Wondering what to wear for your family photos in Melbourne? You’re not alone, and I get it! Figuring out family photoshoot outfits can feel overwhelming. But here’s the truth: your photos should reflect who you are, not just what you’re wearing. As a Melbourne family photographer, I want to help you feel comfortable, confident, and most of all, yourselves.
Dressing like yourselves: What to wear for your family photos
If you’re wearing clothes you actually like, you’ll relax. And when you relax, your photos stop being about what you look like and start being about how you feel together. Trends come and go, but who you are right now matters more than what you’re wearing.
You don’t need to buy a new outfit you’ll never wear again. If jeans and a t-shirt feel like you, wear them. If you love bold colours or patterns, bring them. Matching is optional; feeling like yourself is not.
Addressing challenges
Coordinating a family’s outfits can feel like a puzzle, especially if one person is sorted and everyone else is still in “I’ll find something later” mode. I’ve been there. The good news? There are a few simple tricks that make it easier.
Choosing Family Photoshoot Outfits That Feel Like You
Keep it simple. Your family already has its own style – your outfits should just feel like you. Start with what’s already in your wardrobe (you’ll probably find more than you think). It’s a win-win, you’ll look like yourselves, and it’s kinder to the planet too.
1. Let your family’s personality come through
When it comes to clothing choices, ensure that each family member wears something they feel comfortable and confident in. For instance, if your family loves keeping things casual, consider jeans, cozy knits, and simple t-shirts. If you’re a more formal bunch, it’s okay to opt for dresses and shirts. Do keep in mind that finding a balance of similar ‘style’ is helpful – if one person shows up in a suit and the rest are wearing in jeans, this can feel a little odd.
You’ll may have seen lots of neutrals on photographers’ Instagram feeds. Why? Because it can be easy to work with these colours, so photographers push them BUT maybe you like bright clothes or fun patterns – and that’s more important.
If you like bright colours, WEAR bright colours! Don’t be afraid of wearing a pattern – its’ not going to ruin your photoshoot – you can balance it with some plainer items if you want and/or pick up on colours in what others are wearing.
If you like patterns but not sure how to coordinate this, an example for you: below is a mum’s patterned dark dress, with a fairly neutral partner, some kids’ clothing here with some interest that ties back into the parents with the gingham and denim referencing the parents and the brown solid of the baby tying into the same palette. Make links! Keep your tonal range connected.
2. Coordinating colours – achieving unity without uniformity
Coordinate your family’s outfits with a colour palette that suits your personalities. The example below might be from a summer evening session for a family who wants to dress up just a little more but doesn’t want to be too out there: here are shades of blue, cream, and soft beige with an accent colour of the green which is in same tonal range and also there is some contrast with lights and darks to help things not feel too matchy. This all works together to create a coordinated yet diverse look.
Colour differences help you not to blend in a photo. If mum and baby are both in white, it is harder to distinguish where one person starts and ends. Break it up.
3. Embracing texture: adding dimension
Incorporate texture to create visual interest without complicating your outfits. Think about wearing a shirt over a plain tee, or a parent opting for a chunky knitted jumper. Kids could wear corduroy pants or a layered dress; this can add depth while maintaining comfort.
4. Dress appropriately for the weather
Nothing tanks a shoot faster than cold, uncomfortable kids. Your kids’ moods are WAY WAY more important than your expectations of a certain clothing item not quite lining up with the weather Melbourne throws at you. It might feel hard to change if you have a set idea, but try to find a way around it! Layer up – a warm layer underneath or bring a jacket. Cold kids are not happy kids; it hampers everyone’s experience and adds unnecessary stress.
5. Avoiding distractions
If you need an easy solution, this is it. Simple. Plain colours with a few minimal textures. It’s a great idea to steer clear of logos that could detract from the emotion in your photographs. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but our eyes go straight to words, and sometimes words get cut off in awkward places (a friend quotes the example of a t-shirt with the word Saturday obscured by a jacket, leaving the word ‘turd’ in view… oops). You can definitely opt for uncomplicated, plain-coloured pieces to add some texture. This minimalistic approach ensures that focus remains on genuine connections captured in the images.
