Christmas photos are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. The cozy sweaters, little ones dressed up, the holiday lights, and all that excitement that comes with Christmas that makes these sessions so much fun! But before we get to all of that, there is one question I hear every year. What in the world are we going to wear for Christmas photos?!
If you’ve found yourself with seventeen browser tabs open trying to coordinate Christmas outfits for your entire family, I see you.
The good news is that figuring out what to wear for Christmas photos doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple choices can help everything come together while still letting your family look like themselves.
So, let’s figure out those outfits!
Step Away From the Matching Christmas Sweaters
Before you start shopping, decide on a color palette.
I usually recommend choosing a couple of colors and mixing in plenty of neutrals. This gives you enough variety that everyone doesn’t look like they are wearing the same outfit while still helping everything feel pulled together.
Burgundy with tan and cream is one of my favorite combinations for Christmas Tree Farm photos. Rust and warm caramel tones are beautiful against all that green too.
For studio Christmas photos, you could go a little more neutral and bring in green or a fun print. If you love a classic Christmas look, touches of red can be really pretty too.
The biggest thing to remember is that we want everyone to coordinate, not match. So, no need to order six identical red sweaters. Haha! Although I will say, matching outfits on little ones can be pretty darn cute!
We Need to Talk About All That Green
Your session location can help you narrow down your colors.
At the Christmas Tree Farm, there is obviously A LOT of green. If everyone shows up wearing dark green, you may start disappearing into the trees.
This is where contrast comes in. Burgundy, rust, caramel, cream and warmer tones stand out beautifully against the trees without feeling overly Christmas themed.
For studio sessions, the background tends to be lighter and more neutral with pops of Christmas color. This gives you more freedom to bring in deeper greens, neutrals or a print with a little personality.
You don’t have to match the setting. We just want your outfits to look like they belong there.
You Really Can’t Mess This One Up
If color palettes are making your brain hurt, neutrals are always a good place to start.
Cream, brown, caramel and tan photograph beautifully during the holidays. They feel cozy without making your photos scream CHRISTMAS!
They are also really easy to build on. Start with mostly neutrals and bring in one deeper color through a sweater, dress or pattern. Suddenly, everything starts coming together.
And if you love decorating your home in more neutral colors, these photos will fit right in when you print them later.
Because Freezing Kids Are Super Fun to Photograph
This one is especially important for my outdoor Christmas sessions because November in Northwest Ohio can be a little unpredictable.
Please plan for the cold. Instead of putting your child in something adorable that requires taking off their winter coat for every photo, make the warm pieces part of the outfit.
Think chunky sweaters, cute jackets and cozy knits. A hat can be adorable and actually serve a purpose.
Because you know who does not care how cute their outfit looks?…a freezing four year old. 😂
If your kids are warm and comfortable, they have a much easier time exploring and loving on you. That means you can relax a little too.
One Plaid Shirt Is Cute. Five Is not!
I LOVE a good plaid for Christmas photos, especially at the Christmas Tree Farm and with Santa!
The trick is knowing when to stop. If one person is wearing a bold plaid, let that be your main pattern. Then pull colors from it when choosing everyone else’s outfits.
You can absolutely mix in another pattern. Just make it smaller and more subtle, like a tiny floral or thin stripe.
You want the outfits to feel interesting when you put them all together, but you don’t want every person competing for attention.
Your Excuse to Buy the Chunky Sweater
Christmas and winter outfits are perfect for texture. Chunky knits, corduroy and fuzzy sweaters can make even a simple color palette feel more interesting.
This is also an easy way to add variety when your family is wearing a lot of neutrals.
For example, cream pants with a cream sweater could feel a little flat. Swap the sweater for a chunky knit and suddenly you have some dimension without adding another color.
Little details like that make a bigger difference than you might think!
We’re Picking Your Outfit First This Time
Moms, I’m going to tell you the same thing I tell you when we’re planning fall family photos….Start with yourself.
