few images and then set it aside.

Dad might start with a jacket and remove it later.

Your newborn might be photographed with a beautiful textured blanket and then without it.

You don’t have to commit to one look for the entire session.

The goal is to create layers and options.

The 3-Step Formula for Building Family Photo Outfits

If you want a simple formula to remember, here it is:

1. FIND YOUR BASE

Start with the one piece you absolutely love.

Most often, this will be Mom’s dress or outfit.

2. BUILD OUT

Pull two to three coordinating colors from your base piece.

Use those colors throughout your family’s outfits without making everyone match.

3. BUILD UP

Add accessories, layers, textures, and special details.

These are the pieces that add dimension and make your gallery feel unique.

Find your base.

Build out.

Build up.

That’s it.

Three simple steps.

Why Starting With Mom’s Outfit Works So Well

If you’re wondering why I recommend starting with Mom’s outfit so often, there’s a practical reason.

When you’re the person coordinating everyone’s outfits, it can be tempting to find something for everyone else first.

You find the perfect little dress for your daughter.

Then you find your son’s outfit.

Then you find something for Dad.

And suddenly, you’re left trying to find something that works with all of it.

Starting with Mom’s outfit flips that process around.

Instead of trying to make your outfit work with everyone else’s clothing, you get to choose something you genuinely love first.

Then you build everything else around it.

It makes the process easier.

And, perhaps most importantly, it makes sure that you don’t get left out of your own family photos.

How to Coordinate Family Outfits Without Matching

One of the biggest mistakes I see families make is thinking that coordinating means matching.

It doesn’t.

You don’t need everyone wearing the same shirt.

You don’t need every family member wearing the exact same color.

And you definitely don’t need everyone in identical outfits.

Instead, think about:

Color.

Texture.

Layers.

Style.

If your colors are connected, you can create a cohesive gallery even when everyone’s outfits are completely different.

This is where having two or three coordinating colors can be so helpful.

It gives you a framework without making the outfits feel overly styled or artificial.

What If I Can’t Visualize Everything Together?

This is exactly why I love creating custom outfit inspiration boards for my Lacey Rene Studios families.

Sometimes it’s difficult to look at five separate outfits online and imagine how they’ll all look together in a photograph.

An outfit inspiration board allows you to see the bigger picture.

You can look at the colors.

You can see how the textures work together.

You can notice if one outfit is too bold or another is too plain.

You can see where you might want to add a layer or accessory.

And, most importantly, you can make those decisions before your session day.

My goal is to take away the guesswork so that when your family arrives for your photography session, you already feel confident about what everyone is wearing.

You don’t have to stand in your closet wondering if you made the right choices.

You can simply enjoy your family.

Your Family Photo Outfit Checklist

Before your next family photography session, ask yourself these three questions:

Have I found my base?

Choose one outfit that you absolutely love.

Have I built out my colors?

Choose two to three coordinating colors that can be incorporated throughout your family’s outfits.

Have I built up with accessories?

Add layers, textures, accessories, and special details that will create visual interest and variety.

If you can answer yes to all three, you’re well on your way to creating a beautifully coordinated family wardrobe.

The 3 Things Every Mom Should Know

If you remember nothing else from this week’s What Moms Should Know, remember this:

Find your base.

Start with the one outfit that inspires you and makes you feel beautiful.

Build out.

Choose two to three coordinating colors that will create variety and movement throughout your gallery.

Build up.

Add accessories, layers, textures, and little details that give your photographs dimension and personality.

That’s the process I use when I build custom outfit inspiration boards for my families—and it’s a simple formula you can use for your own next photo session, too.

Because choosing what everyone will wear shouldn’t be the most stressful part of your family photography experience.

It should be part of the fun.

And when you have a plan before your session day, you can show up feeling confident, excited, and ready to focus on the people who matter most.

Your family.

Frequently Asked Questions About Coordinating Family Outfits for Photos

How do I coordinate outfits for family photos?

Start by choosing one outfit you love as your base, then select two to three coordinating colors from that outfit. Build those colors throughout the family’s clothing and finish with accessories, layers, and textures to create visual interest.

What outfit should I choose first for family photos?

In most families, I recommend choosing Mom’s outfit first. Pick a dress or outfit that makes you feel beautiful and confident, then use the colors and style of that outfit to inspire everyone else’s clothing.

How many colors should a family wear for photos?

Two to three coordinating colors are a great starting point for family photo outfits. This creates variety while helping the final gallery feel cohesive. The colors don’t need to be worn equally by everyone.

Should everyone match for family photos?

No. Coordinating is usually more effective than matching. Choose a shared color palette and let each family member wear different colors, textures, and styles within that palette.

How can I make family photo outfits more interesting?

Add layers and accessories. Cardigans, hats, bows, suspenders, shawls, jackets, textured blankets, and layered shirts can add dimension and visual interest to your family’s outfits.

Should Mom choose her outfit first for family photos?

Yes, in most cases, choosing Mom’s outfit first is an easy way to build a cohesive family photo wardrobe. Start with something that makes Mom feel beautiful, then pull two to three colors from that outfit to coordinate the rest of the family’s clothing.

What is an outfit inspiration board?

An outfit inspiration board is a visual collection of clothing, colors, accessories, and textures that shows how a family’s outfits will work together before a photography session. It can make planning easier and help families feel confident about their wardrobe choices. See samples here!

What Moms Should Know

You don’t need to be a professional stylist to create beautiful family photo outfits.

You just need a plan.

Find your base.

Build out.

Build up.

Start with the outfit you love.

Add two to three coordinating colors.

Then layer in the details that make your family’s wardrobe feel personal and multidimensional.

And just like that, you’ve created a wardrobe that will photograph beautifully and feel like your family.

I’m Lacey, a Kansas City family, newborn, and maternity photographer with over a decade of experience. Every week, I’m here sharing the tips and answers I give my own clients so you can approach your next photography session with confidence and excitement.

I’ll see you next week for another episode of What Moms Should Know!