6. Accessorise carefully
There are a few things to consider with accessories – will the item fall in someone’s face when you go to hug them? This could be long necklaces or scarves. Will it obscure or shade your face – I’m not opposed to a hat (some people live in hats) but do know that this will cast shadows and might be a better option for ‘some of the time’, beanies or bows on babies can slip down too and obstruct beautiful moments and details, likewise big collars or frills can flip onto kids faces. If you are a glasses wearer. WEAR YOUR GLASSES (I would feel wrong without mine). But if you wear transition lenses and happen to own non-transition lenses, please wear those instead so I can see your eyes! (If you don’t have another pair, please don’t go without your glasses!).
Consider your shoes
A quick note on shoes! It’s worth considering your location when you choose what to wear on your feet. Beautiful leather shoes at the beach might not fare so well with sand and water – you could go barefoot? Boots or flats might be smarter when you’re tromping through bushland as your kids might not handle scratchy grass with open sandals. Be smart, don’t forget about where you’ll be, both what feels appropriate and is practically suitable for your location! It’s usually best to leave the heels at home.
Real examples: Why do certain outfit combos work?
Brights, pastels, neutrals, darks, autumnal tones, primary colours, mix and match – Bring it. But it’s most helpful to see real-world examples and to look at what makes these combos work. I’m no fashion expert (that’s actually quite laughable) – but this is me wearing my photographer hat, reflecting on why I think the sessions below with my real clients have worked.
Be brave and wear what makes you feel good and feels like you!
Remember, your family’s individuality is the heart of your photoshoot. Embrace who you are and make your clothing choices based first on what feels true and right. Whether it’s brights, neutrals, patterns, or textures – the goal is to create a collection of outfits that genuinely represents your family. So when you’re choosing what to wear for your family photos, start with what feels good.
And of course, I’m always happy to answer wardrobe questions before sessions and offer advice if you get stuck. You can send me photos of your wardrobe conundrums, and I’ll do my best to help!
BONUS… but what about Spiderman?
I actually asked my clients what the big-ticket questions were before I wrote this post. And the most popular question was in this vein:
“How do you bribe a child to wear something other than Spiderman?”
In my experience – which has included no less than Buzz Light Year Cuffs, animal character t-shirts and soft toys or strange bags (A definite accessory for a 3 year old) and even a plastic section of a plumbing… at the end of the day the answer to this comes down to: What are you as a family happy to have in your photos?
Is your child so utterly obsessed with Spiderman that including something of this really be so bad? Could you offer to have a special Spiderman photo at the end (I can definitely do this, bring the item along in the car!)? Maybe said item could ride with me in my bag and come along for the shoot. Or you may offer to get a new Spiderman item as a reward for being in your photos without Spiderman (you did mention bribes after all – that’s your prerogative as a parent!)? Is ice cream all it takes? I am personally not bothered by items that don’t adhere to a certain ‘polished look’ – photography after all is about recording your family as it is at this moment in time, superheroes and all.
If this post was helpful, I’d love you to share this with a friend. Book a session with me or stash this away for future reference. Clothing should never hold you back from booking photography. Show up as you are. Let me do the work of bringing things together.
If you’re looking for the post on what to wear for an extended family session, you can find that here.
Some bonus quick tips
What should we wear for a Melbourne family photoshoot in winter?
Melbourne weather can be unpredictable, so layering is key. Opt for warm neutrals, cozy knits, and practical shoes, comfort makes for better photos.
Can we wear patterns or bright colours for family photos?
Absolutely. Bold patterns and bright colours can add personality to your photos.
How do we coordinate family photoshoot outfits without matching?
Choose a general colour palette, mix textures, and balance patterns with solids. It creates unity without the awkward matchy-matchy look.
