Need help coordinating for family portraits!!!

[Sweet_Harriet]

Our family seems to be a bit fashion-challenged. One year we all wore blue jeans and black tops and we looked like the Adam's family!!

I was hoping for some cute outfit ideas for a family photo. I don't want our picture to be a candidate for the Awkward Family Photos website.

We all have blue jeans, should we go for matching tops? Should we go for solids in different colors? Help!!

If it helps, we have a girl(5) and a boy(2). Thank you so much for reading!!

[vegepunkstr]

Here is a link to a photographers website with some examples. http://kristendukephotography.com/?p=2833  I think its best to have some color in your photos and Im not a fan of the blue jeans with the same monotone color shirts. Pick a theme color and use it differently throughout everybody's outfits like in the examples so you go together but arent too matchy matchy.

[amonkeymom]

Why not dress your daughter in something with a pattern while the rest of you wear solids?

[krys1025]

My friend just did hers with jeans and white shirts.. Her daughters wore white cute dresses with a jean jacket..

[LuvHugs429]

 My MIL made us all do the black shirt and blue jeans thing and I was pissed because my kids were 3 and 5 and I HATE no wait LOATHE little kids in black. I suggested the little girls wear Light pink, boys wear light blue, Women wear Red or a different shade of pink, the Men wear Dark blue. Alas that is not what my MIL wanted.

One of my SILs had her families done with her parents and each family wore whatever color they wanted and I liked that.

Just find a shirt you really like and work around that.

[KylesMom409]

I think that's a good idea too. :)

Quoting amonkeymom:

Why not dress your daughter in something with a pattern while the rest of you wear solids?

[Sweet_Harriet]

Thank you all so much for the great advice!!

[kjdama]

When it was just the four of us my son and I had red and black on, my daughter had black and white, and my husband had all black... pictures turned out pretty darned good!

[Tricia1979]

For our last family portrait I was in a black sparkly sweater, my son was in an outfit I got at JC Penny, blue striped button down with a sweater vest with grey, black, and midnight purple stripes, and my SO was in the same blue striped button down, same brand but adult size of course, and a grey sweater. We all had black slacks of some sort on, but you couldn't see them anyway. All different but coordinating. 

For your family I would look for a common thread to tie all together. Maybe girls in the same, boys in the same, then mom and dad in something that ties them together. Like girls in blue flowers/print, boys in blue stripes, and mom and dad in different shades of blue that go with the kids. I would love to see a pic posted, wish I one of all of us but the ones with my SO didn't get on the digital copy, only of me and son. Oh well, he is not bio-dad and not a big part of son's life yet, and he wasn't too upset about it. 

[chinosruca]

Just dress how you want to dress. Matching or coordinating outfits is not what captures a moment or a memory. To me the matchy matchy is a awkward family moment. I've never seen one I liked.

[Dannille33]

I agree... To much time and stress on outfits. Why not just have them pick their favorite outfit... And capture special moments

Quoting chinosruca:

Just dress how you want to dress. Matching or coordinating outfits is not what captures a moment or a memory. To me the matchy matchy is a awkward family moment. I've never seen one I liked.