I can still remember the angst that consumed my mom over Christmas Card photos from the day she had to wrangle all four of us redhead misfits for a photo to the day the satin finished envelopes needed to be hand addressed with the appropriate stamp. A feat that might require a medal considering it was pre-Minted era. The photo above was some of her finest work, 1985 (I’m the little chicken on the far left) the year she recreated our family on safari (we were actually in Santa Ynez but once upon a time they lived in South Africa). It’s no wonder I can’t bare to see a year slip by without continuing the age old tradition of wrangling your family together for an epic (sometimes classic fail) of a photo that will be pulled out or framed for years to come—mom set the bar high, she made it an art. It’s a moment frozen in time and I still feel that when I pull out some of the cards my mom did all those years ago.
One of the most common shopping questions I’ve been getting lately is what to wear for a family photo—safari theme anyone? Kidding, kind of. So I rounded up some of my favorite dresses that I think are timeless and sophisticated yet that perfect bit of being relaxed… relaxed, which is what you hope the whole family will be for just one perfect shot—or pretending to see a pack of lions off of stage left. Some finds I wanted to note because they are my top picks… this beautiful autumn tone one is under $150 yet looks expensive—I love the little tie detail—while this black dress is the perfect middle ground of being dressed with a casual vibe, a great option if you’re taking a photo outdoors. One of my favorite brands for a timeless yet classic vibes is Dôen and this knit dress is stunning for a Fall photo. One last favorite, this metallic dress for a more glammed up family portrait is so fun!
Godspeed to all of you out there with a pending “family photo” date. Hope these recs come in time to you!
