Simple wardrobe guidance for a polished holiday portrait experience.

The Christmas trees have already handled the green for us.

That is the first thing I want you to remember when you start shopping.

You absolutely can wear green. I love green. But you do not need to put everybody in forest green just because these are Christmas photos.

We need your family to stand out from the trees, not join them.

Reminder: I offer custom wardrobe design with a mood board and shopping links if you don't want to DIY this. It's $75+tax.

Here is everything I would tell you if we were standing in your closet together.

Choose colors that show up against green

This is where contrast really matters.

Burgundy, cream, and camel. Probably the easiest Christmas Tree Farm palette and one I come back to again and again.

Navy, cranberry, and oatmeal. Classic and strong without being too dark.

Dusty blue, cream, and cognac. Softer and less traditionally Christmas, but beautiful against all that green.

Plum, taupe, and warm cream. Unexpected, rich, and still seasonal.

If you want green, choose a shade that is noticeably different from the trees and use it on one person rather than everybody.

Cream is better than stark white

Bright white can pull a lot of attention.

Cream, ivory, oatmeal, and soft beige give you the same lightness but feel warmer and photograph more naturally in this kind of setting.

They are also easy colors to use when you need to break up darker outfits.

Bring on the texture

Christmas Tree Farm sessions can handle texture beautifully.

Knits, corduroy, velvet, denim, suede, ribbed cotton, and wool blends can all work.

Again: weather first.

If Houston gives us a warm November day, I would rather see a lightweight textured dress than watch you pretend that wool sweater is comfortable.

Nobody needs to suffer for Christmas cards.

Be careful with plaid

Plaid and Christmas trees make sense together.

That is also exactly why it is easy to overdo.

Use one plaid as your anchor piece, then pull colors from it for everyone else.

A plaid dress on a child or a plaid shirt on Dad can be plenty.

We do not need five coordinating plaids proving how committed you are to the season.

Mix your silhouettes

A long dress next to trousers, a skirt next to a button-down, a textured romper on a little one - those differences make the group visually interesting.

If everybody is wearing jeans and the same style of sweater, everything starts to blend together.

Same palette.

Different outfits.

That is the goal.

Shoes

Boots are an obvious choice and work beautifully.

Loafers, flats, simple leather shoes, and neutral sneakers can work too.

Just remember that we are outdoors.

Choose something you can walk in and something you will not spend the entire session worrying about.

Holiday accents

This is a great place for a velvet bow, simple headband, suspenders, hat, or pretty layer.

Choose one.

A little Christmas goes a long way when the location is already doing the rest.

For jewelry, gold and pearls are especially pretty with traditional holiday palettes.

Keep everything simple enough that your faces are still the first thing we notice.

A few things I would skip

Everyone in green.

Everyone in red.

Everyone in matching plaid.

Large logos.

Character Christmas shirts.

Neon.

Bright athletic shoes.

And anything so heavily themed that you cannot imagine displaying the photo after December.

Your family should still be the subject.

Christmas is the setting.

That is it

Start with contrast.

Pick one rich color, one light neutral, and one warm supporting color.

Add a pattern if you want one.

Mix in texture.

Make sure everybody can move.

Then stop shopping.

Seriously.

You probably have enough.

And if you need another set of eyes before you decide, send me what you have. That is part of why I am here.

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What to Wear for Christmas Tree Farm Mini Sessions

Simple wardrobe guidance for a polished holiday portrait experience.

Here is everything I would tell you if we were standing in your closet together.

Choose colors that show up against green

Cream is better than stark white

Bring on the texture

Be careful with plaid

Mix your silhouettes

Shoes

Holiday accents

A few things I would skip

That is it

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