The Best Colors and Clothing to Wear for Fall Family Photos in Minnesota

Fall in Minnesota is pure magic—the golden leaves, cozy textures, and crisp air all come together to create the most beautiful backdrop for your family photos. As your photographer, my goal is to help you not only look amazing but also feel comfortable and natural in front of the camera. One of the biggest questions I get before a session is: What should we wear for fall family photos?

Here are my favorite tips and color palettes that photograph beautifully with my style and brand, so you’ll love your images for years to come.

1. Embrace Fall Tones, But Keep Them Soft

Rich autumn shades like rust, mustard, olive, and burgundy look stunning against Minnesota’s fall scenery and they photograph well, too. But instead of going bold and saturated, I recommend choosing softer, muted versions of these colors. Think:

• Burnt orange instead of bright pumpkin

• Mustard yellow instead of neon gold

• Sage green instead of bright emerald

These tones work beautifully with my true-to-color editing style and keep your photos timeless.

2. Mix Neutrals with Color

A balanced palette usually starts with neutrals like cream, beige, taupe, or gray, and then layers in a pop of seasonal color. For example:

• Cream dresses or long skirts, with a rust cardigan

• Neutral khaki pants with a flannel that contains browns, rust and olive tones

• Denim with an oatmeal colored chunky sweater and a burgundy scarf

Combining neutrals with soft colors, simple patterns, and textured accessories like scarves or flannels will add visual interest to your images while complimenting the natural environment.

3. Choose Textures Over Patterns

Fall is the perfect time to bring in cozy textures like knit sweaters, corduroy, wool, or flowy fabrics. These photograph beautifully, add depth, and create that warm seasonal vibe. Patterns can work too—but stick to small, subtle prints like thin stripes, delicate florals, or plaid in muted tones. Avoid loud logos or neon colors, since they’ll pull attention away from your family connection.

4. Coordinate, Don’t Match

Gone are the days of everyone in identical jeans and white shirts! Instead, choose a cohesive color palette and let each family member’s outfit show personality within it. For example, if your palette is cream, sage, and rust:

• Mom wears a sage maxi dress

• Dad wears a cream henley with khaki pants

• Kids wear a mix of rust sweaters and denim

This keeps your look polished but natural—just like the images I deliver.

5. Keep Comfort in Mind

Minnesota fall weather can be unpredictable, so layers are your best friend. Add cardigans, scarves, or vests that can be taken on and off. When you and your kids feel comfortable, it shows in your expressions—and that’s always more important than the “perfect” outfit.

A Few Outfit Inspiration Ideas

• Earthy & Warm: Cream knit sweater + rust skirt + brown leather boots

• Classic Neutrals: Taupe cardigan + denim + beige scarf

• Playful Pops: Olive dress + mustard cardigan + kids in plaid with muted tones

Final Thoughts

When you look back at your family photos, I want you to see you—your personalities, your love, your laughter. Clothing should enhance the mood of the season, not be the focus. Stick to soft autumn tones, cozy textures, and coordinated palettes, and you’ll have timeless images you’ll treasure forever.

I offer personalized styling to all of my clients! In addition to my my client wardrobe containing dresses for women and children, I also offer personalized help with outfits by sending clients inspiration boards or help you coordinate your family’s look before your session.

Would you like me to also create a Pinterest-friendly graphic or outfit color palette chart (like a branded fall outfit guide) that you can share with your clients alongside this blog? Let me know!

Need More Family Photo Inspiration? Check out my Family Welcome Guide!