What to Wear

Grab everything you have in colors + patterns and we’ll put together some awesome outfits! Some of my favorites are polka dots, prints and fun fabrics with texture. For warmer temps, think lighter cottons, dresses, linen, and other breathable pieces. For cooler temps, think cozy sweaters, knits, corduroy, and denim. Layering anytime helps add depth and appeal to an image, so try wearing a jacket with a casual outfit, or tights/leggings with a dress or skirt, etc. Still not sure? I've got a neutral palette below for examples for the most flattering colors, but we will talk lots before to plan something perfect for you!

Couples

Grab a few outfits for your session! Think about where we are shooting and choose appropriate clothes, but also - dress like yourself. If we are going to a fancy location, why not dress up a little to match? You will feel amazing and in turn, look amazing. Make sure you include a bit of your personalities, too! Pair a colorful top or jacket with some jeans and coordinate with your honey. Ladies, if you wear a patterned dress, your partner can pick a color from it and create their outfit from that. Think classic. No big motifs or wording, avoid logos and nothing too 'trendy' as this will date your images quickly. Boots, hats, jackets, jewelry, or shoes add personality & style.

If it's a winter shoot - think about layers! Not only do layers do wonders to blocking a winter breeze, but they add so much more interest. Ladies - some colorful fleece-lined leggings (my favorite in winter) with a skirt, a chunky knit cardigan with a belt, hat, scarf, gloves and cute knee high boots are far more stylish than your jeans, winter coat and boots. I'm all for taking breaks to warm up in the car, too. If you're braving the cold, so will I! I've braved -20º in MN for an engagement session before and I'd do it again!

Families

A lot of the tips listed above for couples, also apply for your family, session, too. Think about location and time of year. Make sure you're all coordinating, but NOT identically matching. Don't have everyone in the same outfits - that was ick in the 90's and it's still ick today. 😆 And if you're a family that just wants to roll into your session in whatever you've got on because your family legit doesn't care to get fancy, that's just fine too!! (My BFF is like that and I love her so much for it!) But if you DO want to think a little about wardrobe, here are some ideas for family styling:

Everyone should be in the same style; all dressy or all casual. If it's a summer session and you're wearing shorts, make sure they compliment you - aka no cargo shorts. If anyone wears a skirt or dress, maybe think about shorts or bloomers for those unexpected breezes. If it's winter - layers, layers, layers - especially for the kids as their coats tend to be more bulky and don't photograph well.

*Stick with complimentary colors and fabrics and avoid super bright colors that will cast the color on your face. That bright orange shirt? You're gonna look like a Cheeto. If you want to use color, choose from a more neutral palette that won't reflect any harshness on you - see the examples below!! And DON'T FORGET TO ACCESSORIZE!! Pops of bright color in your accessories is where it's always the best!

What I suggest for families is to pick a fun piece of clothing for someone, doesn't matter who, and choose everyone else's clothing from that. Does your kid have a fun patterned top or dress? Work off colors in that. Parents should stand out in something of their own and your kids can have at least one small part of their outfit reflect their personalities - like a hat, cool shoes, or highlight the sports they're active in or favorite hobbies!

And one last super-important thing - Please make sure what your kid is wearing actually fits them. I'm serious - you'd be surprised how often I used to have this happen. That dress you bought hoping she'd fit into for the session that is literally hanging off her? You can see she's swimming in it, hasn't looked up at my camera for 20 minutes and can't focus on me because she's constantly tripping over it. Those shoes that are a size too big you LOVED & bought anyway cuz he'll fit into them AFTER the session? He'll be tripping all over them, running out of them, and all the focus will be on putting them back on over and over again. I know how excited you are for them to wear certain clothes, so if we have to wait until it fits, please let's do that! I'd rather reschedule than deliver a gallery where you kid looks odd because of ill-fitting clothes, have barely any shots of them actually looking at the camera, or everyone is upset because they've tripped and now have a fat-lip or scrape on their hand - those don't edit out as well as you think they do. Let's plan smart!

Babies + Children

For Newborn sessions, babies look best in very little. We want to see all that soft baby skin, and their cute miniature details. Find those blankets your family or friends have made for baby, or were your's, and we'll use those to add your personal touches. For older babies, a few cute simple outfits, t-shirts or even a diaper cover works great to showcase all those delicious rolls. Keep it comfortable and simple is best. Changing their clothing too often can spoil a good mood, so we’ll play it by baby. 

It’s fun to have at least one part of your kids' outfit reflect their personalities. Bring that item she's obsessed with lately; a quirky hat, a fun dress/skirt, necklace, or cool shoes. Maybe your little guy insists on wearing a favorite t-shirt or pair of rain boots everyday - even if it's that weird green spatula - bring it!! It's part of who they are at that moment in time. So you should totally have it in photos. How fun to be able to look back on and remember those goofy quirks they had at that age!

For kid sessions, I encourage them to explore, have fun, and be themselves. So if a puddle or pile of leaves proves too irresistible to your little one, it's ok! A little dirt never hurt anyone and I want to capture the curiosity and joy of childhood through real images. These photographs are memories of your children in a natural environment - We'll meet at your favorite park or hang out at home for their session. But if it's maybe forecast to just rain a little bit when we meet, let's brave the rain! I come prepared with umbrellas. It's way more fun to catch some splashes in puddles and cute shots under the cover or an umbrella! Perfect excuse to have a fun raincoat and galoshes on standby in the closet, right?

If you're still not coming up with outfit ideas, I've got you covered. We'll get chatting as soon as you book. And you don't need to go out and drop a ton of money on new clothes for everyone. Go through your closet. I know there are a handful of nice things that haven't been worn in a while that are just waiting for your session! I can't wait to plan with you!!

Head to the link below for session package information.