What to Wear: Spring

Here in sunny Los Angeles Spring is definitely in the air. The flowers are starting to bloom and the days are getting longer. While I welcome the new season with open arms I have been under the weather this last week thanks to the temperature going from cool to warm and back again, but I digress.

Spring is the time for Spring cleaning, but it is also time to bring out our warmer weather clothes. In my case I keep them boxed up under the bed, but for my son, what fit him last Spring wouldn't fit him this year because like all children he is growing like a weed. So I've been looking at kid's clothes and thought I would come up with some seasonally appropriate ideas for what to wear for a Spring photo shoots in Los Angeles, or anywhere else for that matter.

Clients often ask me for ideas, so here are a few. While, I don't like to use a lot of pattern, there are ways to make it work, and of course texture and color go a long way to adding interest and depth.

Easter Party


Easy Breezy

Fresh n' Sunny

The key to the various looks is keeping the color palette (or as they like to say on Project Runway the "color story") similar and complimentary, so siblings don't have to dress identically, but their clothes relate back to each other. Same rules apply for grown ups. So whether you having professional photographs taken, or are taking pictures yourself, having clothes work together creates a more cohesive image.

All clothes featured are from the Gap, Old Navy, Gymboree, Target and the Children's Place, available nationwide or online.

What to Wear? Girls

As a family photographer I am often asked for suggestions on what clients should wear for a shoot. I provide a tip sheet with recommendations, such as avoiding strong patterns and logos. That said, it doesn't mean that clothing should be boring.

As they say, pictures speak louder than words, so over the next few months I'm going to start putting together mini look books to serve as a jumping point. These are just ideas from which to take inspiration. I'm starting with girls because I have a boy and I always eye with envy all the choices little girls have.You can click on the images to view these images a bit bigger. I'm a big believer in going through your wardrobe and using what you have. However, if you are looking to add to your collection, I sourced all of the above from: Target , Old Navy, The Gap, and Gymboree. Here in Los Angeles there are great boutique designers making adorable clothes for kids, but I wanted to make this accessible and also realistic. At the end of the day most of us don't want to spend $50 on a t-shirt our kids will outgrow in two months.

Family Portrait: Country Chic

I love the juxtaposition of opposites; the soft with the hard, the the pretty with the rough. For a recent family portrait session in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to work with a gorgeous family with three adorable little girls.

The mother had clearly taken the time to think about the family's wardrobe, following some of the suggestion I had provided to her, which as a photographer I really appreciate. The outfits worn by the family related to each other providing cohesion, but were not identical. I think it is important not to be identical, because we each have different personalities and this was certainly true of the three little girls. The setting was woodsy and rustic, but the handsome family brought to it a chic and glamorous look that worked beautifully.

These are just a few of the timeless images that were captured.

KID CHIC

I'm always on the look out for great classic kids clothes that would also look great in photographs. I was very happy with myself when I discovered a French brand of clothing called Cyrillus that carries the most chic clothes for kids. It's such a bummer though because they aren't available in the U.S., but since they do sell their clothes online and have a catalog, they may just be open to international purchases. That's the global marketplace in action.

Take a look at these über-chic clothes. Little girls are known to want to dress like their mothers, but with clothes this cute, you'd want to dress like your kids.

All photos copyright of Cyrillus.fr