Choosing what to wear for a family session is the question I get more than any other — and honestly, I get it. You want everyone to look pulled together without looking like you’re trying too hard. You want the photos to feel like you, not like a JCPenney catalog from 1998. And you absolutely do not want to be the parent staring at a closet at 8pm the night before, regretting every decision you’ve ever made.

After photographing hundreds of Michigan families, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. Spring sessions in particular have their own rhythm — the light is soft, the grass is finally green again, and there’s a freshness to the air that I love capturing. Here’s how to dress your family in a way that complements all of that.

Start with one person and build from there.

I always tell families to pick the hardest person to dress first. Usually that’s mom — because moms are the ones thinking about every detail of how the photos will look hanging in the living room. Pick your outfit, pick the colors you feel beautiful in, and then build everyone else around you. Don’t try to coordinate from scratch with five people at once. It will make you crazy.

Choose a soft, cohesive color palette — not a matching uniform.

The matchy-matchy white shirts and khakis era is over (thank goodness). Instead, pull together three or four colors that live in the same family. For spring in Michigan, I love soft sage greens, dusty blues, warm creams, blush, soft mustard, and muted terracotta. Picture a watercolor painting of your favorite garden — that’s the energy.

Texture is your secret weapon.

When everyone is wearing similar colors, texture is what keeps the photos from looking flat. Linen, knit cardigans, denim, lace details, corduroy, lightweight wool — these all photograph with depth and dimension. A solid cotton t-shirt next to a textured linen blouse will look ten times more interesting than two solid t-shirts.

Avoid big logos, bright neons, and busy patterns.

I know your kid loves their Paw Patrol shirt. I love it for them too. But it will absolutely be the only thing your eye goes to in every single image. Save the character clothes for Tuesday and put them in something simple for our session. Same goes for neon brights — they cast colored light onto faces and make skin tones tricky.

Layer for Michigan’s mood swings.

Spring in Michigan can be 75 and sunny or 48 and breezy, sometimes in the same week. Cardigans, denim jackets, light scarves, and rolled-sleeve button-downs add visual interest *and* keep everyone comfortable. Layers also give us styling options on the day of — we can take them off, put them on, tie them around waists.

Dress kids like small humans, not tiny adults.

Kids should still look like kids. Comfortable shoes they can run in. Clothes that move. If your daughter only feels like herself in her favorite twirly dress, let her wear it. Authentic always photographs better than stiff.

A few practical things I always remind families:

• Iron or steam everything the night before. Wrinkles show up in photos in a way they never do in real life.
• Bring backup outfits if you have toddlers. Snack hands happen.
• Skip super short shorts or skirts on adults — they read awkwardly when we’re sitting on the ground or in motion.
• Get haircuts at least a week before, not the day before.
• Bare feet are gorgeous. So are simple sandals. Bright white sneakers will pull every eye in the photo.

Need a place to start? I have a private Pinterest board I share with all my booked clients full of color palette inspiration and outfit examples. It takes the guesswork out of styling and gives you concrete starting points instead of an overwhelming Google search.

Spring sessions are some of my favorite of the entire year. The light is soft, the energy is fresh, and after a long Michigan winter, everyone is just a little more excited to be outside together. Let’s make some beautiful photographs.

Let’s do this!

Ready to book your spring family session? Head over to my booking page or send me a note through the contact form — I’d love to capture your family this season.

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