How to Style a Beach Cover-Up
When you think beach cover-up, your first thought might be of someone wrapping their terry cloth towel around themselves toward the end of an exhausting beach day, desperate to warm themselves up after a dive into the ocean or give their skin a break from too much sun exposure.
The beach cover-up solves this problem by providing a stylish, comfortable and practical way to clothe ourselves at the beach without having to figure out a way to change out of our bathing suits on the beach and get back into street clothes. They’re also a great way to easily cover up from the sun, wind or sand during a trip to the beach, or display a little more modesty if that’s your style. But how exactly to style a beach cover-up? Depending on what kind of look you’re going for, there are countless ways. Here are some of our favorites.
Opt for a Boho Sarong
The beauty of the sarong is its effortless versatility, morphing into whatever you want it to be depending on how you style it. Perhaps the original cover-up, the sarong is the thickness of a light scarf, meant to keep you cool and let the breeze in while creating a layer of protection from the elements and serving as an easy outfit for trips to the boardwalk or grocery store runs pre- or post-beach.
Style your sarong as a skirt, either with your bikini or one piece underneath, or add a tank or cover-up rash guard. You can also style your sarong as a dress, hiking it up a little higher and either wearing it as a strapless, breezy beach dress over your suit or tying it in a clever knot to make a kind of halter top at your neck. When you’re not wearing your sarong, it can serve as a beach blanket, hair wrap, and so many more things. The options are endless.
Dress Up Your Cover-Up
The cover-up dress might be our favorite way to wear one. We love how easily it can switch between an easy, casual piece to wear over our swimsuits at the beach, to a full-on outfit to wear on a spring or summer day. Choose from countless styles and colors of beach cover-up dresses, from a maxi dress in a classic nautical striped print to a short dresskini in a bright tropical pattern. On the beach, accessorize your cover-up dress with a beach bag tote and a fabulous beach hat to channel some resort fashion and keep up your personal style, even by the water. After the beach, turn your cover-up dress into an evening outfit by switching out the flip-flops for heels or strappy sandals. Add some jewelry and an overshirt or light jacket and you’re ready for whatever the night brings, from a casual barbeque to a nicer evening event or dinner.
Keep It Casual
If you’re looking for a more laid-back, but still stylish cover-up option, there are lots of ways to go. A cover-up long-sleeve tunic with a zipper is a sporty cover-up look that can keep you protected from the sun and looking good at the same time. Style a top like this with bike shorts or swim shorts for an ultra-sporty look, or even wear with women's jeans during a day trip or hike for added protection and style. Try on a hooded dress cover-up during a day of fun in the sun when you’re ready to give your skin a break from the sun. It’s also great when the sun starts to go down, and you need a little added warmth. A terry cloth variety is extra cozy for those long beach days that you never want to end. The hooded dress cover-up is a casual cover-up look that can be worn as a pullover robe around the house, or even out to run errands on a weekend. It’s that variability that makes it one of our go-to cover-ups for any occasion when we want to be super comfortable and still stay stylish.
Covered from Head to Toe
Pareo pants are the perfect option for when you need some extra coverage on the bottom but aren’t quite ready for full-on pants. They’re lightweight like most cover-ups, loose-fitting for ultimate comfort, and so glamorous at the same time. We love the way they move in the breeze, making us feel relaxed and gorgeous as soon as we put them on. Pair a pair of pareo pants with your swimsuit top or a cover-up top or rash guard, and your favorite pair of flip flops.
Enjoying the beach while staying sun-safe with these perfect cover-ups. Check out the links below for more tips and tricks from Lands’ End!