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Spring Family Photo Outfits: What to Wear UPDATED for 2024!

February 22, 2019

Filed in: Tips

It’s that time again!  As we get into spring portrait season, it’s time to start making decisions on what to wear for your family pictures or engagement session in the SPRINGTIME! If you’re looking for inspiration on spring family photo outfits, I created this guide for you. You can shop through some of my linked favorites below each image here in case you are on a time crunch, or just take inspiration from these photos as you decide on spring family photo outfits! Though I first wrote this post in 2019, I’ve updated it with new outfit combinations and links for 2024. AND, if you’re in the Portland area and searching for a spring mini session–those are available for easy online booking here! Enjoy, and happy photo session planning!

 

 

Spring Family Photo Outfits: Light Neutrals and Soft Florals

I started this timeless neutral outfit inspiration with this stunning floral dress. Florals are perfect for spring family photos, and I always encourage clients to look for lower contrast, subtle floral prints like this one so that the focus will still be on you rather than your clothes. Since mom’s dress had both color and pattern, I kept the rest of the family’s outfits pretty simple, sticking to warmer toned, soft neutrals like the oatmeal henley and light olive pants. Simple is good!

What to wear for spring family pictures: floral dress, sage and neutral muslin

 

Neutral Colors Family Photos - Spring Family Photo Outfit Ideas Style Board

OUTFIT LINKS: Spring Family Photo Outfits: Light Neutrals and Soft Florals

Mom’s Floral Dress | Mom’s Sandals | Dad’s Shirt | Dad’s Pants | Son’s Shirt | Son’s Pants

 

 

Here’s a real-life example of this color palette in action. Mom chose a dress in a soft sage green with a subtle floral pattern (similar here), and kept the rest of the family in easy to mix and match cream, oatmeal, and light khaki neutral colors.

Family of four in a field wearing neutral cream colors and sage green

 

 

Spring Family Photo Outfits: Muted Earth Tones and Color

I adore a neutral palette, but I know so many of my clients love infusing some color into their family’s wardrobe for pictures. If you aren’t a fan of spring pastels, try those same pastel colors but in a more muted, earthy palette. Sage greens, soft butter yellows, and rose pinks are my favorites to blend with neutrals.

Spring family photo outfits: muted earth tones

Babys Dress | Girls Floral Dress | Mom’s Dress | Boys Top | Boys Jeans | Dad’s Shirt | Dad’s Pants

 

Colorful spring family picture outfits with floral dress, sage green, pink, and yellow

Mom’s Dress | Girls Dress | Boys Shirt | Dad’s Sweater | Dad’s Pants | Boys Pants | Baby Romper

Blue and White Family Photos

Spring is the perfect time for using blue and white in your family photos. It’s crisp, fresh, and timeless. I prefer softer blues to avoid any bright colors reflecting back onto your skin. Pairing a pastel blue next to a crisp white will provide a little contrast, and subdued ruffles or a crinkled gauze fabric can add some textural detail.

What to Wear for Spring Family Photos: Blue and White

Mom’s Dress – Amazon | Dad’s Sweater | Girls Dress | Girls Dress | Dads Pants | Baby Romper | Baby Bodysuit

Blue and White Family Photos - Spring Family Photo Outfit Ideas

OUTFIT LINKS: BLUE AND WHITE FAMILY PHOTOS OUTFIT

Mom’s Dress | Mom’s Shoes | Girls Dress | Boy’s Shirt | Boy’s Shorts | Dad’s Shirt

 

Gingham Family Photos

If you’re looking to weave a little pattern into your spring family photo outfits, try a touch of gingham. Look for a larger check, as a very small scale check pattern can photograph oddly. I love the simple, monochromatic ginghams in neutral colors, but if you’re going for a busier gingham, just use it on one person in a small amount so that it doesn’t overwhelm the image.

What to Wear for Spring Family Photos: Gingham and Neutrals

Girls Dress | Dads Shirt | Dads Pants | Boys Shirt | Boys Jeans | Moms Dress | Big Girls Dress | Hair Bow

Gingham Family Photos - Spring Family Photo Outfit Ideas Style Board

OUTFIT LINKS: GINGHAM FAMILY PHOTOS OUTFIT

Dad’s Shirt | Dad’s Pants | Mom’s Dress | Child’s Shirt | Child’s Romper

 

Family of three in a field wearing spring family photo outfits: neutral gingham family photos

 

Spring Family Photo Color Schemes: Neutral Pastels

Next up is soft and romantic neutral pastels.  There’s a little lace, some ruffles, and plenty of soft chiffon and chambray.  The colors are super neutral for mom and dad with just some soft blues.  This could totally be worn for an engagement session too!  I made sure to add a little pop of color with the lavender statement earrings, which really is more than enough.  You could even pair this outfit with some lavender heels if you want to be a little dressier or add more color.

