2026 Beach Family Photoshoots - What to Wear

Written By Stefanie Cole

So you booked a beach family photoshoot - how exciting! There is truly nothing more beautiful than sunset on the beaches of Fairfield Country, Connecticut with the Long Island Sound alongside us.

It can always be tricky to know what to wear for your family photos, so let’s talk about it. What you wear on a regular evening is often not what will necessarily photograph best, so let’s get into it!

Here are some general guidelines to follow when planning your photos. You will be tempted to skip step one, but trust me…it’s first for a reason!

STEP 1: DRESS MOM FIRST

It is tempting to want to procrastinate dressing ourselves first, but since we are typically the toughest to dress it’s important that we do this first so we have the most options available to us. If you wait until the rest of the family is decided, you will be very limited on colors and patterns trying to work within what’s already been picked. Trust me to dress yourself first, and then the rest will be easy!

Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping:

  • Flowy, easy to move in

  • Look for a style that hits you at the smallest part of your waist and flows over the rest of your body

  • Dresses that go to the ground will be the most elongating for curvy girls, dresses that hit mid-calf will create more shape for our petite girls. 

  • While dresses are always the most flattering, jeans and casual pants are very in style right now! Make sure there is enough room in the waist that you can move comfortably. 

2. OVERALL COLOR PALETTE

At the beach, less is more. Let the beautiful landscape and your family be the focus with soft tones.

  • Neutrals - a mix of creams, camels, beiges, etc are always timeless and beautiful.

  • Earth tones - a mix of muted earth tones paired with neutrals mixes complements the sand and dunes.

  • Pastels - light pastels work great but make sure to mix with neutrals and creams, or else you’ll look like easter eggs!

3. PATTERNS

  • The safest route is to go with one pattern per family. A floral is an easy pattern to pull colors from for the rest of the family.

  • If you want to, you can pair two different patterns as long as one is dainty/subtle and the other is bolder (for example: a polka dot and a floral, or a stripe and a floral).

4. THE KIDS

Boys 

  • Look for soft/relaxed fabrics that don’t wrinkle.

  • Shorts tend to be easiest since you will likely be barefoot, but khakis or jeans work too if you prefer

  • Make sure clothing is not oversized/too big


Girls

  • Lightweight dresses are easy

  • Rompers are super cute too!

  • Remember that beaches are windy, so consider a hairstyle that keeps hair in place

5. DADS

Dads are often the last outfit to get picked, so don’t feel bad if they end up in something more basic. A solid fitted tee or collared shirt looks great and can balance out the other outfits that may be more visually interesting. Dads are often happy to not be the center of attention, but if your’s loves style, of course don’t be afraid to let that shine!

  • Avoid small plaids and crisp fabrics - example “wear to the office” type shirts.

  • Keep any of Dad’s insecurities in mind - t-shirts tend to show bellies off and light colors aren’t as forgiving as dark.

  • Try to choose fabrics that don’t wrinkle.

We cannot wait to see you for your beach session! Don’t forget that all sessions come with use of our online self-styling tool (you can find the link in your booking email) and all custom sessions come with an in-person styling consultation with use of the client wardrobe.

Stefanie Cole
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