blog

Let’s be honest – picking outfits for family photos might be one of the most stressful parts of the whole process. You’ve got the session booked, the location picked, and then you open your closet and suddenly everyone in the family has an opinion (or no opinion, which is somehow worse). Add the pressure of holiday cards and gifts that people will actually keep, and it feels like a lot is riding on what everyone decides to wear. Here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be that complicated. A few key decisions made early will save you a ton of stress on the day of your session and show up beautifully in your final images.

Why Outfits Matter More Than You Think

What your family wears isn’t just a styling choice – it directly affects the mood, the energy, and honestly, how much fun everyone has during the session.

I’ve seen it go both ways. Families who put a little thought into their outfits ahead of time walk in relaxed, looking pulled together, and the photos reflect that. Families who wing it or push someone into something uncomfortable? You can see it. The vibe shifts, the smiles get a little tighter, and suddenly we’re working harder than we need to for a good photo.

Your holiday card or the print on grandma’s wall deserves better than that – and so does your family.

Coordinate, Don’t Match

This is the one thing I say over and over again, and I mean it every single time: coordinate, don’t match.

There’s a big difference between everyone wearing the exact same thing and everyone looking like they belong together. Matching can easily tip into looking costumey or overly staged – especially for holiday sessions where the temptation to go all-in on red and green is real.

Here’s how I actually approach it with my own family:

• Start with one base piece. For me, that’s usually a plaid – specifically on my son, because boys in plaid photograph really well for family photos. After finding his shirt, I pull colors out of that plaid for what my daughter and I will wear.
• Build outward from that anchor piece. If the plaid has navy, burgundy, and cream in it, those become your palette. Everyone doesn’t have to wear all three colors – just pull from the same pool.
• Watch your tones carefully. This is where a lot of families get tripped up. A bright cherry red and a deep maroon red are both technically “red,” but they can clash hard in photos. Make sure the tones you’re working with actually match each other – not just the color family, but the warmth or coolness of the shade.

What About Full Matching?

Listen – there’s nothing wrong with wanting everyone in the same plaid shirt or the same color. I have a photo from a family trip to Alaska where I bought everyone matching red and black plaid shirts, we stood for our photo, and it was completely cliché and exactly what I wanted. I love that photo.

So if the matching pajama photo or the everyone-in-red photo is your dream, go for it intentionally. Just don’t accidentally show up with three different shades of green that were all supposed to be “Christmas green.” Plan it out, commit to it, and own it.

The Holiday Outfit Mistake That Actually Shows Up in Photos

Here’s the one I see most often – and I’m guilty of it myself, so no judgment.

Making someone uncomfortable for the sake of a look.

And I’m not talking about minor discomfort, like someone who prefers elastic waistbands. I’m talking about putting three sweaters on your kid for a layered Christmas-card look… in Savannah… in October… where it’s still 85 degrees outside.

I have done this. I had a whole vision for a layered holiday look at a Christmas tree farm. It was hot. Everyone was miserable. You can see it in the photos. No one was having a good time and it wasn’t worth it.

Savannah is not Vermont. Our “fall” and “early winter” sessions happen in temperatures that make heavy layers genuinely uncomfortable for most people. If someone in your family is hot, itchy, or just deeply unhappy in what they’re wearing, that feeling will come through in every single frame.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Factor in the actual temperature. If your session is in October or November in Savannah, think lightweight layers, breathable fabrics, and realistic expectations about what your family can tolerate.
• Don’t dress kids in outfits that make them miserable. If the itchy sweater is going to result in a meltdown before we even start, leave it at home.
• Comfortable people photograph better. Full stop. When your family feels good in what they’re wearing, it shows.

Putting It All Together

Great holiday photos start well before the session. The outfits your family chooses set the tone for the whole experience – how everyone feels, how the images look, and what ends up on that holiday card that gets mailed to 50 people.

To recap what actually works:

• Coordinate from one anchor piece and pull your color palette from there
• Be intentional about tones – matching the shade of red matters as much as both wearing red
• Go for intentional matching if that’s your goal, but plan it all the way through
• Prioritize comfort, especially in Savannah where the weather has its own agenda
• Avoid overcrowding with holiday-specific pieces – a pop of red or green reads festively without going full Christmas sweater on everyone

When the outfits are handled, everything else gets so much easier. You show up, we have fun, and the photos actually reflect your family – not just a stressful hour of sweaty posing.

Ready to Plan Your Savannah Holiday Session?

If you’re thinking about booking family photos this season and want help thinking through what to wear, I’ve got you. I walk my clients through the whole process – outfits, locations, timing – so you’re not figuring it out alone the night before your session.

Head over to jadengiorgianni.com to check availability and reach out. Let’s make sure your holiday photos are ones you’ll actually want to put on a card – and keep for a long time after the season is over.