What to Wear for Photos with Santa

Families, Tips & Tutorials

I’m so excited to bring my special Santa Experience to Upstate South Carolina! These year I’m hosting a special Santa Event at The Gathered Collective near downtown Easley, just minutes away from Greenville. To learn more you can visit the booking link here: Santa Sessions.

For any photo session, what you choose to wear will make a big difference in the overall look of your portraits. I’m sharing tips for how to select the best outfits for photos with Santa.

Portrait of a young girl gazing up at Santa taken by a Greenville area family photographer.

Use Red as an Accent so You Don’t Compete with Santa’s Suit

I always keep my sets timeless and simple. This year there will be a bench and a white flocked Christmas tree. with some white presents beneath it. Santa’s suit is a beautiful rich red velvet. Since your children will be sitting in his lap or beside him, it’s best if you don’t dress them in solid red. This way it won’t compete against Santa’s red suit! Instead select outfits that have red accents instead of solid red looks.

Plaids and Other Patterns

Many Christmas looks include fun holiday patterns and/or plaids. This are fun options! If you have multiple children and you select a fully plaid outfit, also include some more simple solids on your other children so the pattern isn’t too overwhelming.

You Don’t have to Just Stick to Green and Red

While green and red will forever be traditional Christmas colors, our holiday set lends itself to other options! You can select outfits with neutral tones like cream, white, and grey. There are also many Christmas outfits in shades of blue that would photography beautifully!

Details and Texture

One thing that always sets portraits apart is attention to detail. Little details such as a velvet bow in your daughter’s hair or suspenders on your son can add the sweetest touches. Knee socks are never a bad idea! And as those of you who have been following me for a while have heard 1000 times: ALWAYS put bloomers on little girls who are wearing dresses. Trust me on this one! If you elect to go with neutrals, you can also add interest using extra details with the bows, shoes, and socks as well as textures!

Pajamas are a Great Option

There is just something extra special about Christmas pajamas. Every year we gift my children a pair for them to wear for the whole season, but specifically for Christmas Eve! The tradition of being tucked in on Christmas Eve in your Christmas pajamas is such a sweet memory, so it fits perfectly in a Santa session. If you elect for pajamas, you can either take off your children’s shoes once they are inside the studio so they can be photographed barefoot, or you can opt for slippers! Either option is great, just don’t put normal, everyday shoes on them for the photos.

Bonus Tip: Parents…Be Ready!

While Santa sessions are intended for children, we all know that children’s reactions to Santa can vary wildly! Just in case your little one wants you close by, I advise you being photo ready yourself. That way you can jump in the shot with your child or children if necessary and still get great photos!

Some Inspiration!

Below are a few looks as described in my tips. Traditional Christmas can be found online at The Grey Goose. Add Some Plaid is online at Cecile & Lou. Blues Christmas is online at Little English. Neutrals can be found at Gap. The Pajamas are all from Smocked Auctions.