Planning outfits for fall photos shouldn’t be stressful. The trick is simple: choose a calm color story, keep kids comfy, and let their personalities shine. Below are tried-and-true palettes, easy outfit formulas, and little styling tips that make photos feel warm, timeless, and totally “you.”
How to pick a palette (in two steps)
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Match the setting, not the season on the calendar.
Shooting in a green park? Lean warm and earthy so you don’t blend in. Brick streets or barns? Cooler blues and creams pop beautifully. Sandy fields? Soft neutrals all the way. -
Start with one anchor color and one neutral.
Build the rest from there. Think rust + cream, or slate + oat. Keep patterns small and spaced out so faces stay center stage.
Five palettes that always work
1) Oat & Honey
Cream, oat, camel, with tiny accents of toffee or gold.
Why it works: Soft and cozy without feeling heavy; it flatters every skin tone and looks gorgeous against grass, leaves, or wood.
Outfit ideas:
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Baby: cream knit romper + oatmeal tights + knit bonnet
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Toddler: camel cardigan + cream tee + oat corduroy skirt or joggers
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Siblings: keep everyone in the same family of creams and tans, vary textures (ribbed knits, cord, quilted vest)
2) Olive & Rust
Olive, moss, rust, clay, and soft cream.
Why it works: Feels like fall without shouting. Rich, warm, and dimensional—perfect with foliage.
Outfit ideas:
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Toddler girl: rust dress + cream tights + olive cardigan
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Toddler boy: olive shacket + clay tee + dark oat joggers
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Add-ons: leather boots, a knit beanie, tiny tortoiseshell bow
3) Slate & Denim
Slate blue, denim, mist grey, with warm cream.
Why it works: Balanced and calm. Blue brings out eyes; cream keeps it light. Great near red brick or orange leaves.
Outfit ideas:
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Baby: slate romper + cream knee socks
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Toddler: denim shirt + slate joggers + cream vest
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Parents (if joining): soft navy or charcoal—skip bright cobalt
4) Mulled Berry
Plum, dusty rose, berry, balanced with taupe or heather grey.
Why it works: Adds mood and depth without going neon. Beautiful for golden hour.
Outfit ideas:
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Toddler girl: dusty-rose knit dress + taupe cardigan
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Toddler boy: heather tee + plum cardigan + taupe chinos
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Keep accessories simple—small bow, neutral boot
5) Sage & Sand
Sage, eucalyptus, sand, and cream.
Why it works: Airy and modern. Lovely in open fields, dunes, or minimal studio backdrops.
Outfit ideas:
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Baby: sage knit set + sand socks
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Toddler: sand corduroy overalls + cream tee + sage cardigan
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Textures: waffle knit, ribbed tights, quilt stitching
Matching siblings without “matching outfits”
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Same palette, different pieces. Put one child in the solid anchor color, another in a soft pattern, and a third in a textured knit.
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Spread the pattern. If one child wears gingham or floral, keep others in solids so the group feels balanced.
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Repeat a color twice. Example: rust bow on one child, rust socks on another—tiny echoes tie everything together.
Comfort = better photos
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Soft layers: base layer (cotton/bamboo), lightweight knit, easy vest or shacket. Bulky coats can wait in the car.
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No scratchy tags: if something bothers them at home, it will bother them in front of the camera.
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Shoes they can run in: break them in the day before; bring a backup.
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Backup items: extra tights, wipes, a tiny brush/comb.
What to avoid (usually)
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Super bright whites in harsh sun (try cream).
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All-black outfits on kids—can feel heavy and hide features.
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Loud logos or giant graphics near faces.
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Everyone in the exact same sweater. Coordinated > identical.
Quick outfit formulas (copy & go)
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Baby: knit bodysuit + tights/leggings + cardigan + bonnet
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Toddler girl: knit dress or collar top + tights/leggings + cardigan
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Toddler boy: jersey tee or collar top + joggers/chinos + vest/cardigan
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Chilly day add-on: quilted vest or soft shacket (easy on/off)
Palettes by background
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Green park or trees: oat & honey; olive & rust
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Brick or barns: slate & denim; mulled berry
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Fields, dunes, studio white: sage & sand; oat & honey
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Lake or riverside: slate & denim with cream accents
How to work with different skin tones in one photo
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Use warm neutrals (oat, camel, cream) as your base; they flatter most complexions.
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Add one richer accent (rust, olive, plum) for depth.
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If anyone has very cool undertones, slip in a slate layer (cardigan, scarf) to balance.
Week-of checklist
7–10 days before
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Finalize outfits; try everything on. Check lengths, waist comfort, and sleeve mobility.
2–3 days before
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Quick wash/steam; lay out complete looks (socks, bows, shoes).
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Pack wipes, lint roller, mini snack, tiny comb.
Day of
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Dress last, snack first.
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Keep layers nearby but off until the photographer is ready.
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Don’t chase “perfect”—look for real smiles and relaxed shoulders.
A few tiny details that make photos sing
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Texture beats pattern. Ribbed knits, cable details, corduroy wale—these photograph beautifully.
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Small accessories. A thin headband, a simple beanie, or a bow; nothing that steals the show.
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Hands and pockets. Teach a quick “hands together” or “one hand in pocket” to avoid the mid-air finger wiggle.
Fall family photos are about your people, not just the clothes. Choose a gentle palette, keep kids comfortable, and let the little moments—twirls, giggles, leaf tossing—do the heavy lifting. You’ve got this.