09/12/2026
You’ve probably heard the advice: “Dress Mom first, then plan everyone else around her.” And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! There are a million ways to style family photos, but after doing ours year after year, I’ve figured out the formula I come back to every time.
I start with ONE pattern I love. Sometimes it’s my dress, sometimes it’s one of the kids, and apparently sometimes it’s Mike 😂. Whoever is wearing it doesn’t really matter. I use that piece as my anchor, pull colors from it, build everyone else around those colors with coordinating solids, then add texture to keep things interesting.
And if you know me, you know I LOVE pattern play. But family photos are one place I intentionally show restraint. I’m not afraid of color, every shade doesn’t have to match perfectly, and I’ll absolutely match siblings. I just want the overall picture to feel cohesive without looking like I dressed everyone in the same outfit.
Because ultimately, the clothes should complement the photo, not compete with it.
As much as I love putting the outfits together, they aren’t the point. These photos are how I remember their little faces, their personalities, how tiny they were, and exactly what our family looked like in that season of life. Looking back through these to make this post just about did me in. 🥹
My tried-and-true formula:
ONE pattern → pull colors from it → coordinating solids → add texture → let your family be the focus.
And now I’ve put it to work for YOU! I styled 12 complete, shoppable family photo looks, every family member head to toe, with price points all over the map. Coming next! 👀
Save this for family photo season and send it to the friend currently staring at 47 open tabs trying to figure out what everyone is wearing. 😂
