Planning what a whole family wears for fall photos tends to stress people out more than the session itself. It gets much easier with a method. I work from a palette of three to five related shades, spread across different textures such as knits, corduroy, denim, suede and the odd quiet print, so the group looks coordinated without anyone being in a uniform. Pick one anchor piece first, often Mom's dress or a child's patterned shirt, and pull its colors out across everyone else. Then check it against the location, the likely temperature and the background. Last test: can every person walk, sit on the ground and chase a sibling in what they're wearing? Below are twenty palettes I'd use for an autumn family session.
Sharing Out the Colors So Nobody Looks Issued a Uniform
Once you have a palette, the next question is who wears what. This is the order I work in with families.
- Dress the anchor person first. That's usually the outfit with the print or the strongest color, and it's often the hardest piece to replace.
- Give each remaining person one main color from the palette and one supporting color. Rotate them, so no two people share the same main shade.
- Count the dark pieces. Spread them across the group instead of clustering them on one side, since most posed photos put people close together in a row or a loose triangle.
- Put the heaviest colors on the adults. Toddlers in the darkest shade can look swamped, while a light color keeps small faces bright.
- Check the shoes last. Mismatched sneakers in loud colors pull attention to the bottom of the frame in every full-length shot.
Patterns need their own rule: one bold print, or two quiet ones that are different in scale. A small floral on one child and a wide plaid on Dad can sit together; two medium checks almost never do.
Finally, let older kids veto one piece. A teenager who hates their sweater looks it in every frame, and swapping it for something in the same color family costs nothing.
1. Cream And Camel Fall Family Outfit
Cream and camel is the palette I recommend when a family can't agree on color, because it suits almost every location from open fields to a plain studio. Mom in an ivory knit midi with tan ankle boots and gold, Dad in a camel sweater with dark brown trousers and leather boots, kids in cream cardigans, beige dresses and khaki. The mistake to avoid is giving everyone the same split. Let cream lead on one person and camel on the next, or the group turns into a beige block. Cable knit, ribbed cotton and suede give it depth, and coats in the same palette slot in if it turns cold.
2. Rust And Olive Fall Family Outfit
Rust and olive both belong to fall, but they behave differently in a frame. Rust jumps forward against leaves; olive settles back into them. That's why I put rust on the person I want the eye to find first, often Mom in a rust maxi with brown heeled boots. Dad in an olive button-down and tan chinos, a girl in a cream sweater dress with an olive bow, a boy in rust cords and an ivory Henley. If the trees are still green, this palette gets even better, because rust contrasts and olive ties you to the setting. Vary the finishes: flowing cotton, corduroy, brushed knit, leather.
3. Burgundy And Navy Fall Family Outfit
Burgundy and navy are both dark, so I always add a light piece near at least two faces. Otherwise, from a distance, the group reads as a dark mass with heads. Mom in a burgundy wrap dress with taupe boots and a navy hair clip, Dad in a textured navy sweater with gray trousers. For kids, an ivory blouse with a navy skirt, or a burgundy plaid shirt with dark jeans. One plaid in the family is enough. Matte fabrics photograph better than shiny ones in these deep colors. It's a strong choice for brick walls, downtown streets or golden trees.
4. Chocolate Brown And Ivory Fall Family Outfit
Chocolate brown is easy to wear and ages well in photos you'll hang for years. The trick is using several browns, from mocha to chestnut, rather than hunting for an exact match, because slightly different tones look natural and identical ones look like a uniform. Mom in an ivory blouse tucked into a chocolate midi skirt with tall brown boots, Dad in a cream quarter-zip with chocolate trousers and tan suede shoes. Kids in oatmeal knits with brown overalls, skirts or cords. Allow one small check if you want a pattern, and keep everything else solid.
5. Mustard And Denim Fall Family Outfit
Mustard and denim is the palette I'd pick for a busy family with energetic kids, since denim survives mud and grass and mustard keeps the frame cheerful. Mom wears a mustard midi under a medium-wash denim jacket with cognac boots, Dad a chambray shirt with camel chinos. One child in a mustard cardigan and jeans, another in a denim dress over an ivory top. Small repeats, like a mustard headband or knit vest, connect the group. Line the denim pieces up in daylight first: washes with different undertones, one greener and one bluer, look mismatched in a photo.
6. Sage Green And Beige Fall Family Outfit
Sage and beige suit early fall, when the trees are still mostly green and darker autumn colors can look a bit heavy against them. Mom in a flowing sage maxi with neutral flats or taupe boots, Dad in a beige knit polo with olive-beige trousers and brown loafers, kids in cream sweaters, sage dresses and tan pants. Waffle knits, soft cotton and light embroidery add texture. If you include linen blends, steam them right before you leave, since they crease on the drive. Give everyone something light near the face and keep hair and jewelry simple.
