It’s September and we’re ALL overwhelmed. From the start of school to the endless back-to-school activities, what to wear for school pictures often becomes a last-minute “oh no!” If you’re like me, you probably set a reminder the night before just to make sure your child has on a clean shirt.

Whether you’re a planner or a last-minute scrambler, here are some simple guidelines that will work for any school picture day—and especially if you’re lucky enough to be in front of my camera for a Simply You School Picture session this year!

Simple is best

School pictures are meant to capture your child exactly as they are in this moment. Keeping clothing simple allows them to shine. Think waffle-knit shirts, crew neck sweaters, or basic tees. Most importantly, make sure the outfit is comfortable and not itchy—happy kids = happy photos.

Color PLEASE (but skip the neon!)

I absolutely LOVE LOVE color in photos—it makes portraits pop! Rich earth tones, jewel tones, and other saturated colors look fantastic. Just avoid neon, very light or super bright shades, as they can cast odd tones on your child’s face.

Texture and small patterns add interest

Small patterns and textured fabrics bring subtle visual interest without stealing attention. Waffle knits, cozy sweaters, or a dress with tiny flowers are perfect choices.

What NOT to wear for School Pictures

High collars & hoodies

Hoodies bunch up and create bulk behind the head, while high collars (like vests or quarter-zips) only look good if kids sit perfectly still—which rarely happens! A crew neck shirt is always the safer bet. This will allow us to really see your child’s face and isn’t that what we really want after all?!!?

Color matching the backdrop

For my Simply You white backdrop portraits, avoid wearing white so your child doesn’t disappear into the background. If your school offers different backdrop colors, think ahead and choose an outfit that complements (not matches) it.

Logos, Graphics & Busy Patterns

This one seems simple enough but these are all distractions. We want the focus to be on the smile, the eyes of you child and when we see a shirt with a huge monster truck across the front, that is instantly what our eye is drawn to. Adorable yes, but not ideal for school picture day.

The Most Important Thing: Comfort

At the end of the day, your child’s comfort matters most. I’d rather photograph a happy kiddo in a neon green firetruck shirt than a grumpy one in the “perfect” sweater. These photos are about capturing who your child is right now—joyful, confident, and authentically themselves. These are your memories — a moment in time capturing WHO your child is at this very second. So embrace it and don’t fight it. After all, the best photos are the ones where your child feels relaxed, happy, confident and most importantly, THEMSELVES.

If you follow these tips about what to wear for school pictures but you still don’t like the cheese smile of you kiddo, I am here to help! Now offering Simply You sessions (sometimes called Second Chance School Picture Day). Let’s Chat!