Happy Monday!   Today starts the day that I talked about in my last post.  Starting my “new year” today by giving God the first part of my morning (something I typically do anyway but had fallen away from in the last month), eating healthier, and getting my body moving.  I’m finishing up a plate of scrambled eggs with strawberries, I’ve got my brand new fake 40 oz Stanley cup filled with water, I’ve already gone on a walk with the dog and now I’m settling in for a day of work.  I did weigh myself this morning and it wasn’t pretty but I’m already feeling better just making small choices that I know are better for me.   One step at a time!

So let’s talk about session prep a little bit.  I often get asked about clothing options for boys.   I know boys can be a little harder to figure out because a lot of their clothing tends to be t-shirts and pants, so here are a few tips on dressing boys.

The first thing you’ll want to do is figure out what style of clothing you prefer.  As you can see in Jude’s session below, his mom went with some classic choices.  In addition to the sweet sweater and jeans outfit she chose, Jude’s other outfits are timeless classics.   These outfits have been around for years and will never go out of style.  They tend to be a little more formal so I keep things simple with mostly solid backdrops and little to nothing else.  Jude’s one-year milestone session is exactly what it should be – it showcases his sweet personality as well as his newest milestones which include standing and taking his first steps.  As you can see, he also enjoys climbing LOL

One-year-old boy clothing tips for photos:

• Consider the theme – think about the overall look and feel you want in the photos – formal?  dressed up?  casual?  playful?
• Comfort is key – The little guy will be most comfortable in soft, flexible clothing that allows for movement and exploration.  Itchy, tight or restrictive clothing will make him unhappy and it will reflect in the photos.
• Keep it simple – solid-colored tops with jeans or khakis.  Stay away from busy patterns.   Tops with texture, such as knits, and neutral or muted colors work best.  Overalls are always a cute, classic choice
• Dress for the season – if the session is outdoors, make sure to dress for the weather.  If it’s in the studio, choose colors and styles that reflect the current season.
• Keep it easy – you’ll be making a lot of clothing changes very quickly.  If the clothing is difficult to put on or take off, your child will get frustrated and so will you
• Keep them barefoot – of course, this is a personal choice, but I just love barefoot babies.  A lot of babies don’t like to stand in shoes.  If you do want to use shoes, soft-bottom shoes such as the ones Jude is wearing work best, especially if you want to capture the standing and walking milestones.  Jude was actually a couple of months past his 1st birthday, so he was comfortable standing in traditional shoes, but most babies who are just learning to stand and walk don’t like walking in shoes.

For more one-year milestone inspiration, you can check out that category on my blog.  I also have a client closet with several outfits for this age.  When planning for your child’s session, you’ll receive a link to the client closet gallery to see what’s available for you to use!  I also recently polled my Facebook followers and asked for suggestions on places to purchase baby clothing.   The response was overwhelming and I compiled a list of them on my website here – eventually, they will actually link to the individual shops:  Where to Purchase Baby Clothes