Coordinating Photoshoot Outfits from Carter’s Canton

Let me guess? You waited until the last minute and need to quickly find outfits for family photos, so you’re stopping at Carter’s Canton and have no idea what to get! I’m here to help! I’m a local family and motherhood photographer and I have some tips to make it easier when you’re shopping.  To be honest, you can use these tips shopping at any store or even online, but Carter’s in Canton, MI is one of the few stores in the area with high quality photoshoot-worthy clothing that you can go in and buy same-day, so I thought it might be helpful to choose a specific store if you’re getting stuck.

Who to shop for at Carter’s Canton:

OK, first things first. Let’s go over who you will be shopping for. For typical family photos, I normally recommend picking mom’s outfit first (since she is normally the one booking the photoshoot and in most cases, is the most excited about getting photos done). For those of you that have never been to Carter’s, the store only carries children’s clothing, so mom and dad will need to get their outfits from a different store. Once Mom’s outfit is picked out, you can focus on the kiddos! Carter’s carries sizes starting from preemie, and carries all the way up to size kids 14!

Choosing colors:

So, you know you’re picking out outfits for the little siblings, but where do you begin? Like I mentioned earlier, you should have mom’s outfit figured out before you even get to Carters. This will help you know what colors you’re working with. If mom has a dress with a pattern, I normally recommend taking a closer look at the colors in the pattern and trying your best to incorporate that in the children’s outfits. Avoid matching too closely to mom because the kids will end up blending into mom in photos if the photographer asks them to sit on mom’s lap or snuggle in close. I’m a big fan of only having one family member with a pattern or print. Having one subtle pattern can help the group feel cohesive, but avoiding multiple patterns will ensure that nobody has clashing outfits that draw attention away from the family members.

Type of clothing:

A great rule of thumb when choosing pieces for cohesive family photo outfits is choosing outfits that all have the same level of dressiness. Since Carter’s tends to have a lot of themed clothing with characters and holiday prints, I normally recommend sticking to the solid color options. To add visual interest, you can switch it up by adding different layers and textures.

What to avoid:

Here are some common things to avoid that you may not think about when choosing your outfits for your family.

1. Avoid neon colors

2. Try to steer clear of distracting logos or words

3. Forgetting to plan coordinating shoes that look nice with their outfit

4. Dressing your kids in clothing that isn’t appropriate for the temperature. Always check the weather and layer up if necessary! An uncomfortable kid will not have the best facial expressions in photos.

I hope this helps you a bit when choosing your outfits and I’m wishing your family a wonderful photoshoot! If you haven’t booked photos yet and are looking for a photographer, be sure to check my website out! I’d be honored to capture you and your family.