When preparing for studio portraits, choosing the right outfit is important - not only for the visual impact of your portraits, but because you deserve to look and feel your best at your session! Whether you’re visiting our Saratoga Springs studio for newborn portraits or your new family session, choosing what to wear shouldn’t be stressful. That’s why I’m sharing my top tips about what to wear for your studio portrait session in our light & airy studio!

what to wear for your studio portrait session: tips for choosing outfits from Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography for classic and timeless images

Choose light colored or neutral outfits.

Timeless neutral outfits keep the focus on your faces & emotions rather than having the eye drawn directly to a dark or bright color before we see your faces. The lighter colors also illuminate your skin and look amazing against our all-white studio and neutral furniture. Dark colors will be the least flattering option when working with my light and airy style of photography. Don’t forget - you can always borrow outfits from both our Mama & Baby wardrobes, if you need a little help deciding what to wear.

See our mama wardrobe

what to wear for your studio portrait session: tips from Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

what to wear for your studio portrait session: tips from Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography for classic and timeless images

Delicate details and texture add interest.

Lace, pleats, swiss dots, sweaters, woven shirts, curls in your hair, details on the sleeves, and jewelry can add even more interest and depth to your portraits. When deciding on accessories, think about how it will photograph AND if it is meaningful to you. Have a favorite necklace or a ring with sentimental value? Wear those to your session, and you’ll tell your child the story behind the jewelry for many years as they look back at their portraits. Those are the best accessories to add interest to your portraits!

In the winter months, avoid putting anyone in big chunky textured sweaters, as they add bulk to everyone’s frames and it’s a less flattering look!

Put the guys in light colors too.

I see a lot of blue or white button down shirts with the sleeves rolled for a more casual look for the dads in my studio. I’m a big fan of long sleeved henleys in a white, cream, oatmeal, or light gray. Lightweight sweaters in softer colors also look amazing and generally coordinate perfectly with other light or neutral colored outfits. If your husband prefers a button down shirt, consider rolling up the sleeves for a more casual look!

what to wear for your studio portrait session: tips for the guys’ outfits from Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography for classic and timeless images

Studio Portrait Outfits for Kids

I love helping with outfits for the big brothers and sisters! I always recommend sticking with neutrals like white, cream, gray, blue, beige, blush pink. Clothing can have patterns on it, but nothing too loud and crazy, and definitely no words or characters/cartoon pictures. The most classic portraits are ones where the outfits don’t compete for your attention. As for shoes, barefoot is always my favorite for the kids! We get to see their cute little toes, and not the soles of their shoes. It’s much sweeter than the dirty shoes in the picture, I promise!

what to wear for your studio portrait session: tips for children’s outfits from Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography for classic and timeless images

One more tip for the kids’ outfits: try their outfits on ahead of time, and make sure that they can sit comfortably and move around without getting caught up in the hem or having their pants legs ride up too high.

Tips for meltdown free sessions with kids

Whatever you wind up wearing, ultimately you want your family’s portraits to feel classic, timeless, and easy.

Schedule your family's studio session

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Nicole and Chris are longtime clients and I've photographed their two babies and all of their milestones ever since they were born. It’s such a special gift to be able to see my clients year after year and watch their kids grow up. I absolutely adore Elli and Colton. So, when Nicole and Chris reached out about surprising his mom with a portrait session for Christmas, I was absolutely on board! Together, we planned an extended family session with Chris’s brother and his family.

The day of their session was so much fun. I loved watching Elli and Colton with their cousin, Easton. Easton and Colton are only a few days apart, so their bond is incredibly special. Extended family portraits are SO important to me because I love photographing all the relationships, especially grandparents and their grandkids. It’s so sweet. I loved watching Nicole, Chris, and their family just be together in the studio.

I also absolutely loved the colors of the outfits they chose! When planning extended family portraits, coordinating outfits can be a bit tricky. Obviously the images will wind up in multiple homes, so try to consider where they’ll be displayed as you choose your palette. Stick to a color palette of 3 or 4 total colors for everyone’s outfits. This family did a great job with that - definitely use it for inspiration! When you’re thinking about studio portraits, too, the lighter colors will photograph so beautifully!!!

Schedule your family portraits!

Psst!! A quick update about 2022’s outdoor portrait season! This year we’re only scheduling outdoor family portraits this for May, September & October. With limited availability, I expect the calendar to fill up even faster than ever. Be sure to reach out early to reserve your spot! If you’re thinking of an outdoor session in 2022, NOW IS THE TIME TO SCHEDULE.