Hey mama! Welcome to October…holiday photo session month! Whether you are scheduling with a professional or planning your own, Oct temps are *just right* and this is the month to get it accomplished before those holiday to-do lists get out of control. I have been working on my own kids’ wardrobe for holiday sessions, I shared my process on Insta stories a few weeks ago and uploaded my final choice (thanks for all your input!) to my Fall Photo Session Outfits Pinterest board.
Wardrobe planning can definitely make your head spin, especially if you have multiple family members to choose for.
Here are a few planning tips:
1.) Think Location
Where will you be taking your photos? Try picking complementary colors (opposite colors on the color wheel). Photographing in a green forest or park? Add reds to your wardrobe. Photographing by the water? Try oranges. If you are lucky to photograph in gorgeous Fall foliage, deep blues will hit it out of the park!
2.) Pick One Key Piece
With location in mind, begin by picking one key item you want to incorporate into your session. It may be an adorable pattern dress, a colorful plaid scarf, or a favorite necklace—find your source of inspiration and work from there.
3.) Coordinate Colors
Pick a palette of 2-4 colors based on your key piece—you want to coordinate NOT match. Hop on over to Pinterest for inspiration and start pinning to your own board. Search for your color combination + key items for inspiration. Or start here for my Fall ’19 picks > Once you have 15-20 ideas on your board, weed out the ones that will work best for your kiddos, and pick 2-3 favorites. It’s OK to “un-pin” something that just isn’t going to work for your fam!
Love how these two cuties (below) coordinated…not matched!
4.) Pull it Together
Now that you have your “vision”, start pulling items from your kiddos closets. Seriously, anything and everything that could work—you may be surprised. Lay out all the items on a bed/floor to see how they flow together, and start mixing and matching.
5.) Add Texture + Color
Adding texture and pops of color is a great way to add depth to your photos. Look for different fabrics within your chosen color palette and layer, layer, layer! Accessories are fun and can be swapped out for different looks within your session. By adding a hat to one kiddos’ wardrobe you can get a bunch of different looks (hat on head, holding hat on side, flipping hat in air or on finger, no hat). I like each kid to have one “fun” item (sunglasses, hat, suspenders, scarf, necklace, colorful shoes, favorite stuffy…)
6.) Fill in the Blanks
Time to shop or ask a friend! I love Amazon for quick, cheap finds—this year I ordered yellow pants, suspenders and a striped shirt to complete my kiddos’ look.
Hope this sends you off in the right direction with your wardrobe planning this year. Just remember, it’s one year of many photos, so have some fun with it!
I would love to see your holiday session photos—use #MyStoryInPhotos on Instagram to share!
