Family portrait

Yesterday, I received an email from a friend of mine, with a recent family photo attached. The picture was cute; they all looked happy and beautiful. But I did take note of one thing. The picture looked exactly like 100 other family photos I have seen. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the whole family, with everyone wearing jeans and a white button-down, sitting on the beach. The holiday variation features everyone in matching red tops. I know you’ve seen it, or possibly even done it yourself. And while I get it – you want the picture to look cohesive and somewhat professional – it’s a little boring. I know it’s easy and inexpensive – everyone in the family probably already owns a white button-down and jeans, but it IS possible for your family to look coordinated without looking bland, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Simply look online at stores like GAP, Old Navy, J.Crew, and Boden, which feature clothing for men, women, and children. Pick one color/theme, and then select pieces for each family member. If you buy all of the items from one store, you will find pieces with similar patterns, and the shades of each color will match one another perfectly. Think how much better your family portrait would look if mother and daughter were wearing pieces like these:

These outfits work with each other, without being so matchy-matchy. The yellow and blue outfits are from Boden USA, and the red and black are from J.Crew. They both have plenty of coordinating pieces for men and boys, too. So mix it up this year for your family portrait and let your personalities shine through!

-Jessica