We’ll start with khaki-and-white or what we like to call…sand-and-stone. I know, I know, you’re probably sick of seeing this matchy-matchy outfit on the beach. But let’s dig deeper as to why this ensemble is so popular. Khaki is a neutral tone that blends well with the beach. White is a solid bright tone that reflects clean light back onto the face. If you’re trying to organize a large number of family members, this choice is easy to coordinate. However, if your family is anything like my family you’ll want to represent all the different personalities with a bit more color and interest! I always joke that if everyone is dressed the same and you would be embarrassed to go out for pizza together…then you might want to mix up the outfits a bit. Let’s have a little fun with color…
Start by deciding on the basic color tone combinations for your clothing. Do you want cooler color tones (blues, grays and greens) or warmer tones (oranges, browns and yellows)? Soft tones look beautiful together, so start by selecting 2-3 neutral tones that blend well and then choose an expressive hue to add a pop of color to show off your personalities. Vary that “color pop” in the clothing and accessories of your group (scarves, belts, shoes, pants, shorts, skirts, etc.) For shirts and tops, I most often suggest a solid color with varied textures rather than distracting patterns and stripes which tend to take the focus away from your faces…the most important part of the portrait. Obviously, you’ll want to avoid clothing with big logos, text and characters.