When we had our daughter in 2014, my husband and I wanted to do milestone pictures every 3 months in her first year to capture the way she changed.  The only problem was that I had no clue what to wear for these.  A – I was over-weight, thanks to gaining 50+ lbs during said pregnancy & B – I had no idea how to style all 3 of us to look cohesive without looking like we tried.  Aria’s 3 month pictures looked phenomenal because I spent the time needed to think out our session; whereas, for her 6 month session, time got away from me (thanks to said baby) and we didn’t plan this one out.

There was a HUGE difference to the way I felt about both sets of images.  The photographer was amazing (I absolutely LOVE Cassandra Hawkins’s style and would recommend her to anyone looking for a birth photographer in Denton, TX) and the pictures were technically wonderfully put together.  There was just something missing in the second set.  Once we had our 9 month pictures done and I took a little time to prep out our outfits, I realized why I felt this way.  We didn’t LOOK like we tried in her 6 month pictures.  With a little effort, our images could have been just as heartwarming as the first.

If you are reading this and have no clue where to start when you are prepping your style for your upcoming session, I highly recommend you learn from my mistakes and check out my top 5 tips to looking perfectly styled.

1. Dress Nicely | You may think I am crazy here, but by pretending you are getting ready for a holiday like Easter, if it is Spring time, OR Christmas, if it is winter, your images are going to be spectacular.  You will come away from this session with images that look elegant and pretty.  Ladies, the best thing you can wear for any shape or size is a beautiful flowy dress.  It adds so much glamour to the way your body flows in a picture.  Gentlemen, don’t just throw on some jeans (unless this is the style you are aiming for like a country scene).  Put on some slacks, a button up shirt and a nice jacket.  For the kiddos, do the same.  A cute little dress for your daughter or a dressy shirt and pant set for your little guy.
2. Coordinate | Try to find 2 to 3 colors that go well with the backdrop or season and stick to them.  Ladies, I know it is hard to find something that is perfect for us, so I recommend starting here.  Find a dress that you love and match your man and/or kiddos to this color scheme that you created.  If you are not sure of a color palette that works for you, try googling “color palette generators” and you’ll be able to find complementary colors that work.
3. Feel Good in Your Body | Now the fitness professional in me will be put into a box for just a second and I will not drone on and on about this.  BUT, the mother in me who knows how hard it is to lose all of that baby weight (gained 50+ pounds with my daughter in 2014 and 65 lbs with my son in 2016 and am still actively trying to lose this.)  I know I don’t feel like I’m pretty in an image after having a little one, but by adding exercise and proper diet into my routine, I know that I will look better when the weight comes off.  If you are like me and are holding onto some pregnancy pounds or you are someone who would like to shed a few pounds before your session/event/wedding.  Try, try, try to have a healthy routine of cardio and strength training in your weeks (at least 12 weeks prior) leading up to your session.  You’ll feel great and you’ll love the way you are looking in those pictures.
4. Know Your Surroundings | Take time to think through where you will be taking your images.  If you are in a field, don’t wear open toed shoes.  I learned this the hard way with a couple of clients in a field nearby.  I had no clue the amount of bugs that would be present and biting.  To this day, I avoid said field at all costs.  LOL!  Another one would be if you are walking on a beach or in gravel; avoid high heels.  It won’t look elegant when you are tripping all over yourself.
5. Still Clueless | When in doubt, ask your photographer.  They have been doing this for a while and they know what scene or scenario they are about to put you in.  They will have great insight for you prior to your session.