HELP! Family photo session

Laura

I'm pear shaped, or apple shaped. Let's call me a pearpple.

Family photo session is in 2 weeks and I don't want to look terrible. I want to look at the photos and love to hang them on the wall.

I still have some...er...baby weight?? Can I use that, the "baby" is 3??

It is a very casual setting, so jeans are appropriate.

I was planning to wear charcoal skinny jeans...

and?? THIS IS WHERE I NEED HELP...
(currently thinking of a fitted white button down and getting an orange ish cardigan).

Any help on what to wear on top would be greatly appreciated.

12 years ago

Body Type

7 replies

Latest reply was from glam on the inside

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I would suggest something with a v neck and either a pretty (largish) size necklace or a top with some interest/embellishment near the upper part of it to draw the eye up.A cardi in a darker color than your top would help camoflague anything you dont want seen if you leave it open or button just a couple uder the bustline. A long scarf worn vertically under the cardi with a few inches showing on both sides will also help create a longer, slimmer look. Also wear a touch of makeup if that is something you do and be sure to smile! Do you have long or short hair? I'd check out the' taking photos' tips that are here- they are great! Good luck!

12 years ago

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Post some pictures & you'll get plenty of advice:)

12 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

How many in the photos? Is everyone within the same skin tone range more or less? If skin tones are widely divergent, it helps if the paler person wears darker tones and the darker person wears very light colors. Otherwise, the light person ends up getting over-exposed and the dark person gets under-exposed.

12 years ago

Jjsloane

Veteran

Solids work best in photos, coordinated by shades or tones for the group. The faces stand out much better this way. You may be able to use baby as a body shield so colors that work for you and coordinate with others is all you need. I stressed over the christmas photo last year and you can only see my knee and a bit of the neckline of my sequin tee.

12 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Are these formal group photos were everyone is coordinating? Or informal photos with no outfit coordination?

We did group formal photos last year, two different outfits. I can give tips from that experience, if that is the case. We did one set with everyone in blue jeans and crisp white collar shirt, and one set with women in LBD and men in tuxes. I hate white collared shirts but I have to say this set turned out, surprisingly, to be my favorite of the two. I HATE white collared shirts (find them uncomfortable and fussy). But for a photo I have to admit it looked good. I wore with dressy trouser cut jeans (COH Huttons) and giraffe pumps and pearls. And I futzed the collar a lot to give me the most V neck possible (short neck).

12 years ago

Jules

Veteran

Jeans you love are a great idea! The texture photographs well. One suggestion: consider doing a yellow cardi with charcoal jeans (and maybe a black and white animal print scarf?), or dark wash blue jeans with the orange cardi. That said the right charcoal and orange could also look great
Even informal photos can benefit from some outift coordination. My SIL's family did studio photos wearing light blue shirts and that looked great with their blue eyes. I like colour and pattern so I work from whatever colours we have as a family to coordinate a styled but not matchy-matchy look. Last summer I picked the bright, patterned dresses I wanted for my DDs and then dressed my husband and I around that in matching solids. My necklace picked up more colours from the dresses. Our photos were done outside by a photographer who applies a lot of filters etc - I'm not sure the clothes would have worked as well at your average chain photo studio. I love the way they turned out even with some bulges I probably could have avoided if that was my first priority. I love that my blue pedicure ended up being in one shot. Wear at least one item you love that says YOU not just MOM!

12 years ago

glam on the inside

Active Member

I think others have made really good suggestions. I'm sure you'll look great and I hope the photo session is lots of fun.
Have you seen Alison Tate's blog post on the topic of mums and kids in photos? It is very moving. This part stood out to me:
"I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them. I want them to have pictures of me. I want them to see the way I looked at them, see how much I loved them. I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....26073.html

12 years ago

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