Family Holiday Photo Outfit Ideas

One of my random hidden talents is putting together family holiday photo outfit ideas(and I only say this because previous photographers have told me that I did a good job with the outfits and colors). I enjoy finding the one outfit that acts as the “starter piece” and then finding other outfits that coordinate around that one. And as corny as it sounds, prepping for holiday photos gives me something to look forward to each year and is a nice introduction to the holiday season — the actual process of wrangling babies and toddlers for said holiday photos is not something I look forward to, however.

We’ve been doing annual family holiday photos each year since we started having kids and it’s a tradition I hope to continue on forever (despite the craziness that is getting the photos taken with little ones). Here are some family holiday photo outfit ideas based around the three different color schemes we followed for our previous family photos.

Mustard & Olive Color Scheme

If you’re taking your family holiday photos during the peak of fall foliage, you have the opportunity to match and coordinate with the changing leaves. That’s exactly what we did for our 2022 holiday photos, which were taken in late-October during the peak of the foliage season. I found Stella’s cute outfit on Carters and then built out the other outfits around that.

To make this mustard and olive color scheme work, ensure only one person wears the standout color (in this case, my mustard yellow dress), only one person wears a pattern (in this case, Henry’s plaid shirt), and keep the rest fairly neutral (in this case, James’ monochromatic navy blue outfit).

Colors used: mustard yellow, olive green, navy blue, white, and cognac brown.

mustard yellow and olive green outfit ideas for family photos

For Mom: Gold Floral Embroidered Ruffled Midi Dress | Sam Edelman Booties

For Dad: Brushed Twill Shirt | Dark Wash Jeans | Cole Haan Brown Sneakers

For Toddler Boy: Long-Sleeve Plaid Pocket Shirt | Elastic Waist Denim Pants | Abbott Slip-On Flats

For Baby Girl: 3-Piece Bodysuit & Jumper Set | 4″ Velvet Hair Bow Headband | T-Strap Crib Shoes

Red & Black Color Scheme

For 2021’s holiday photos, I wanted to try something Christmas-y for a change. The color palette for this photoshoot was red and black (arguably the easiest colors to find when shopping for holiday outfits, too!) I was worried it would clash with the oranges and browns of the leaves, but it actually looked nice. For this outfit, I found a red dress and had that be my starting piece.

To make this red and black color scheme work, ensure one person wears the stand-out color (in this case, my red dress), one pattern (in this case, Henry’s plaid button-down), and one neutral (in this case, James’ black sweater. To make it look not too dressy, we stuck to sneakers and boots vs. dress shoes and heels.

Colors used: red, black, white, gray, and blue.

red and black holiday outfit ideas for family photos

For Mom: Turtleneck Fit & Flare Sweater Dress | Over the Knee Boots | Drop Earrings in Black Opaque Glass

For Dad: Oxford Button-Up Performance Shirt | Merino Wool-Blend V-neck Sweater | Straight Jeans | Wool Sneakers

For Toddler Boy: Holiday Plaid Shirt, Bow Tie, Vest & Pants Set | Black Zip Boots

Navy Blue Color Scheme

Our 2020 family holiday photo color scheme was navy blue. Navy blue is a classic fall/winter color that’s a nice alternative to black. I found Henry’s adorable chambray shirt and bow tie outfit and bought it on a whim, and then chose the other outfits to match that.

To create the outfits for this navy blue color scheme, I chose an outfit centerpiece (in this case, Henry’s light blue chambray shirt with khakis and a burgundy bowtie), another outfit with a darker shade of blue (my darker blue dress), and then a complimentary color and pattern (a green and navy checkered shirt on James). We kept all our shoes neutral (browns and nudes) to match nicely as well.

Colors used: blues (chambray, medium, and navy), green, khaki, and a tiny seasonal pop of burgundy.