7. Plaid And Neutral Fall Family Outfit
If one family member owns a plaid you love, build the whole palette from it. A child's plaid dress or Dad's flannel shirt in camel, navy, cream and rust gives you four colors to hand out. Mom picks up the rust in a solid midi with ankle boots and a camel coat; the rest of the kids take cream, camel, dark denim or cords. Only one person wears the plaid, so if a child has it, Dad goes solid in navy chinos. Two different plaids in one family photo almost always clash, because the lines and scales fight each other.
8. Dusty Blue And Camel Fall Family Outfit
Dusty blue bridges warm and cool, which helps when family members have quite different skin tones. Mom in a dusty blue long-sleeve dress with camel boots and a tan belt, Dad in a camel crewneck over a pale blue shirt with navy trousers. Kids in cream cardigans, light blue dresses and tan chinos. Keep the blue grayed down; bright sky blue looks summery and out of place against autumn trees. Brushed cotton and textured knits make it feel warmer than flat cotton. It's at its best in open fields and city parks in soft late-day light.
9. Terracotta And Cream Fall Family Outfit
Terracotta and cream give a warm, bright result, and I like them for dry, golden landscapes. Mom in a terracotta maxi with a defined waist and tan boots, Dad in a cream sweater with medium-brown chinos. A girl in an ivory dress with a terracotta cardigan, a boy in a cream Henley with rust pants. Let the terracotta shift a little between people, from clay to cinnamon to muted copper, and use camel or taupe shoes rather than black. Mixing a flowing dress with fitted pieces on others gives the group some shape variety when they pose close together.
10. Forest Green And Tan Fall Family Outfit
Forest green is a rich color, but in an evergreen wood it can make people vanish into the trees. If that's your setting, put green on one or two people and let tan and cream lead on the rest. Mom in a forest green wrap dress with cognac knee-high boots, Dad in a tan overshirt over a cream knit with dark green trousers. Kids in tan overalls, ivory sweaters, green cardigans or a small botanical print. Brown leather shoes and belts tie it all together. It handles cold weather well, since vests and jackets in these shades fit straight in.
11. Black And Camel Fall Family Outfit
Black and camel is my city palette. The thing I watch is how much black ends up in one spot. When three people in solid black stand shoulder to shoulder, the camera loses the edges between them and you get one dark shape. So alternate: Mom in a black midi dress under a camel coat, Dad in a camel sweater with black trousers, kids in ivory tops with black denim or camel jumpers. A little cream near younger faces softens the contrast. Concrete, brick and modern buildings suit it, as does a plain studio wall.
12. Mauve And Taupe Fall Family Outfit
Mauve and taupe is soft and romantic, and it adapts to every age because both colors come in dresses, sweaters, trousers and coats. Mom in a dusty mauve maxi with a soft drape and taupe boots, Dad in a mushroom sweater with charcoal-brown pants and suede shoes, kids in ivory blouses, mauve cardigans and taupe trousers, maybe a small floral in the same shades. Keep the pink grayed and dusty; a bright pink looks like spring. Lightweight layers matter here, because toddlers get hot and fussy fast once they start running around.
13. Navy And Cream Fall Family Outfit
Navy and cream look crisp, and I use them most when the location is already loud with orange, red and yellow trees. Mom in a cream sweater with a navy pleated midi, tall brown boots and a narrow belt, Dad in a navy sweater or knit polo with khakis. Kids in a cream sweater dress, navy corduroy overalls, or beige pants with a blue shirt. Use ivory or oatmeal rather than bright optic white; pure white clothing is often the brightest thing in the frame and draws the eye away from faces. Camel shoes and belts warm the palette up for fall.
14. Gray And Burgundy Fall Family Outfit
Burgundy is a strong color, so gray gives it something cool and calm to sit against. Mom in a burgundy sweater dress with charcoal tights and gray or black ankle boots, Dad in a light gray crewneck and charcoal trousers. Kids in burgundy cardigans, gray pinafores, cream shirts and dark denim. I'd cap burgundy at two or three people and use small accents on the rest. Wool, ribbed knit and corduroy add depth even though the palette is simple. Gray days suit it surprisingly well, since soft overcast light keeps the burgundy from looking too saturated.
