There’s just something about fall photos.
The golden light feels a little softer, the evenings start to cool down, and everything seems to carry that cozy, nostalgic feeling that makes you want to hold onto it just a little longer. It’s one of my favorite seasons to photograph here in Abilene, Texas—and if you have a fall session coming up, you might already be asking the inevitable question:
What in the world do we wear?
Choosing outfits for your fall photos doesn’t have to mean buying an entirely new wardrobe or showing up in perfectly matching outfits. The best outfits are the ones that feel like you while still working beautifully together.
So, whether you’re planning fall family photos, a couples session, senior portraits, or maternity photos, here’s my 2026 guide to choosing outfits that will photograph beautifully and still feel timeless years from now.
Start With the Feeling You Want Your Photos to Have
Before you start pulling clothes out of the closet, think about how you want your photos to feel.
Cozy and nostalgic? Soft and romantic? Earthy and laid-back? A little more elevated and editorial?
Your outfits play a huge part in creating that feeling.
For the warm, nostalgic style you see throughout my work, I usually recommend leaning into pieces that have movement, texture, and warmth rather than anything overly trendy or structured.
Think cozy sweaters, flowy dresses, worn-in denim, soft knits, corduroy, linen, suede, boots, and pieces that already feel like fall.
The goal isn’t to create a costume for your photos. It’s to choose clothes that feel like something you would actually wear on a beautiful October evening together.
The Best Colors to Wear for Fall Photos
Fall gives us such a beautiful color palette to work with, especially against the golden grasses and warm Texas sunsets around Abilene.
Some of my favorite colors for fall photo outfits include:
- Cream, ivory, oatmeal, and warm beige
- Camel, caramel, and chocolate brown
- Rust, terracotta, and burnt orange
- Mustard and muted golden tones
- Olive, moss, and earthy greens
- Burgundy, wine, and deep red
- Dusty blue and muted denim
- Warm taupe and soft gray
You definitely don’t have to dress everyone in brown and beige to have beautiful fall photos, either. A little color can be gorgeous.
The trick is choosing muted, earthy versions of colors rather than super bright or neon shades. Think burnt orange instead of traffic-cone orange, olive instead of lime green, and burgundy instead of bright cherry red.
These tones tend to blend beautifully with the landscape rather than competing with it.
Coordinate, Don’t Match
If you remember only one thing when planning fall family photo outfits, let it be this:
You don’t all need to match.
In fact, I usually prefer when you don’t.
Instead of putting everyone in the same color or matching shirts, choose a color palette with three or four complementary shades and build each person’s outfit from there.
For example, you could pair cream, rust, olive, and denim. Or maybe chocolate brown, ivory, dusty blue, and camel.
This gives your photos variety while still making everything feel intentional.
A helpful place to start is with the person wearing the outfit with the most color, pattern, or visual interest. Once you have that outfit picked, pull colors from it when choosing everyone else’s clothes.
It’s much easier than trying to choose five outfits at the exact same time.
Texture Is Your Best Friend
One of the easiest ways to make neutral or simple outfits photograph beautifully is to add texture.
Chunky knit sweaters. Corduroy. Linen. Denim. Suede. Crochet. Waffle-knit tops. Flowing skirts and dresses.
Texture adds depth without needing loud patterns or bold colors—and it works especially well with the soft, nostalgic feeling of fall photos.
Layers can do the same thing.
A cardigan over a dress, a jacket over a simple shirt, or a sweater layered over a collared top can make an outfit feel much more complete while still looking natural.
And, because West Texas weather likes to keep us guessing, layers aren’t a bad idea for practical reasons either.
Let Your Clothes Move with You
This is one of my favorite things to consider when helping clients decide what to wear for fall photos.
Your session isn’t going to be an hour of standing perfectly still and smiling at the camera.
You’ll be walking through the grass, cuddling your babies, spinning around, running together, holding hands, laughing, and probably getting a little windswept along the way.
Choose clothes that can move with you.
Flowy dresses and skirts photograph beautifully because they create movement even during the quiet moments. Relaxed sweaters, comfortable denim, and pieces you aren’t constantly adjusting make it much easier to forget about the camera and just be together.
