For a family photo, choose a small palette of calm, coordinated colours, such as navy, cream, light blue and grey. Wear plain fabrics without large prints or logos, and let everyone wear a different shade from the same palette. This keeps the attention on the faces.
Why a palette works better than exactly the same
Anyone planning a family photo often thinks of identical outfits, for example everyone in white and jeans. That works, but quickly looks like a uniform. A palette of three or four related colours leaves more room. Everyone wears something different, while the colours still go together.
This is the basis: choose a starting point together, decide on the main colour, add two supporting shades and keep one accent colour in reserve. This way everyone knows what is intended, without it becoming forced.
A simple colour palette
| Role | Colour | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Navy | Trousers or skirt |
| Light | Cream or white | Top, polo or blouse |
| Soft | Light blue or grey | Shirt, cardigan |
| Accent | Bordeaux or coffee brown | Scarf, sweater or shoes |
For the women
Choose a top in a soft shade and a dark bottom half. Josephine is a knitted polo with V-neck in cream, made of 79.9% viscose, 20.1% polyamide. The cream colour looks calm on camera. Wear it with Arabelli, high-waist pleated trousers in navy.
For anyone who prefers a blouse: Delphine is a fitted blouse with darts in shadow blue. Over a soft blouse, Veronique fits, a fine-knit cardigan of 100% lyocell in light blue. The cardigan gives structure without looking heavy.
For the men
For men the same approach works: calm colours and few large prints. Alistair is a knitted piqué polo with stripe detail in navy, of 80.5% viscose, 19.5% polyamide. A shirt works too: Hamilton in light blue is a cotton shirt with Italian collar, made of 100% cotton. Wear it open or buttoned up, with or without a polo underneath.
What you had better avoid
- large prints, text or logos, which draw attention in a photo;
- neon colours and bright shades, which come across differently in photos than in real life;
- black and white in large areas next to each other, which gives a lot of contrast;
- clothing that does not fit well;
- creased fabric: iron or steam everything the evening before the photo.
Children and teenagers
Children are best dressed in the same family of colours, but in clothing they can move in. A knitted sweater in cream or light blue and dark trousers are enough. Let teenagers help choose within the palette. They then wear the piece with more pleasure, and you can see that in the photo. Give small children a spare sweater in case something goes wrong with juice or chocolate.
An example of a family of six
Say it involves two parents, two children and two grandparents. Give each generation its own accent within the palette. The grandparents wear navy and cream, the parents light blue and grey with navy, and the children cream with a small bordeaux detail. By spreading the colours across the group, the photo stays calm. Avoid one person being the only one in a very dark or very light colour, because then that person draws the attention.
With a larger group it helps to work with colour blocks: for example everyone in a top of navy, cream or light blue, and everyone in a dark bottom half. This way the rows in the photo line up neatly.
Photographing indoors or outdoors
The light determines how colours look. Daylight and artificial light can make colours come out differently. So take a test shot on your phone beforehand: lay the clothing side by side by the lamp or at the window where the photo will be taken and look at the result on the screen.
Fit counts too
In a photo, how clothing sits stands out most. A sweater hanging off the shoulders or trousers that wrinkle at the knee look bigger in the picture than in real life. Try everything on in good time before the day itself, so you can still exchange or have it altered. Also sit down and bend over to check that a blouse does not gape or trousers do not ride up. Clothing that sits well in motion looks relaxed in the photo.
How to prepare for the day
- Agree the palette with the family a week beforehand.
- Lay out all outfits the evening before the photo and iron or steam them.
- Check that there is no fluff, hair or stains on them.
- Bring spare clothing, a lint roller and a comb.
- Put the clothing on only just before the photo, so no creases form.
Materials that come across well on camera
Matte fabrics usually give less reflection than shiny ones. Knitted cotton, viscose and wool give a soft impression, while shiny satin or patent leather reflects light and can cause blotches. So choose knitted polos, cardigans and shirts. See our knitwear for women and polos for men, and read in our care instructions how to look after the pieces.
Do you want to choose a complete look? Take a look in the Celebration collection for pieces that suit a special occasion. A family photo is often looked at years later; calm clothing usually stays timeless in photos for longer.
Shop the look
Josephine: knitted polo with V-neck, cream
Arabelli: high-waist pleated trousers, navy
Delphine: fitted blouse with darts, shadow blue
Veronique: fine-knit lyocell cardigan, light blue
Alistair: knitted piqué polo, navy
Hamilton: shirt with Italian collar, light blue
Frequently asked questions
Do we all have to wear the same colour?
No. A palette of three or four related shades looks more natural than everyone in exactly the same colour.
Which colours are the safest for a family photo?
Navy, cream, light blue and grey. Add an accent of bordeaux or coffee brown if you like.
Are patterns allowed?
A small, fine stripe is fine. Avoid large prints, text and logos.
What if something does not fit?
Check the current return conditions on the returns page.
