The weather is heating up, the drinks are getting icier, and pool parties are returning! Summertime is our favorite season for obvious reasons—more sun means more time spent outdoors. Plus, everyone just seems to be happier, which means your social life picks up again. It’s great to have friends and family to spend more time with, but sometimes the fashion of it all can get to be a bit overwhelming. Especially if you’re going to events as a family, you’ll have to think of not only your outfit but your children’s as well. Don’t worry. This year, we’ve got you covered with this family pool party style guide.
Poolside Looks for Mom
Hey moms, we get it. You’re running the show at home and have to plan a cute outfit too? We want to help alleviate some of that pressure with these easy but stylish pool party looks.
Bathing Suits & Cover-Ups
Of course, there are so many bathing suit options to choose from. If you plan to swim throughout the event, you’ll want to wear an outfit that makes it easy to go in and out of the pool. For moms looking for more of a tan, bikinis are always a chic go-to. To show a little skin with your cover-up, simply throw on a cute pair of knitwear pants or a fun skirt to pair with your bikini top. This works just as well with a one-piece bathing suit, and it will look like a complete outfit if you find a skirt or pants that match. Jeans shorts also look cute with a bathing suit but beware of jeans if you really are planning to swim all day. These aren’t comfortable when wet! For more coverage without going out of your way to shop for something new, sundresses make excellent pool party cover-ups. These are easy to throw on and off as you get in and out of the water. The flowier, the better!
If You’re Not Planning to Swim
We get it, maybe your kids want to swim, but you’re perfectly happy staying out of the water. You can still follow our bathing suit fashion advice above and just choose to stay poolside. Or, you can wear an outfit without the bathing suit! No one made a rule that you must wear a swimsuit to a pool party. Maxi and midi dresses are trending right now, as well as rompers. Pair these with relaxed wedges and a floppy hat, and your look will be worthy of a magazine cover.
Styles That Shine for Dad
Some may say that guys have it easiest when it comes to pool parties. Just a pair of swim trunks and a T-shirt will do, so it seems fairly simple to dress for it. However, that also makes it harder for dads to stand out and show off their personality. Here are some ideas on how to express yourself through fashion at a pool party.
Choose the Right Top
Photo by Oleksandr P on Pexels
While there are plenty of fish in the sea, there are also a plethora of T-shirts available for dads. Before you just grab the shirt at the top of the stack and commit to it, think about what you’d like to express. Do you have a unique hobby you want to show off with your T-shirt? Or, maybe you want to look trendy with designs from top brands. Personally, our favorite look for any casual family event is personalized dad shirts. Shirts like these allow you to incorporate multiple aspects of your personality, such as your interests or sense of humor while showing off how much you love being a dad.
Swim Trunks that Pop
You have every day to wear boring, plain bottoms. For once, let your bottoms be the star of the show. Pool parties are the perfect opportunity to dress in bright colors you wouldn’t normally wear. And yes, guys—this means hot pink or neon yellow! Have fun with bold prints and unique patterns, too. To avoid looking tacky, choose a more toned-down shirt to match. It doesn’t have to be a plain white or black tee, but it shouldn’t be too loud or a color that clashes.
Trendy Party Outfits for the Kids
Kids’ fashion is tough—you don’t want to go all out building them the perfect summer wardrobe when none of those outfits will still fit the following year. As a result, the best way to style your children for a summertime pool party is by working with closet items they’re already likely to have.
Fashion for Your Sons
Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels
As mentioned above in the section about the best dad pool party fashion, there aren’t always many options for boys. Thankfully, this makes your life easier as a parent. Swim trunks and a T-shirt are an easy, inexpensive way to dress your son for a pool party. For some added family fun, you can consider coordinating your son’s T-shirt with a parent or sibling to match.
Outfits for Your Daughters
Girls don’t necessarily need to be dressed in any way that’s more complicated than your son’s bathing suit trunks and a T-shirt. Of course, she’ll need a bathing suit of her own. We love one-piece swimsuits or a tankini paired with a cute skirt or shorts that your daughter already has for this purpose. If your daughter is a mini-fashionista already, a cute sundress over her swimsuit will be adorable.
Beachy Keen Summer Styles
These are just a few ideas to get you inspired on how your family can dress for pool parties. At the end of the day, fashion is all about confidence, so make sure everyone feels good! Summer pool parties are meant to be fun, so don’t get too caught up on the fashion side of things. The most important part is that you have fun with your family and make memories that will last throughout every season!