Pride-Wear Ideas for the Beach
Conveniently, Pride Month and beach visits perfectly coincide. How so? Well, Pride Month occurs every month in June “to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan,” according to the Library of Congress, and June is a month meant for swimming and sunning at the beach. Beach season technically starts Memorial Day weekend, but June is when it truly kicks off.
So, in other words, it’s easy to rock your Pride clothing on the beach throughout June (and beyond!), and there are many outfit options you can choose from. Here are some beach-ready Pride clothing styles that you’ll be excited to show off at the beach. Just don’t forget your sunblock.
A Rainbow-Colored Swimsuit
This one is a no-brainer. During Pride, you can show your... well, pride, and wear a rainbow-colored swimsuit to your beach outing. The rainbow is a symbol of LGBTQIA+ rights. According to history.com, “the rainbow flag was created in 1978 by artist, designer, Vietnam War veteran and then-drag performer, Gilbert Baker. He was commissioned to create a flag by another gay icon, politician Harvey Milk, for San Francisco’s annual pride parade.” By wearing rainbow-themed clothing (or, in this case, a rainbow bathing suit), you’re celebrating the strides that have been made in the gay community while honoring those who have helped pave the way.
For your beach outing, you can go for a rainbow one-piece swimsuit, a pair of rainbow trunks and a top, or a rainbow bikini—whatever style speaks to you.
Rainbow Tops and Dresses
In the same vein as rainbow swimsuits, rainbow dresses, T-shirts, tank tops, and coverups are also great ideas for a Pride-filled beach day. Depending on your style, you can go for a T-shirt that’s made up of rainbow-colored stripes, or go for something a little more understated — like a small rainbow applique detail ironed onto a plain tank top. There are lots of rainbow-themed pieces of clothing out there, so you’re bound to find something that fits your style. Conveniently, shelves often fill up with rainbow-colored items right before the beginning of Pride. This means it’ll be easy to stock up on rainbow attire before the month starts.
Themed T-Shirts
You have likely seen T-shirts printed with quotes from leaders or with screen-printed images of movers and shakers. During Pride month, wear a T-shirt that honors an LGBTQIA+ leader. Look for women’s tee shirts with quotes from influential historical figures like Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Milk, or James Baldwin. Or, you can go the more current pop culture route and look for tops that feature quotes or images of folks like RuPaul, Lil Nas X, or Tan France. While this may seem like a more silly item to wear, it’s a great way to celebrate the contributions of leaders in the community (and maybe even teach those around you a bit about these leaders). If someone points to your shirt and asks “who is that?” you can have a quick yet celebratory answer ready.
Heart Sunglasses
Celebrating Pride is all about celebrating love. To fully jive with this idea, it could be fun to wear a pair of plastic, heart-shaped sunglasses on your upcoming beach trip. Not only do the sunglasses offer a little variety from the rainbow clothing you’ll likely be wearing during your beach outing, but they also provide UV protection for your eyes. While you’re at it, incorporate some other heart-shaped items into your beach day attire — a heart towel? How about a pair of heart earrings? The options are nearly endless.
Rainbow Accessories
During Pride, there can truly never be too many rainbow-themed clothing or accessories. For your upcoming beach day, pack yourself some rainbow-themed accessories—sunglasses, hats, even flip flops. They are a little more understated than a full-on rainbow-colored swimsuit, and, in fact, would really pop against a black swimsuit or a solid-colored shirt dress .
A Pride Flag
You can really get in on the celebrations by sticking a tall Pride flag in the sand next to your beach chairs, cooler, umbrella and canvas beach bags . While this isn’t an outfit you can wear per se, it certainly shows off your pride and celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community. Hey, and there’s no reason to stop bringing your Pride flag with you to the beach, even after Pride month technically ends.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Pride just by packing the right items for your June beach days. When in doubt, pick rainbow-themed clothing, a rainbow bathing suit, rainbow accessories — or even just pack a Pride flag to bring along with you. Happy Pride!