In my line of work, photography, one of the most asked questions is "what should I wear?". I even created a page on my site to help guide my clients to get the best possible results. One of the things I stress is if your session is outdoors, which all of mine are, with the exception of weddings, and infants, then be sure to either dress in whites and creams to stand out or dress in bright colors that won't blend into the natural surroundings. For instance, if you will be surrounded by greenery and blue skies, then shades of green or blue, may not make you stand out from your surroundings the way you would like.
Here are a few great examples of beautiful families in appropriate colors for their surroundings.
The first example is a very clean and crisp style of dress for a beautiful and very elegant image.
The second is a bright colorful look that is also great to help your child stand out. Reds, Bright Yellows, Oranges, Vibrant Greens and Blues that are not muted work wonderful in natural settings.
In a group setting, always try to dress similar with colors that blend well, but not exact. This way, each individual stands out yet everyone still has a beautiful cohesion which forms a beautiful portrait. As you can see, in the image example below, blues and greens can work in various shades in the right backgrounds. They are all in white and blue, and blend beautifully due to their varying shades and tones.
Another great tip is to always pick your outfits the night before your shoot to avoid a mad rush and problems right before a shoot when you could run out of time and with children it is best to have a backup outfit with you, in case of accidents!
Lastly, remember that the best props can be accessories; your jewelry, hats, boots, scarves etc. These can change a photo from plain to amazing, and just plain cute as you see in the accessories in this photo!
I hope that this has helped you in your attempt at the perfect outfit for your shoot! Good luck!!!!