I know the temptation is to find something cute for the kids first and figure yourself out later. But you’re usually the hardest person to dress because you actually care how you feel in the photos.
Pick something you feel good in. Maybe that’s a flowy dress with boots. Maybe you feel more like yourself in pants with a beautiful sweater.
Once you have your outfit, we can build everyone else around you.
Trust me, it is much easier than dressing the entire family and realizing at 11 p.m. that you have absolutely nothing to wear.
Okay, THIS Is Where We Have Fun
Once Mom is figured out, I usually move on to the kids. This is where you can have so much fun!!
Kids are the perfect place to bring a little more personality into your family’s outfits. I love playful pieces that still feel like them. Think a whimsical floral, a sweater with an unexpected detail, corduroy overalls, or a dress with a fun collar.
You don’t need to dress siblings alike either. I actually love when each child has their own look. Maybe your daughter wears a fun floral dress while your little guy has on corduroy pants and a cozy sweater. Pull a color from one outfit into the other and suddenly they feel connected without looking overly coordinated.
Don’t be afraid of a piece that feels a little different! Kids can pull off those playful prints and interesting details so well. A fun collar, an unexpected print, or a cute pair of overalls can add so much to your family’s outfits. They add personality to your photos and help the outfits feel more like your family.
If you’re wondering where to find those fun little pieces, Zara and H&M are two of my favorite places to look. Hanna Andersson is great for playful prints and cozy knits, and Gymboree usually has some really cute seasonal pieces too.
Just make sure they can MOVE in whatever you choose. I want them comfortable enough to explore, snuggle with you and forget all about what they’re wearing once we get started.
Good News, Dad Is Pretty Easy
Dad is usually my final piece of the puzzle.
Once everyone else has an outfit, look at what your family is missing. Maybe you need another neutral to calm everything down. Maybe Dad can pull in a color from your daughter’s dress with his sweater.
A simple sweater with neutral pants is usually all you need. Dad doesn’t have to be the statement piece. In fact, keeping his outfit simple can help balance everything else you have going on.
You’re Almost Done, I Promise
Once you think you’ve decided on what to wear for Christmas photos, lay all of the outfits together. And I mean everything!
Put the shoes with them. Add the tights. Look at the jackets everyone will actually be wearing. Sometimes you don’t notice that something feels off until you see the entire family’s outfits next to each other.
Let the kids move around. Pick up your toddler. Sit down in your dress.
You may discover that the pants you ordered are suddenly two inches too short or that the sweater your child swore was comfortable is apparently now “the ITCHIEST THING EVER.” Much better to find that out at home!
I also recommend skipping neon colors, large logos and anything that immediately pulls your eye away from your family.
And Mom, give your nails a quick look too. Your hands tend to show up in photos more than you realize when you’re holding little hands or snuggling your babies.
Still Staring at that Pile of Clothes?
If you’re still staring at your bed covered in clothes wondering if any of it actually goes together, send me a photo…seriously!! I’m always happy to look at what you’re considering and help you figure out what might be missing.
Once the outfits are figured out, that’s one less thing to think about on photo day.
Choose pieces that feel like your family, make sure everyone is comfortable, and don’t worry about getting every little detail perfect.
Then come ready to spend some time together and enjoy your kids exactly as they are right now.
And if you’re stuck on what to wear for your Christmas photos, send me what you’re thinking! I’m always happy to help you pull everything together or check out Styled by WI!
Ready for Your Own Christmas Photos in Toledo, Ohio?
Now that you know what to wear for Christmas photos, let’s save a date for your family on the calendar!
If you love the cozy, outdoor feel of the holidays, you can read more about my Christmas Tree Farm Photos in Toledo and see if a Tree Farm session feels right for your family.
Or, if you have little ones who still believe, Christmas Photos with Santa in Toledo gives them time to actually visit with Santa, warm up to him, share their Christmas wishes, and soak up some of that excitement that makes this season so much fun.
Both are such sweet ways to remember your family during the Christmas season. You can also save your spot at the farm or with Santa right here!