If this is a family photo session, the kids are in super soft shades of violet and rose.  I love that these are all solid colors but the visual interest comes from the textures: ruffles, the crinkle texture of the baby’s outfit, and the lace on mom’s top.  Sticking to solid colors like this rather than patterns gives the whole look a really classic, quiet, serene feel.  It would be perfect in a field for light and bright photos or strolling through the cherry blossoms!

wardrobe idea for family pictures or engagement pictures - neutral pastels lavender chambray and rose

OUTFIT LINKS: NEUTRAL PASTELS

Mom’s top | Blue skirt | Mom’s earrings | Baby’s romper | Girl’s dress | Dad’s shirt | Dad’s pants

 

 

 

Here I mostly focused on colors, materials, and shape.  I wanted it to feel like Easter egg colors, with a little light khaki and light chambray as neutrals to ground those fun pastels.  I’m relying on the lace on mom’s dress and ruffles on the daughter’s outfits for the texture, as well as some subtle texture in mom’s filigree earrings and daughter’s muslin gauze jumper.  Simple textures like this add visual interest and are really preferable over a lot of patterns.  It looks so subtle and timeless!

And one last styling tip–I’m a HUGE fan of rolling up sleeves for a more casual look!  I’d have both dad roll his sleeves up to his elbows to keep this looking casual and spring-y.

 

Where to Shop for Spring Family Photo Outfits: My Favorite Stores

Baltic Born

Joyfolie

Piper and Scoot

Doen

Morning Lavender

Pinkblush

Red Dress

H&M (especially for kids + baby)

 

 

Spring Family Picture Ideas

So now that you have your wardrobe figured out, have you booked your family photos yet? If you’re local to the Portland, Oregon area, you can head over to my website and get in touch about some light, airy springtime family photos. Even if you’re not local, grab some inspo from my favorite spring family picture ideas:

Salem’s cherry blossoms

An English garden in the springtime

A flower filled farm garden

 

I hope this was helpful!  These are so fun to create!  If you have any requests for styles or colors, drop them below in the comments and I’ll try to help you out!  You can also pin this to your Pinterest board by hovering over the pictures!

 

Want more? Check out some other posts on what to wear for family photo sessions here:

WHAT TO WEAR FOR MATERNITY PHOTOS
WHAT TO WEAR FOR BRIGHT AND AIRY FALL FAMILY PHOTOS
WHERE TO SHOP FOR DRESSES FOR PHOTO SESSIONS
WHAT TO WEAR FOR FALL FAMILY PHOTOS
NEW IN 2022: CLIENTS WHO HAVE A SESSION BOOKED WITH ME CAN BORROW FROM THE CLIENT CLOSET! BROWSE IT HERE
BOOK YOUR SPRING MINI SESSION HERE!

 

Planning a Family Photo Session? Get my best tips for creating the family portraits of your dreams!

Make sure your next session is the best ever with 5 days my very best advice for clients, curated over the last 12 years. What to wear, made easy? Yep! 5 questions to ask before hiring a photographer? Oh yeah! Common pitfalls to avoid so that you can enjoy your photos for years to come? You bet! Drop your email in the form below and I’ll get all that info headed over to you right away.

comments +

  1. […] SPRING FAMILY PICTURE OUTFITS: WHAT TO WEAR […]

  2. […] closet. Here’s an example of what that might look like, taken from an earlier post I did about what to wear for spring family photos (head there for shopping links for these […]

  3. […] without having to find a place on your own? Wardrobe styling or a client closet to make deciding what to wear for photos a breeze? A consultation to find out what’s most important to your family, and photograph […]

  4. […] Spring Family Picture Outfits […]

  5. […] pastel palette for you! Think very light neutral colors, and soft floral, gingham, or plaid prints. Photographer Samantha Shannon does a lovely job offering ideas for a spring pastel […]

  6. […] What to Wear for Light and Airy Spring Photos […]

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