What to Wear for Extended Family Photos – Coordinating Outfits That Work

Capturing memories with your entire crew is a special kind of magic — but figuring out what to wear for extended family photos can feel overwhelming. With so many personalities and preferences, coordinating outfits that actually work (and look great together on camera) is the secret sauce to a timeless portrait.

Here’s your go-to guide for planning outfits that feel cohesive without looking overly matchy-matchy. We recommend sticking with warm earth tones, soft neutrals, and subtle pastels — all of which blend beautifully with Arizona’s scenic backdrops. Denim, khaki pants, and flowy dresses work well to keep things casual yet polished.

In group photos, the person wearing the brightest color becomes the unintentional focal point — so keep the overall palette harmonious to let everyone shine together.

Read on for creative outfit ideas, pattern tips, and coordinating strategies to make your next extended family portrait session a visual win.

Coordinate, But Don't Match: You don't want your family to look like they're wearing a uniform in your portraits, but you do want your clothing choices to be coordinated. One easy way to do this is to pick a color palette, such as earth tones or pastels, and have everyone wear clothes that complement those colors.

For example you can tell your extended family members to choose outfits that have one of these 4-5 colors: navy, white, khaki and pale pink and some other neutral grounding color such as gray. If you have the outlier who says they dont have any of that color, tell them to wear gray - it goes with every color :-)

Dont forget about your shoes! They will show in your extended family group portraits.

Ideally, shoes should NOT be the focus on the photo and rather ground the photo in a harmonious way. For this reason, we highly recommend everyone wear shades of brown, tan, and gray or other neutrals. Or, have everyone in the group wear white or light colors. Or, a mix of black, dark brown and dark gray.

For those that need comfortable walking shoes (aka Birkenstock's, well worn running shoes, crocs or flipflops) to the photoshoot (or teens who might prefer their colorful dunks) a suggestion is to bring a stepped up "photo ready" pair in a bag (ballet flats, heels, wedges, booties, etc) and they can slip them on for the actual photos and then change back for close up shots later in the session.

When selecting outfits, you can easily mix and match solids with patterns, but if you are opting for patterns:

• Avoid really STRONG, busy patterns (ie, horizontal stripes or bold color blocking) that might clash with more subtle ones like florals and plaids.

  
  

• Remember , the person wearing the loudest pattern or boldest color (especially if they are solo) will become the focal point of the photo, unless its counter-balanced well with other bold colors in the group.

Dress for the Season: Dress appropriately for the season and location of the photography session. If you're taking photos in the fall, consider wearing warm, earthy tones, while in the summer, lighter and brighter colors can work well.

Accessorize: Accessories can add interest and texture to your photos. Consider adding scarves, denim jackets or jewelry to your outfits to complement your clothing choices and add visual interest to the photo. A small pop of color can also add to the photo look, such as his red pocket square above.

Keep it Timeless: When choosing clothing for your photography session, it's best to keep it simple and timeless. Avoid trendy clothing that may look dated in a few years, and opt for classic styles that will stand the test of time.

Consider the Background & Setting: Think about the location of your photography session and choose colors and patterns that will complement the background. For example, if you're taking photos in a field of green grass, avoid wearing grass green clothing as it may blend in and detract from the overall composition.

In general, it's important to choose clothing that reflects your family's personality and style. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident in your clothing choices. By selecting the right colors and patterns, you can ensure that your family looks their best in your photography portraits!