How to Style for Mommy and Me Sessions
Tips + Tricks
Dressing for your skin tone
Dressing for your skin tone can seem scary and a little bit overwhelming but with these simple tips you most likely can determine what colors will look best on you, all on your own! The basics of skin tone will tell you if you have cool undertones or warm and that can help decide which colors will look best on you!
Cool Undertones | Your veins appear blue, your skin tends to be fair/can burn easily, your hair has blue-ish undertones, think ice blonde vs. honey blonde.
Warm Undertones | Your veins appear green, your skin tans easily, your hair has warmer tones, like yellows and reds.
If you find yourself falling into both categories choose the category that has more deciding factors, for example, you have blue veins but tan easily, and your hair has warmer tones, you’ll chose warm undertones.
Another deciding factor can be the jewelry that you wear! If you often wear silver jewelry you’ll lean cool undertones, if you often wear gold, you’ll look more cohesive with warm undertones!
If you fall into the cool category, you’ll look great in colors with emeralds, deep purples, pinks, and bright blues.
If you fall into the warm category, you’ll look great in greens, browns, yellows, and reds.
Patterns
Don’t we all love a fun pattern or print? It can show so much of our personality and can be so fun! There are a few rules of thumb to follow when it comes to patterns.
Coordinating vs. matching. I’m the first person to say I love matching with my kids. However when it comes to photos this can be a little tricky! If you match your family completely one person can start to blend into the next I usually recommend avoiding matching outfits for family photos!
I usually recommend that if you’re going to use a pattern that only one person in the family wear it. This means if you’re using a checked shirt or skirt for anyone, that’s the pattern, if a shirt or dress has flowers on it, that’s the pattern, everyone else should be in clothes free of patterns. Too many patterns can become distracting and it’s difficult to coordinate all the colors of a pattern! I love building a family session around a pattern for example if you use a toddler dress with flowers, I recommend pulling the colors from the dress, to dress the rest of the family.
Using a Color Wheel
There are two ways to nail your color scheme that will leave you looking so well put together, analogous and complementary. Let’s dive in a little bit so you can understand each!
When you look at a color wheel, you can very easily google this or I love using this Color Wheel, complementary colors will be colors that are across from each other on the wheel. At the most basic color level, red is complementary with green, orange is complementary with blue, and yellow with purple. The easiest way to build outfits is to choose colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel, to ensure coordination. Photographer Tip: I recommend avoiding true colors for example, no true red, choose rust instead, no true green, choose olive or mint, no true orange choose tangerine, no true blue choose sapphire, etc.
Another way to build your outfits is to use analogous colors. This is my favorite way to build outfits for a seamless, timeless, matching without matching look. Analagous colors are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. So maybe you use juniper and saffron as your base for outfits and you know everyone will look stunning because they’re next to each other on the color wheel!
Adding in base colors. You’ve got your colors but someone needs pants, what about shoes? I also recommend layering in tans, creams, whites, and blacks for your additional outfit pieces.
Little Outfit Details
There are a few things that make or break an outfit that are often forgotten about details! I’m rounding them all up so you feel prepared and ready to go.
Socks and Shoes. Yes, this matters. I recommend avoiding tennis shoes. If your kiddos want to wear tennis shoes, opt for an option like Converse, Vans, high top Nike’s, or a plain canvas shoe that you can grab from any store! Socks are also super important, I usually say don’t wear them, your outfits will look better without them if you feel like you can get away with it, or make sure they are dress socks that are plain and free of pattern.
Hair. You do you boo. Whatever you want your hair to look like will be amazing. Consider getting a blow out if that’s your style. Add in a fun boho braid, or tie it back in a low bun, whatever feels like you. I have some hair recommendations over here on Pinterest if you need some inspiration.
Makeup. If you’re not someone who normally wears makeup that’s okay. My one tip that I always love to share is to get false eyelashes. Having a lash on is going to elevate your photos even if you have minimal makeup elsewhere. My favorite false lash is Flutterhabit.
Nails. You don’t have to have your nails done but please make sure everyone’s nails are clean and ready to go! Photographers will often capture little detail shots and with your nails done you’ll be so happy with how they look!
Jewelry. My biggest advice is that you clean your jewelry before a session. I love the Diamond Stick for cleaning my jewelry!