15. Cinnamon And Oatmeal Fall Family Outfit
Cinnamon and oatmeal are close cousins, so contrast comes from light against dark rather than from color. Mom in a cinnamon knit dress with oatmeal boots or tan clogs, Dad in an oatmeal sweater with tobacco trousers. Kids in cream cable knits, cinnamon skirts, brown overalls and beige cords. When the photographer poses everyone, ask them to put lighter clothes next to darker ones, so each person keeps a visible outline. Natural fabrics are comfortable for sitting on grass and fences. It suits fields and rustic settings with muted leaves.
16. Eggplant And Camel Fall Family Outfit
Eggplant is unexpected for fall, and it's lovely in small doses. Across a whole family, though, it gets heavy fast. Mom in an eggplant midi with camel boots and a beige wrap, Dad in a camel sweater over an ivory shirt with charcoal trousers. Kids in a plum cardigan, a cream dress, tan chinos or a small floral with purple and beige. Camel coats and shoes warm the purple. Shiny purple fabrics tend to shift color on camera, sometimes looking blue, so matte knits and cotton are safer. Golden fields and yellow trees make the purple stand out.
17. Olive And Black Fall Family Outfit
Olive and black is for families who want to look like themselves on an ordinary day. Mom in an olive utility midi with black ankle boots, Dad in a black crewneck with olive chinos and dark boots, kids in cream tops, olive overalls and black denim. At least one person needs ivory or oatmeal, or the palette goes flat. Leave logos and graphic tees at home; words on a shirt pull every viewer's eye straight to them. Choose jackets with a trim cut. Oversized outerwear on several people at once makes everyone look bulky in a tight group pose.
18. Soft Blue And Rust Fall Family Outfit
Soft blue and rust balance each other: one cool, one warm. That makes this palette work for families where some members look better in cool colors and others in warm. Mom in a rust wrap dress with tan boots and a small blue accessory, Dad in a muted blue button-down with dark khakis. Kids in cream knits, rust corduroy, soft blue dresses, or a quiet check that carries both colors. Only one printed outfit, and repeat its shades in solids. It works in late-summer green and in full orange foliage, which helps if your date falls right at the turn.
19. Monochrome Brown Fall Family Outfit
All-brown families look rich when each person sits at a different depth of brown. Mom in a mocha knit midi with chestnut boots and a cream coat, Dad in a dark chocolate shirt jacket over a beige sweater with tobacco trousers. Kids in camel cardigans, oatmeal tops, cocoa dresses and tan cords. When I lay the outfits on a bed, I sort them from lightest to darkest; if two neighbors look the same, I swap one. Head-to-toe identical brown on two people makes them merge when they hug. Cream accessories add a small highlight.
20. Denim And Earth Tone Fall Family Outfit
Denim with earth tones is the palette for families who'd rather not look styled at all. Mom in a rust blouse with a flowing denim midi skirt and brown boots, Dad in a dark chambray shirt with tan chinos. Kids in cream sweaters with jeans, olive dresses under denim jackets, or camel cords with blue shirts. Mix the denim pieces so no two people wear the same jeans-and-shirt combination. Medium and dark washes sit together better than heavily distressed ones. Rust, olive, camel and ivory bring the fall warmth. I'd bring this palette to a farm, a trail or a backyard session.
Dressing Babies and Toddlers for a Cold Outdoor Session
The smallest family members decide how the whole session goes, and their clothes play a bigger part in that than most parents expect.
Comfort before the camera comes out
I tell parents to put toddlers in their photo outfits as late as possible, ideally in the car park. Scratchy collars, stiff jeans and tags all get worse the longer a small child wears them. Soft knits, stretch waistbands and dresses with bloomers underneath hold up through crawling and sitting on grass. Cut out any tag that rubs the neck before the day.
Warmth they can't take off
Cold babies cry, and cold toddlers get red noses and hands. Tights or thin leggings under dresses and trousers add warmth without changing the outfit. A thin long-sleeve layer under a sweater does the same. Hats and headbands that keep sliding off usually end up thrown in the leaves, so I only use ones the child already tolerates.
Shoes and spares
Choose shoes that stay on with a strap or laces; loose slip-ons get kicked off mid-pose. For babies who don't walk yet, soft booties or bare feet are fine for close shots. Bring a full spare outfit in the same palette for anyone under five. Snack accidents and muddy knees happen, and a matching spare means the session continues instead of ending.
Laying Every Outfit Side by Side Before the Session
A family palette works when everyone looks connected and still like themselves. Settle on three to five colors, choose the anchor outfit, then build the others around it with a mix of dresses, sweaters, trousers, denim and coats so nobody wears the same garment. Texture makes a plain neutral palette interesting, and good shoes and easy layers keep everyone moving naturally. A few days before, lay every outfit out together and photograph them in daylight. That one picture shows clashing undertones, a pattern that's too busy and the color you forgot, while there's still time to swap.
Related posts:
