Family fall outfits: What to wear for a fall photoshoot

It’s that time of the year again…fall family photos!

I’m refreshing this blog post again per popular demand–it seems like Fall is the #1 time to schedule any kind of professional photo session, from engagement photos to snaps for the entire family. It’s the perfect time of year for photos–the crisp air and cooler temperatures, the changing leaves, the gorgeous fall natural light.

Choosing what to wear for your entire family, on the other hand, can be anything but enjoyable. It’s stressful!

Truth be told, I have never really been one for the pumpkin patch photos, but as they say, “once you have a baby”… suddenly you feel a distinct pull to dress her up in fall garb and surround her with pumpkins!? (I can attest…it’s true.)

Anyway, if you’re also planning your own fall family portraits, I’ve got you covered with ALL the tips and fall outfit inspiration for the fall season. Read on for outfit ideas for fall family pictures (with links to shop) as well as helpful tips for putting together your own outfits for a family photoshoot, whether that’s with a professional photographer or just your iPhone.

(Also, I hope you the photos of tiny baby Junebug! 😭)

Family fall outfits: Styling tips & what to wear for a family photo session

7 Tips for coordinating family fall outfits:

Before we get into what we’re wearing here, some overall tips on planning your fall photo shoot outfits (or photos for holiday cards and any photo shoot outfits in general!)

#1. Pick the “star of the show” outfit first and plan everything else around that:

It’s a good idea to start with YOUR outfit OR the kids/baby outfit is the best to start out with. Whatever you’re most excited about OR the hardest thing for you to shop for. (For what it’s worth, this applies to any kind of photo shoot–I would say the same for engagement photos too–pick your outfit first, then choose his outfit, etc!)

So in this instance, I started with June’s outfit, because that’s what I was most excited about (and also she had the most limited options because every piece of fall/winter clothing I had purchased for her is still too big!) then I picked my outfit, and I told Neal to put on something that didn’t clash.

That leads us to the next point…

#2. Pick a color scheme (including patterns):

Tips for picking a color scheme for family photos:

You all know I’m big on color schemes when it comes to packing for a trip. The same applies to photo shoots! You can absolutely all wear different colors, even bold colors or a floral dress–they just need to have one cohesive scheme.

I think it’s helpful to pick a color scheme or color palette or even simpler–choose one dominant color for the photo shoot–but again, I don’t think it’s necessary (or even preferred) to all “match.”

Whatever you’re wearing should compliment each other, but it doesn’t necessarily all have to be the same colors!

Don’t worry about that old rule about only solid colors, no patterns, etc. Wear what makes you feel like YOU.

If you notice, Neal isn’t wearing the same colors as June and me, but we still all go together. He’s wearing navy and white. We’re wearing orangey-browns and white. White is the common thread! Neal and I are also both wearing white sneakers that helps the cohesiveness–both from a color and from a style standpoint.

In the fall, I tend to gravitate toward neutrals, which makes it easy to mix and match. I love browns, burnt orange, black, dark navy, white, cream, etc! (They’re a lot easier to coordinate than bright colors!)

#3: Tips for coordinating patterns for family fall outfits:

I know the age-old “photo clothing” rule says to stay away from patterns, but I disagree! Just as discussed above, I think if you want to wear patterns, they should compliment one another, and not clash.

For example, I think if your whole family wanted to wear plaid–that would be VERY overwhelming. Too many bold patterns should be avoided, rather, choose ONE bold pattern and center the other outfits around it. When mixing more than one pattern, consider one bold/large pattern, the rest should be more subdued, busier, smaller prints.

Can more than one person wear patterns in photos?

Absolutely. Let’s use buffalo plaid as an example.

If one person is wearing a buffalo plaid (bold pattern) and another wore thin black and white stripes (more subtle) another wore a small polka dots print (small/busy pattern) and another wore a classic white shirt (solid color)–I think that’s great and makes for an interesting outfit mix that feels very organic and not too “staged.”

This is an example of one of my favorite looks for family fall outfits. It feels authentic and real and allows everyone’s personality to shine through!

How I applied this method to the outfits we’re wearing here:

Vary the scale of your patterns. You’ll notice that my stripes are the largest pattern but the coloring makes them subtle. (If they were SUPER bold, thick black and white stripes, that would be too much and too out of balance–know what I mean?) Neal’s shirt is a very small, busier pattern, and June’s bow has a very small, but very subtle gingham pattern.

The reason these all work together is that the scale and colors are varied and there isn’t ONE pattern that is super loud and dominant.

