Portrait Clothing

If the clothing in a portrait is noticeable, it could easily become a distraction. Clothing that does not attract attention to itself is the ultimate goal. It could be the difference between a very successful portrait and just another picture.
Darker clothing helps to blend the bodies with the background, so that the faces are the most important part of the photograph. Dark colors also slenderize the subject. Light colors make people appear heavier.
The color of the clothing should always be toned down. Bright colors attract attention away from the face. Colors MUST be dark and not bright. This is ESSENTIAL! When choosing lighter colors, stick to pastels.  White, pale yellow, or pale blue shirts/blouses work great, especially with jeans or khaki pants.
Prints and any kind of pattern—no matter how small –are a distraction.
Clothing for group portraits must be carefully selected to blend the bodies together. First, decide whether the basic tone of the clothing will be warm-toned (browns, reds etc.) or cool-toned (blues/grays/blacks, etc.). Keeping a group in similar colors focuses the attention of the portrait to the faces and individuals that comprise the portrait. Dissimilar colors in groups tend to be more distracting.
Your portraits are meant to be enjoyed for generations to come. Fad clothing should be avoided.
For casual portraits, it is equally important to wear long pants instead of shorts. When arms and legs are exposed to the camera, there will be more flesh in the photograph in those areas than on the face itself. This is a major distraction.
Finally, lay out all the clothing onto a bed. Shoes, socks, stockings --everything should be included, shoes, too! Then, take a careful look at the collection. If your eye goes to any one item in particular, you can be certain that the same thing will happen in a photograph. That item should be changed.
It is sometimes a good idea to dress in light colored clothing, so that the bodies will blend with the light-colors. In this situation, all white or pastel clothing works fine. Avoid pink shirts. All white clothing is great. White shirts and jeans work well, too. White shirts with beige pants are even better. Staying all in light tones can be very effective. Still, remember to dress everyone in the portrait similarly. You have to blend the bodies of everyone together, so that the faces stand out. This is essential particularly in a group portrait.