The day has come for your yearly fall photos. You’ve been planning this for weeks. You have a chunky fall sweater all laid out for yourself, your husband is in corduroy and you have the most adorable knit sets planned for the kids. Everything seems to be going well, and you finally feel that you did a god job with outfit planning! But the moment you step out the door to leave, the hot air blasts you in the face in that same “blow your eyebrows off” kinda way it does when you open a 400 degree oven. That is when you realize… you may have made an error.

If this is an experience that you can relate to, chances are that you also live in the south. So let’s be real, here in the low county it is likely to stay hot well into October leaving you with very few outfit options for festive fall photos. So you have two options here, you either decide to soldier on and suffer through the unbearable heat in your nice new turtleneck (a decision you quickly come to regret). Alternatively, you can simply choose to give up and break out the summer clothes. Neither of which turn out to be great options. So what is the alternative then? Wait until January? (trust me I have considered this one). But no, the alternative would be finding outfits that fit the fall aesthetic of your dreams without inducing a massive heat stroke. So let’s get into it!

Why Clothing Color Matters

The first thing you can do is consider the color of your outfits! Bright whites, light blues, and light pinks are all going to give a light and airy summer vibe. Contrary to that, softer earth tones like ivory, brown, taupe, green, and beige are all colors more associated with fall! For example, if you need to wear a short sleeve dress as opposed to a heavy sweater, swap the white for a creamy beige or olive green and the outfit instantly becomes more of a fall look.

Summer Colors To Avoid

Fall Colors To Use

Fall Family Photos Call For Fun Fall Patterns

The second thing to consider is the pattern of your clothing. I think we can all agree that some patterns just scream summer, while others tend to make you think of fall. So what would some examples be? Light floral patterns often look very summer-ish. While a soft check pattern or an earth toned leafy pattern would work better for autumn.

Summer Patterns To Avoid

Fall Patterns To Use

Incorporate Layers To Create A Fall Look For Your Photos

Finally, light layering can be a great way to incorporate more of the feel of fall without having to wear thick heavy materials! A great example of this for kids is overalls and jumpsuits. Even when wearing short sleeves underneath, the layering of the materials will bring in the fall theme nicely! A layering option for mom would be thin knits, or light jackets that can be paired with shorts or over a dress.

Ways To Incorporate Layers

So whether or not you decide to follow this advice, or go ahead and sweat to death is totally up to you! But if you are a fellow southerner that is also deeply affected by this intense heat and humidity, I promise you will thank me for this later!

Putting It All Together