What to wear
The best family portraits feel coordinated without looking overly planned. Choose a shared color palette, then let each person dress within it.
Different shades, textures, and layers create depth while keeping the finished portrait cohesive. Blackwater can help with final wardrobe decisions before your Portrait Experience.
Each household can choose clothing within the same color family without needing an exact outfit assignment. Pick your colors first, share the link, and let everyone build from there.
Coordinate.
Don't match.
Gone are the days when everyone needs the same white shirt and blue jeans. Instead, choose three to five complementary colors and let each person build an outfit from that palette.
Think of the group as one complete composition. No single person should dramatically stand out unless there is an intentional reason for them to.
For a large family, variety is actually helpful. Different shades and textures keep the portrait from looking uniform while the shared palette ties everyone together.
Send this page to everyone. Let each household dress within the palette.
Start with three to five colors
For a large group, choose a limited family of colors rather than assigning exact outfits. Any of these five palettes will hold a whole family together.
Warm Neutral
Earth & Denim
Soft & Refined
Deep & Classic
Autumn
You do not need every color represented equally. These are simply boundaries that allow everyone's clothing to work together. The swatches are guidance for tone, not exact clothing requirements.
Start with one person
If coordinating a large family feels overwhelming, don't choose thirteen outfits at once. Start with one outfit you love, usually Mom, Grandma, or whoever is organizing the portrait.
Pull three to five colors from that outfit. Then build everyone else's clothing around those colors. This creates a natural palette without requiring everyone to shop together.
Mix light, medium & dark
Everyone should not wear the exact same shade. A strong group portrait contains a mixture of light, medium, and darker tones.
Instead of thirteen people in navy, try a spread like this
This is an example, not a required formula. The purpose is simply visual balance, so no single tone takes over the group.
Texture makes a difference
Texture photographs beautifully and creates dimension without relying on loud patterns. Reach for pieces you can feel.
- Linen
- Knit sweaters
- Denim
- Suede
- Corduroy
- Subtle lace
- Textured dresses
- Jackets
- Cardigans
- Layered fabrics
Patterns are welcome, in moderation
One or two subtle patterns can help establish the palette. For large groups, avoid having several people wear competing patterns.
Lovely in a Portrait
- Subtle plaid
- Small floral
- Understated texture
- Classic checks
Go Easy On
- Large graphics
- Bold logos
- Neon patterns
- Oversized lettering
- Extremely high-contrast prints
A patterned dress or shirt can be the piece that establishes the colors for everyone else.
A few things to set aside
Nothing here will ruin a portrait. These are simply the pieces that tend to pull the eye away from faces, so set them aside when it is easy to.
- Neon colors
- Large logos
- Graphic T-shirts
- Athletic clothing
- Extremely busy patterns
- Everyone wearing identical colors
- Pure bright white across the entire group
- Clothing that is uncomfortable or constantly needs adjusting
- Distracting sneakers with otherwise dressier outfits
- Baseball caps, unless they are meaningful to the portrait
- Trendy pieces that will strongly date the portrait
Dresses & skirts photograph beautifully
Dresses and skirts create movement and photograph beautifully. Midi and full-length dresses are especially flattering for family portraits and create an elegant silhouette.
- Movement and flow in the fabric
- Texture that adds quiet depth
- Sleeves whenever you prefer them
- A neckline that feels like you
- A comfortable, easy fit
Dresses are an option, never a requirement. Wear what makes you feel like yourself.
Layers photograph particularly well
A button-down under a jacket, a sweater over a collar. Layers add dimension and give us more looks to work with in a single session.
Reach For
- Chinos and dark, well-fitting denim
- Button-down shirts and textured polos
- Sweaters, sport coats, casual jackets
- Clean boots, loafers, understated shoes
Go Easy On
- Athletic sneakers
- Large logos
- Cargo shorts
- Performance shirts, unless intentional
The most important rule: comfort
Children should be able to sit, stand, walk, play, and be held without parents constantly adjusting their clothing.
- Simple dresses
- Sweaters
- Button-downs
- Chinos
- Boots
- Classic shoes
- Textured layers
- Anything they already love
A comfortable child will always photograph better than a perfectly styled unhappy child.
Avoid clothing that children clearly dislike wearing. Comfort comes first, every time.
Shoes matter more than you think
Shoes appear in full-length portraits and should feel intentional.
- Leather boots
- Loafers and flats
- Simple heels
- Clean neutral sneakers, when appropriate
- Classic children's shoes
Avoid highly colorful athletic shoes unless they intentionally belong with the wardrobe.
Let accessories finish the look
Understated pieces add a quiet, personal finish.
- Simple jewelry and watches
- Belts and scarves
- Hats, when intentional
- Meaningful heirloom jewelry
Accessories should finish an outfit rather than become the first thing someone notices.
Dressing a large family doesn't have to be complicated
Choose three to five colors.
Send the palette and this page to everyone.
Each household chooses outfits within those colors.
Mix light, medium, and dark tones.
Limit strong patterns to a few people.
Do not worry about everyone matching perfectly.
Send Blackwater photographs of the outfits if you need a final opinion.
We want the portrait to feel like your family, not a uniform.
It should still feel like your family
Notice how each person here wears something a little different, yet the group reads as one. Shared colors, varied pieces. That is the whole idea, and it works just as well for four people as it does for twenty.
Do one final check
Before the session, lay everyone's clothing together on a bed or floor and take a quick photograph. It is the fastest way to see the whole group at once.
- One color appearing too often
- One outfit dramatically brighter than everything else
- Competing patterns
- An outfit that feels disconnected from the palette
If everything looks like it belongs in the same room together, you're usually there.
You don't have to figure it out alone
Wardrobe guidance is part of the Blackwater Portrait Experience. If you're unsure between outfits, send us photographs before your session. We'll help you choose what will photograph beautifully and work with the rest of your family.
The goal isn't perfect clothing. It's creating a portrait that still feels like your family years from now.