What to wear to your family portrait photo-session
Figuring out what to wear for your family portrait doesn’t need to be a big mission—or involve any last-minute shopping sprees.
Chances are, everything you need is already in your wardrobes.
There are just a few simple guidelines to help the portrait feel visually cohesive, keep the focus on your family (not the clothes), and bring out the best in the overall look and composition.
Colour scheme
If you haven’t decided between our two colour scheme options just yet, what I’m about to share might help make that choice a little easier.
When picking outfits for your portrait, the simplest approach is to take your cue from the colour scheme you’ve chosen for your artwork. Just look to the tones in your portrait background, and dress in similar shades.
For our Dark & Dramatic colour scheme, that means deeper tones like black, navy, chocolate brown, and rich jewel colours—think burgundy or forest green.
For our Light & Fresh scheme, you’ll want soft, pale tones like white, cream, light grey, or gentle pastels—baby pink, powder blue, or lavender.
The idea is to let everything blend together beautifully, so that your family’s faces naturally become the focus of the portrait—without distractions.
Before locking in your colour scheme, it can help to check what your family already has in their wardrobes. Here in New Zealand, black is practically the unofficial uniform—so most people already have plenty of darker tones at the ready, which is often why the darker palette ends up being the popular choice.
Portrait VIP’s
I know I just told you to stick to your colour scheme—and generally, that’s a solid rule. But like most good rules, this one has an exception.
If you'd like everyone in your portrait to feel equal in visual focus, then yes—definitely keep everyone within the same tone range as your chosen background. But sometimes, you might want someone to stand out.
Maybe the portrait is a gift for your mum, or a way to celebrate grandparents. Maybe there’s a central figure in the story you’re telling. If that’s the case, then we can play with contrast to subtly highlight them.
For the Dark & Dramatic scheme, have most of the family in deeper tones—black, navy, dark green—and dress your VIP in a lighter or more vibrant colour so they gently draw the eye.
For the Light & Fresh scheme, it’s the opposite: keep the group in soft pastels or light neutrals, and dress your focal person in a slightly darker or richer tone.
It’s a small styling shift that makes a big visual difference—and helps the portrait quietly reflect the meaning behind it.
Clothing shape & structure
Because our portraits are painted in a loose, expressive style, we aim for that same feeling in the clothing too. Sharp lines or stiff, structured garments can stand out in a way that feels at odds with the flow of the artwork.
This balance between structure and spontaneity is something I’m particularly mindful of when creating family group portraits in Wellington
Soft, relaxed shapes tend to work best. Think simple knits, round necklines, and clothing that moves or drapes rather than holds a firm shape. For example, a skivvy or soft blouse will often sit more naturally in the portrait than a button-up with a crisp collar. A relaxed-fit dress or one with gentle draping usually photographs and paints better than something very tailored or formal.
It doesn’t need to be fancy—just easy, comfortable, and not too rigid.
Patterns & detailing
Patterns and certain details on clothing can sometimes steal the spotlight in a portrait—and not in a good way. Bold prints, logos, or shirts with big pictures on them are best avoided. Large, high-contrast patterns can pull focus, while subtle ones tend to blend in better.
A good rule of thumb? Stand a few metres back from a mirror. If the pattern on your outfit softens or blurs a bit from that distance, it’s probably fine. If it still jumps out at you, it might be worth swapping for something a little more toned down.
Same goes for things like oversized belt buckles or really eye-catching buttons—if your eye keeps going straight to it, it might be too much. We want the focus to stay on the people, not the wardrobe details.
Tops vs bottoms
When it comes to planning outfits, most of the attention should go toward what everyone’s wearing on top. That’s the part that features most prominently in the portrait. Bottoms tend to fade into the background as the painting flows downward, so they’re less of a big deal.
If you’ve got a few options to choose from, just pick whatever fits best with your colour scheme—but don’t overthink it. The top half is really where the focus (and the paint!) will land.
Flattering looks
You might have favourite outfits or colours that you feel good in—and that little boost of confidence can definitely help you feel more comfortable on the day. But when it comes to a painted portrait, the flattering part isn’t all on the outfit.
That’s where the brushwork comes in. I use techniques like softening edges, guiding the eye with light and contrast, and subtly blending parts of the body into the background. These painterly touches help shape and flatter the overall image in a way that feels natural—not overly edited, just quietly refined.
There is one practical thing to keep in mind, though: sleeve length. Short, tight sleeves can be a bit unforgiving in portraits, especially in group setups where arms tend to be pressed in against the body. That can make even slim or fit arms look wider than they really are. Longer or looser sleeves generally sit more comfortably and are easier to work with, both photographically and in paint.
Also worth noting—while clothing can be softened or blended into the background in the painting stage, skin can’t be treated in quite the same way. So if you’re after a softer, more cohesive look, opting for a bit more coverage can help keep the focus on your face where it belongs.
Thoughtful wardrobe choices make an enormous difference in large multi-person compositions, especially when the goal is a portrait that feels joyful and cohesive rather than overly formal.
If this sparked a few ideas for your own family, feel free to have a browse through my Family Portraits page to see what’s possible.