It’s outdoor school photography season! My favorite time of the year when I visit schools to photograph hundreds of adorable students. One of the most common questions parents ask me is, “what should they wear?”

This is a great opportunity for kids to express who they are. Help your child pick out clothing that fits their style and is clean, nice, and comfortable. If your daughter hates dresses, let her pick a fun pair of leggings with a neutral top. If your son can't stand wearing button down shirts, help him pick a nice neutral solid shirt instead.

You will have these pictures forever, and you will want to remember them exactly how they really are at this age. A killer outfit will help make them feel as awesome as they truly are.  Here are the basic guidelines for a timeless, classic look that will still look fresh decades from now.

• Outfits that reflect what your child usually wears
• Solid and/or muted tones and colors
• Limiting number of colors to 2-3, max
• Flattering, form-fitting clothing.
• Simple, minimal jewelry
• Dark socks & footwear

For toddlers I recommend packing an extra picture-day shirt or outfit just in case they get a little crazy with the finger paint and need a quick change before their glamour shots.

If you have multiple children being photographed together, coordinate outfits by picking neutrals plus 1 common color for them to wear. My personal favorite is deep blue - it photographs well in just about any setting. My least favorite color on picture day is bright orange - it seems to always clash and leaves an orange cast on the skin.

Items listed below are best left at home on picture day, but if your budding fashionista won’t back down, encourage them to pick some fun accessories to add their own flair.

• Neon and fluorescent colors
• Distracting graphics and patterns (small patterns are okay)
• Stains
• Large brand names and labels
• Character clothing
• Anything that is too baggy, too tight or too short

Most photos are taken from the chest-up. If you find yourself at the bargaining table with your toddler, it’s better to compromise on the pants, skirt or shoes since they will be less likely to make it into the photos. I also offer all images in both color and black-and-white, so if you really hate the color of your kids shirt, you’ll have timeless black-and-white images without the distractions to look forward to.

These school portraits will serve as a capsule of your children’s school days for many years to come. At the end of the day, the pictures will be beautiful and you will cherish them because of the memories of your kids at this stage of their life.