#4: Don’t forget about the little details

I think often what makes an outfit are the details. In this case, it’s the scarf in my hair, and June’s knee socks! It could also be a fun pair of shoes on your little girl, or some adorable hats on your little boys. (What is it about little boys and hats!? 😍 Is there anything cuter?)

#5: Consider your background/photo setting:

Where will you be taking photos? You can have a perfect outfit, but don’t forget to consider your setting too–you want them to go together!

If we’re talking about pumpkin patch photos, you’ll want to choose things that go well with pumpkins! (AKA–not bright orange.) Fall colors like earth tones, muted hues, and darker colors like black and navy will be a great bet. If you’re dying to take some cute photos in say, a corn maze, you might want to steer away from light neutral colors and try and wear tones that are darker (not beige, for example) or with pops of color, so you don’t blend in!

Another popular example: an apple orchard! A very popular setting for fall family photos–but since the background in an apple orchard is mostly green, you wouldn’t want to all wear green. A pop of color (little red boots–would be perfect for Christmas cards too!) or whites or neutrals would be a great option for your family outfits!

#6: Shop your closet and wear what feels like YOU

I know it’s fun to shop for an occasion like a photoshoot, but don’t feel like you have to buy anything new! In fact, I love wearing things I already own and love (and wear often) because then I can look back and say, “OH I remember I loved that skirt!” and it’s a true representation of our lives at that point in time!

Still love your skinny jeans? Wear them!

Do you adore bright, rich colors? WEAR THEM!

Does your two year old want to wear her hot pink cowboy boots or a princess dress? The best thing you can do is LET HER.

Remember, the most important thing is that these photos accurately capture this moment of time.

They don’t need to be perfect and Pinteresty–they just need to feel like you.

Our fall family outfits:

Baby girl family fall outfits for family photos

Fall family outfits: What to wear for a fall photoshoot at the pumpkin patch and other fall settings

What June and Henry are wearing: (Fall family outfit ideas for baby girl and baby boy!)

On June: Similar jumper here, similar ruffled onesie here, Amazon bows, similar knee socks // On Henry: OshKosh overalls (Baby Gap also makes super cute ones!), Similar hat, Similar tee

baby fall outfit ideas | What to wear for a fall photoshoot | Fall family outfits

What I’m wearing: (Fall family outfit ideas for mom!)

Skirt: old but similar here from J.Crew factory (and on sale!) Also love this adorable corduroy jumper from Amazon (I got it in black but they have tons of colors) It would also be so cute for fall photos! Tee: old but more options here. Would also be cute with different colored stripes! In my case, I’d probably do navy and white stripes here to go nicely with Neal’s navy. Shoes: My tried and true Freda Salvador sneakers. Reviewed here along with my other favorite white sneaks! Hair scarf: Old scarf–most of mine are either thrifted or bought at markets on my trips (I love scarves as souvenirs!) Highly recommend checking your local vintage shop! See this post on how to tie a hair scarf.

men's fall outfit ideas - family fall outfit inspiration

Short sleeve button down: Old from Bonobos (current versions here!) Shorts: Bird dogs. Super comfortable with built-in underwear! They feel like gym shorts but are constructed to look like everyday shorts. (He also loves the shorter length!) Bonobos short s are another favorite of his if you’re looking for something a little more polished. He also loves their chinos and travel jeans (both great photoshoot options and both come in great colors!) Sneakers: Converse! Classics that never go out of style. He also has owned and loved Jack Purcells as well which are a similar look!

More fall family photo outfit ideas:

My tip: I mentioned this above, but worth repeating–start with YOUR outfit first.

Whether you’re a flowy dress kinda girl or you prefer jeans and chunky knit sweaters, see some favorite thought-starters below, then move on to outfits for him, and outfits for kids (if applicable 😉)–building their outfits to compliment yours.

So, for example, say you choose a bold floral print, then you’d want to go with something more subdued for your partner (like a solid button-down or sweater) and/or kids (maybe a chambray or solid or more subdued pattern).

Make sense?

But if you choose, say, a black v-neck sweater, jeans and a pair of boots (classic!) for yourself, feel free to switch up the colors and add in different patterns with everyone else’s outfits–just ensuring they complement each other and aren’t too busy. (See tips above!)

Family fall outfits for women: Dresses

Family fall outfit ideas for women: tops

Family fall outfits for men: shirts and pants ideas

Family fall outfits: Little Kids + Baby ideas

Family fall outfits: Big Kids (Little boy and little girl)

Cutest family fall outfits & 7 tips for the best family photos