How to Outfit Your Holiday Photos and Where to Start
Shoe Carnival provided me with product and compensation, shoe choices and all opinions are my own.
One of my favorite times to style outfits is during the holidays. Everything can be dressed up or usually has a color theme. This year for my family’s holiday outfits, I went somewhat unconventional. In the past, I have organized our outfits with matching colors or styles, but this year, I started from the shoes up. I knew Shoe Carnival would have the perfect shoe options for our whole family at the best prices so I decided to start there. Not only were we going to focus on shoes and have them inspire our outfits, but everyone was going to get new shoes as the beginning of holiday gifts! New shoes are always a great idea because it’s something you usually always need. In my family, this is certainly true since the kids are growing so fast and my husband Robert pretty much leaves it up to me to control his shoe inventory. It’s a lot to keep up with as far as shoes for necessity, and as a fashion blogger, shoes are also an accessory, so I have double the job!
I decided to go with a casual yet dressy theme and vibe for our holiday photos, and loved the idea of including our new shoes. Pairing a sneaker with something dressy is unexpected but has to be done the right way with a sleek sneaker. The ones I chose for our family are not bulky and will go with everything. I saw the Nike Court Royale style for Robert and liked how they don’t have a clunky sole and are black, so they can be worn with his casual work attire like jeans as well as a grey or black pant. They were on major sale and one of many sleek Nike shoes that they had for guys. The shoe selection for kids was really good with most shoe styles coming in many colors. Elston’s Converse Chuck Taylors will literally go with everything from dresses to shorts, even in the summer. I went up a size hoping they will last us a little while, but even if not, the price wasn’t bad if we have to buy another set next year.
I also put myself on this list of ‘shoe necessities’. While I was shopping, I couldn’t resist getting a little something for me. I started with my Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star hi-tops because they were an awesome price at Shoe Carnival and thought it would be so cute to match Elston. My style is the classic All-stars, but I also LOVE these as a little twist on the originals and they’re a great price! The also come in a pink velvet definitely worth checking out. As I was about to check out, I saw the comfiest pair of slippers and figured I needed them for the house. I grabbed the memory foam Dearfoams Pile Down Fold Boot in grey. I then thought how great of a gift slippers are because they are warm and cozy and people seem to wear them more around the holidays! (And for the most part, luckily you don’t have to know people’s exact shoe size) Mine complete my lounging at home outfits and keep my feet warm, I literally have been wearing them every day!
When it came to the outfits, I stayed with a black and white theme against the vibrant Christmas trees and bows. Robert and Jackson’s button down shirts were similar but didn’t take away from outfits as far as being too busy. One piece of advice I give clients when dressing them for family photos, which I actually get asked about a lot, is pattern and color. I tell people to not let any piece of clothing or pattern take away from your family. It’s not about the actual clothes items, but making everyone shine as the clothes enhance it all—not steals the show. The rest of the outfits are dressy enough for a family photo and the holiday theme, but all items can be worn with sneakers. And we were all comfortable, so we all win! My overalls are a black velvet and a little bit of a different pairing with a stark white tennis shoe, but I had fun with it and mixed it up with styles, not color. I hope you can take away some inspiration from this when thinking about what to wear this holiday season and how to dress your family! Stay comfortable, think dressy, and tie it all together with a color scheme!
You can shop our shoes if interested!
Robert’s Nike Court Royale style not online, similar style here | Jackson’s toddler Nike Infant Tanjun (no-tie easy on!) | Elston’s white Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star | My Converse All-stars | My slippers – Dearfoams Pile Fold Down Boot
