Choosing outfits for your family's Christmas photos doesn't have to be complicated. For my Fishtown Christmas studio sessions, I'm leaning into everything that makes the holidays feel like home: warm neutrals, soft textures, evergreen details, and a little bit of Christmas nostalgia.
The goal isn't to have everyone perfectly matched. It's to choose pieces that feel like your family, photograph beautifully together, and let the little moments take center stage.
If you're planning your Christmas mini session and wondering what everyone should wear, here are a few ideas to help you get started.
1. Start with a Warm, Neutral Color Palette
My favorite place to start is with warm neutrals. Cream, ivory, oatmeal, camel, taupe, and soft brown complement the natural textures and greenery throughout The Hearth Studio's Christmas set.
These colors create a timeless look without feeling overly formal. They also give your photographs a warmth that will feel just as lovely when you're looking back at them years from now.
You don't need to use every color in the palette. Choose two or three complementary shades and build your family's outfits around them.
My favorite colors for this year's Christmas sessions include:
Ivory, cream, and oatmeal
Warm beige, camel, and taupe
Chocolate brown and chestnut
Muted olive and sage
Deep evergreen
2. You Can Still Wear Christmas Colors
If traditional Christmas colors feel more like your family, there's no reason to leave them out.
Deep forest green, burgundy, and muted reds all work beautifully with the studio's greenery and warm neutral surroundings. The key is choosing rich, slightly muted tones rather than very bright or highly saturated colors.
Try a forest green sweater paired with neutral trousers, a burgundy dress with simple accessories, or a subtle plaid layered with cream knits.
You can also incorporate holiday colors through just one or two family members while keeping the rest of the outfits neutral. This creates balance without making everyone look the same.
3. Think Cozy Textures and Comfortable Layers
One of the easiest ways to bring warmth and interest to your photographs is through texture.
Chunky knit sweaters, cable-knit cardigans, corduroy trousers, soft cotton dresses, linen, and velvet all add dimension without introducing too many competing colors.
You don't need elaborate outfits or lots of accessories. A simple cream sweater can be just as beautiful as a more formal holiday outfit when the texture and fit feel right.
Remember… comfort matters. Choose pieces that allow your little ones to sit, cuddle, play, and move naturally. The best photographs often happen when everyone can relax and enjoy being together.
4. Coordinate Your Outfits Without Matching
Gone are the days when everyone needed to wear the exact same color for family photos. Instead, think about how each outfit works alongside the others.
For example, you might pair a cream knit dress with a camel sweater, dark brown trousers, and an oatmeal cardigan for the little ones. Or build your outfits around forest green, ivory, and warm brown for a more traditional holiday look.
A few things to keep in mind:
Choose a small group of colors that complement one another.
Mix light and dark shades to create balance.
Incorporate different textures so the outfits feel layered and natural.
Lay everyone's outfits out together before your session to see how they look as a group. You’re even welcome to send me a photo if you’d like feedback!
The goal is coordination, not uniformity.
5. A Few Things to Avoid
You don't need to follow strict wardrobe rules to have beautiful photographs, but a little planning can go a long way.
For this particular set, I'd suggest avoiding neon colors, oversized logos, and very bold graphics that draw attention away from your family's faces. Matching holiday pajamas or heavily themed Christmas outfits can sometimes feel a little distracting against the understated backdrop, but if this is the vibe your family loves, go for it! A subtle plaid or a classic holiday sweater can be a lovely addition. I'd simply keep the remaining outfits a little quieter so everything works together.
Above all, wear something that feels comfortable and authentic to your family.
If you're joining me for Christmas mini sessions in Fishtown, Philadelphia, I can't wait to welcome you into the studio.
Haven’t booked your session yet? Explore Christmas mini session availability at The Hearth Studio here!
