How to dress a group of people for beach photos without losing your mind

Family portrait on sandy beach with ocean view, capturing joyful moments.
Where to begin

Think About Cohesion

Dressing an extended family for photos is one of those things that sounds manageable right up until you’re texting seventeen people in a group chat and someone shows up in a neon green polo. So let’s get ahead of it.

The goal is to dress everyone cohesively. Coordinating means everyone looks like they belong together… they’re going to the same place… while still looking like themselves. Images with Cohesion rather than Matching is much more realistic and true.

Here’s how to think about it:

  • One shared color palette of 5 or 6 colors across the entire group
  • Within that palette, each individual family unit has their set of 2-3 colors
  • 1-2 people in each family unit can wear a pattern
  • Mixing textures works great
The short version

Choose a palette. Assign each family unit a corner of that palette. One person (or two if theres a lot of people) per family gets a pattern or the most visual interest. Everyone else wears textured solids that support them.

Pick Your Palette

Before anyone starts shopping, you need to land on a palette – a collection of 5 or 6 colors that all feel like they belong together. Review the Editorial Styling Guide for some inspiration.

Colors I’d encourage you to skip: pure white (it blows out in direct sun and photographs unevenly), neon anything, and very dark black (it absorbs heat and reads heavy on camera).

You want a combination of colors and neutrals. Blues, greens, tans, creams – these are the colors I tend to photograph most as they pair nicely with the beach scenery and are found in most people’s closets.

Four Rules for Styling

Coordinate, don’t match

Identical outfits can feel dated. When everyone wears a different shade of the same palette, it creates depth and visual interest in the photos. Matching reads flat; coordinating reads real.

Each family has its own variation

The grandparents, and each of their children + their families, should have a slightly distinct take on the shared palette. This helps each family unit read as a cohesive group within the larger one.

1-2 patterns per family

In each family unit, one or two person gets to wear a pattern. Everyone else anchors in solids. More than one or two patterns per group gets visually busy. Minimal patterns with three or four solids looks intentional and polished.

Consistent formality level

Make sure everyone’s dressed at roughly the same level of “dressiness.” One family in flowy linen and another in board shorts and a tank top will make the final photos feel inconsistent, even if the colors are right.

How to Assign Each Family Their “Corner”

The trick is assigning each family unit a “Corner” of the color palette.

Let’s use the Coastal Preppy theme, as the example.

Coastal Preppy

Red

Cream

Navy

Khaki

Chambray

Grandparents

They tend to wear the most neutral colors. Assign them Chambray, Khaki, and Cream. Keeping their look more neutral allows them to be photographed with all the grandkids and their children easily. Consider adding one texture or pattern here: a linen top, a soft floral, or a subtle stripe.

Family Unit One

Have Family One lean into Navy, Chambray, Cream. One or two patterns here too: maybe one of the kids in a gingham or sailboat patterned onesie, with the adults in solids.

Family Unit Two

Have Family Two embrace Navy, Khaki, and Red. One pattern here, too, a classic stripe or a subtle print on one of the parents.

Family Unit Three

Have Family Three in Navy, Cream, and Khaki. One or two patterns here, as well.

Textures & Patterns

Linen is the classic beach fabric for good reason. It has natural texture and movement, photographs beautifully in direct sun, and its slight wrinkle reads as relaxed (not sloppy). Other textures that work well:

  • Cotton voile
  • Cotton lawn
  • Cotton gauze (great, soft and slightly crinkled texture)
  • Chambray (lighter weight than denim)
  • Knit jersey (ribbed or waffle knit especially)
  • Eyelet/broderie anglaise
  • Seersucker (the subtle puckered texture
  • Chunky knit (for cooler sessions, of course)

Avoid anything heavily satin or silk-like reads as quite formal and can overexpose. Also, sweat shows.

Patterns that Work Well

  • Small scale prints (tiny florals, polkadots, sailboat print, etc. – so long as it’s small and subtle)
  • Subtle stripes
  • Gingham in a small to medium scale
  • Solid colors with textural interest (like the linen or seersucker above)

Patterns to avoid: large, bold prints tend to clash with a curated palette and date the photos quickly. The danger zone starts when a print gets large enough that it reads as a “statement” rather than a subtle addition – makes the images feel too busy. Also, generally try to avoid logos, undershirts, graphic tees, or text create a distracting focal point that pulls attention away from faces.

Not sure where to start?

Send me some screenshots of outfits you’re considering. I’m always happy to help you build your look before we shoot. Getting the styling right is one of the most impactful decisions you can make for these images. It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Pick a palette that makes you a little excited. Not the safe one because you know everyone has something blue they can wear.