MOM!! 

Yes, I'm talking to you.  And although this probably never happens any other time in your life, we are taking care of you first.  Why?  Well, truthfully you will be the most challenging AND you have the most amount of options.  If you are like myself, and most of the moms I photograph, you don't get in the picture too often.  Maybe you do it once a year for professional pictures, or maybe this is the first time you've been professionally photographed since your wedding.  But either way, us moms often put ourselves (and our appearance) last.  Perhaps one, or all, of the following thoughts have crossed your mind when looking in a mirror or at a picture of yourself:  I look so old, I look so tired, I need to lose ten pounds, I need to lose a lot more than ten pounds, NOTHING looks good on me, I don't even recognize myself since having kids...or if you're like me, you just think "WHO IS THAT PERSON AND WHERE DID SHE COME FROM?"

OK...so I get it and you are not alone in those thoughts.  First of all, give yourself a little grace.  There is no other time that a human body changes as much as a mother's does, and there is no other time that society would expect a person who had gone through that amount of change to just adapt so easily.  You may not look like you did when you were 20...you may think you look better, you may think you look worse, but whatever it is you probably look different.  This is you now, so let's embrace her.  If you lose that last ten pounds next year, great.  But right now it's there, so let's make it look as amazing as we can.

Now that I've given you my pep talk slash I-know-where-you're-coming-from slash tough love talk, let's talk about how we can dress the person you are today to look your absolute best.  Here's a few pointers.

1.  Dress yourself first (and early)

This is my biggest piece of advice that will ensure you love the way you look and aren't stressing out the night before your session.  I know it is SO tempting to find a cute outfit for your kids, or so easy to pick something out for your husband, and to then try to work around those pieces.  But trust me...you will end up feeling frazzled, defeated, and frustrated.   Because I guarantee you'll end up finding something you love, or fits amazing, but it won't match.  And you'll force yourself into something you don't feel great in just to complete the outfits in time for your session.

Please do yourself a favor, and pick your outfit out first.  Fit is most important, but also find a color and/or print that you love.  Once you find THE piece, you know that your husband and kids will be easy to put together afterwards...because let's face it, men are easy and kids look good in anything!  Go shopping early to ensure you have time to plan everybody else.  Even better, find a place with free shipping/returns and have a fashion show at home!

2.  Embrace the maxi!

I can't express how much I recommend a long dress for pictures.  Not only do they photograph beautifully (hello, movement!), but they are comfortable, allow you to bend over and chase your kids without worrying, and are incredibly flattering on just about any woman's body.  Look for an empire waist, a flowy and loose-fitting fabric, and a design that skims your body but doesn't cling.  Look for a style that shows off the features you like, and conceals those that you don't.  Off the shoulder styles or wrap dresses are quite popular.  

We often think of maxis for the spring and summer, but they are great for fall too!  Look for richer colors (like black, burgundy, navy or mustard), pair with booties and add lightweight layers such as a jacket or scarf to get all of the benefits of a maxi with all of the coziness of fall.

My favorite places to find them: ViciCollection.com, Forever 21 (surprising, I know!), Morning Lavender Boutique, Hazel and Olive Boutique, H&M, Free People, Anthropologie and ASOS.  Amazon also has some great options (ask me for links!)

3.  Be realistic and think ahead

In the fall, a lot of people love to go more casual than a dress and instead choose to wear jeans and boots to really get the cozy fall look.  I love this look too!  When choosing your pieces, remember that in a session you will be bending over, chasing your kids and moving around so try to find pieces that fit well, are comfortable, and cover areas you don't love.  If you are self conscious about your mid-section, which is a common area of concern for moms, definitely choose a loose fitting top and add layers.  We want you to be comfortable, to not be distracted by tugging/adjusting your clothes, and to love the way you look!

COLORS

Coordinate but don't match.  For fall, stick to light neutrals (creams, greys, etc) and rich jewel tones (blues, mustard, burgundy).  Choose various shades of the same color color scheme, and go to town!  Another reason I am a big fan of floral prints for Mom is it gives you a lot of colors to pull from for your family.  Consider the colors your family looks good in, the color scheme in your home for prints, and just the colors you love to look at!