To me style is so personal. It reflects who you are, what you are and more importantly it shows your self esteem. You want your portraits to mirror all of these things and more. The first thing I generally tell my clients is that you need to be comfortable. Although a photo session is a great excuse to add some new fits to your closet, it's not the time to try out a new style or the latest trends. So many people love to go super trendy, but unfortunately, unless your 17, you're going to look back at your pictures 10 years from now and wonder, "What was I thinking?" (remember shoulder pads and stirrup pants?). Your clothes should be timeless and lack excessive flair or trendy prints. You want to feel classy, comfortable and most importantly - you should feel AMAZING in what ever you choose to wear. Feel free to accessorize with simple necklaces, bracelets or earrings - but remember, less is more.
When choosing clothing for family sessions, matchy/matchy is not cute unless they're under the age of 2 - but even then it's questionable. It's best to find that one outfit or piece of clothing that you just can't live without (it's often for the little girl in your life!) and then build around that item. This one item can be anything! In the photo below it is the little girl's floral dress. Generally this center piece has color, print and is 'lively.' In the coordinating outfits, it's best to steer clear of prints and stripes. Let your center piece, stay center. Don't forget to think texture. Texture will help create depth and more interesting portraits.
One last note - don't forget to layer! Having layers creates more looks!
