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As the leaves turn brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold, so too do St. Louis families fill our region’s parks for annual family portraits, hoping to capture whatever age and stage their child is in along with some of that autumnal beauty. For local photographer Jacoby Andrick, owner of Jacoby Photo + Design, fall is the most popular time for family portraits—her schedule for the shoulder season is typically booked by June or July. The anticipation is real, but one question remains: What to wear? (And, maybe more importantly, what not to wear?) Andrick recently spoke to St. Louis Magazine about how to select items for family portraits, and she created some mood boards to showcase palettes that work with fall foliage. She also shared some of her favorite places to shop to find items for her husband, her children, and herself. One favorite is Daffodilly, a St. Louis–based online boutique that sells garments sizes newborn through 5T. If you can't or don’t want to invest in new clothes, Andrick has found great pieces at resale shops such as Kangaroo Kids and Once Upon a Child.
So what happens if you miss the window for fall color? Winter is a difficult season for family photos because kids don’t do as well in the cold. But, says Andrick, “There are many local studios in St. Louis that are indoors that you can rent. Consider renting one for an hour with a photographer that you like and do your family photos inside in a really beautiful space.”
Here are nine tips from Andrick when it comes time to pick outfits. Scroll down to see her fall mood boards:
Photography by Ashley Pieper Photography
Photographer Jacoby Andrick
Pick one statement piece and plan the rest of the family’s clothing around it. “I think starting with mom is a great idea,” Andrick says. “For our own family pictures, I found a dress that I felt beautiful in, and once I knew that color, then I designed the palette for the rest of the family.”
Limit your patterns. “If you're going to pick a statement piece, maybe that statement piece has a fun pattern,” Andrick says. “You're not going to want your child to be wearing another really bold pattern or your partner to be wearing a really bold pattern that can clash. Stick to one patterned item.”
Pinterest can help you identify palette colors. “Even just searching ‘fall family photo outfit ideas’—usually there are a lot of great ideas and palette colors,” Andrick says. You can also check out Andrick's Instagram for inspiration.
Try to coordinate colors, but avoid matching. “Gone are the days where everyone is wearing denim or everyone's wearing blue or the same shirts,” Andrick says.
Texture can lend interest without introducing another pattern. “Especially for fall, corduroy photographs really beautifully,” Andrick says. Suede, linen, and wool sweaters are other options. “I love flowy dresses for women,” Andrick adds. “That type of fabric brings photographs to life.”
Lay out options to see how they work together, and ask your photographer if you can send him or her some wardrobe options. “I'm always happy to help if clients send a picture,” Andrick says. “I can say, ‘Well, this is probably going to photograph a little bit better.’”
Don’t forget mom. “I think moms in general focus so much on their kids and want to make their kids look great,” Andrick says. “Family photos are a good opportunity to do some self care. For me, I scheduled our family photos the same day I’m getting my hair cut. I always feel the best after a haircut.”
Or dad, for that matter. “I feel like men’s clothes can be an afterthought,” Andrick says. “For men, wearing a flannel as almost a jacket with another shirt underneath is a great way to incorporate layers. Canvas jackets are great as well.”
If your kid is picky about what they wear, don’t stress about it. “I believe in documenting your kids how they truly are,” Andrick says. “I like to think that in 20 years when your kids are out of the house, you're going to look back on those photos with nostalgia. You'll do anything to go back to when they only wanted to wear the sequins and the cheetah-print leggings.”
Click through the slideshow below to view some fall family portrait mood boards curated by Andrick:
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