If you feel uncomfortable in something while standing in front of your mirror at home, there’s a good chance you’ll feel uncomfortable in it during your session too.
Comfort doesn’t mean boring. It just means choosing pieces that allow you to actually live in your photos.
Patterns Are Okay, Just Keep Them Intentional
You absolutely can wear patterns for fall photos.
Small florals, subtle plaids, delicate prints, and understated patterns can add personality and visual interest to your outfits.
The key is not having everyone wear a competing pattern.
If one person is wearing a floral dress, for example, let that be the statement piece and keep the rest of the outfits a little simpler.
I usually recommend avoiding extremely tiny, high-contrast patterns, large logos, bold graphics, and anything that immediately pulls your eye away from the people in the photo.
Because twenty years from now, I want you to notice the way your little one fit into your arms—not the giant logo across someone’s shirt.
Don’t Forget the Shoes
Shoes might feel like an afterthought, but they can completely change the way an outfit photographs.
For fall sessions, boots, loafers, neutral sneakers, clogs, simple flats, and other earthy or understated styles usually work beautifully.
Try to avoid athletic shoes or anything with large, bright logos unless they’re intentionally part of your style.
And always think about your location.
If we’re wandering through one of my favorite grassy fields around Abilene, stilettos probably aren’t going to be your best friend. Choose something you can comfortably walk, play, and move around in.
Barefoot can be pretty magical sometimes, too.
What About Fall Family Photos With Kids?
When you’re choosing what to wear for fall family photos, comfort becomes even more important when little ones are involved.
If your child hates their sweater before you’ve even left the house, they’re probably not going to suddenly fall in love with it once we start taking pictures.
Choose clothes they can move in. Make sure nothing is painfully itchy, too tight, or constantly falling down. And if you have a toddler, bringing a backup outfit isn’t a bad idea.
For babies and little kids, I especially love overalls, knit sweaters, textured rompers, simple dresses, bloomers, cardigans, and little boots.
But above all, let them still look like them.
These photos are about remembering this version of your family—not creating a perfectly styled version of it.
A Few Things I’d Leave at Home
There aren’t many hard rules when it comes to choosing fall photo outfits, but there are a few things I generally recommend skipping:
Bright neon colors, large logos, distracting graphics, everyone wearing the exact same color, and too many competing patterns can pull attention away from the connection happening in your photos.
I’d also be careful with super trendy pieces if your goal is to create photos that still feel beautiful hanging on your walls years from now.
That doesn’t mean your outfits need to be boring or completely neutral.
Personality is always welcome.
We’re just trying to make sure you are the first thing we notice.
You Don’t Have to Overthink It
Pinterest can be incredibly helpful when you’re searching for fall photo outfit ideas, but it can also make you feel like your entire family needs a professionally styled wardrobe before you’re allowed to have photos taken.
You don’t.
Start with what you already own.
Pull a few pieces onto the bed. Look at the colors together. Add some texture. Take something away if everything starts feeling too busy.
And remember that your outfits are only one tiny part of the story we’re creating.
The wind is going to move your hair.
Your kids might get grass on their clothes.
Someone will probably make someone else laugh when they’re supposed to be looking at me.
You’ll cuddle closer when the evening starts getting chilly.
And somewhere in between all of that, we’ll make photographs that feel like your family.
That’s the part you’ll remember.
Planning Fall Photos in Abilene, Texas?
Fall is one of my favorite times of year for family photography, couples photos, maternity sessions, and senior portraits in Abilene, TX. The golden West Texas light, earthy colors, and cooler evenings make this season perfect for creating photographs that feel warm, nostalgic, and a little bit like home.
When you book a session with Morgan Rose Photography, I’ll help you plan more than just what to wear. My clients also receive access to my private Abilene Location Guide so we can choose a setting that fits the feeling you want for your photos.
You don’t have to have every detail figured out before reaching out.
Come as you are. We’ll create something that feels like you—and photographs that someday remind you exactly what this season of life felt like.
Ready to plan your fall photos in Abilene?
Inquire with Morgan Rose Photography and let’s start planning a session that feels like you.
