My Christmas Styling Guide. 8 tips for styling your family for festive photos
I have created this styling guide to help you make the best choices when it comes to your festive photos. I’ve always loved a good Christmas Tree Farm Photoshoot. Not only do I love the smell of fresh Christmas trees, but I think they make the perfect background for family photos.
I know people often cringe at the idea of a family photoshoot, but I promise, you’ll never regret taking the photos. But you may regret it if you don’t take them. Time goes way too fast and it’s so important to have tangible memories to look back on.
My top 8 tips for styling your family for festive photos
Here’s a list with my 8 tips for styling your family for festive photos.
1. Always coordinate, never match.
I personally think coordinating outfits look better as they complement each other and give the photos a better dynamic.
2. Pick an outfit for the hardest person to dress first (usually dads/husbands – no offence)
It’s much, much easier if you find a piece that you LOVE for the hardest/pickiest person in your family to wear. That way, you know that you have something you love and can build off of that piece.
3. Choose festive colours and patterns that aren’t over-the-top Christmassy
No Christmas jumpers, please.
4. Consider the location and choose colours and style of outfits wisely.
My Christmas mini sessions will be held at Wylds Farm in Liss, Hampshire. There will be a lot of green in the background, so I would advise you to wear neutrals, pops of red or non-traditional colours, but to stay away from too much green. Royal blue is also one of my favourite colours for Christmas sessions.
5. A little bit of red goes a long way.
I love to use pops of dark red (think cranberries) but a little goes a long way. So don’t put everyone in red — use it sparingly.
6. Be mindful of patterns
Plaid is extremely popular for Christmas mini session styling, but those bold prints can be distracting. I love plaid and buffalo checks, but only use it for one person, and fill in the rest of the outfits with solid colours or smaller prints such as stripes.
7. Consider the weather
Make sure everyone is dressed warmly. Coats, scarves, and hats can be incorporated into the outfits and add a cozy touch.
8. Use my mood boards to help you when choosing your outfits
Most items come from local shops that offer budget-friendly prices. They often have coordinating options from baby sizes to adult sizes and include timeless pieces that look great in photos. Some examples of shops used to create my mood boards are:
- Tu Clothing by Sainsbury’s
- George at Asda
- Marks & Spencer Clothing
- Next
- Matalan
- H&M
I look forward to meeting all of you and I am sure you’ll make the best choices in terms of outfits by using my styling guide. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if you want to discuss your outfit choices(I do love a sneaky photo of your outfits before the session).