Many of us have been stuck at home for months and are excited at the prospect of heading to the beach this summer with family and possibly even friends! Though exciting, packing for beach vacations can sometimes be a bit daunting. It’s easy to end up with five suitcases filled with a bunch of stuff you don’t need – sound familiar ladies?? So, today we are sharing some tricks of the trade for packing efficiently while still ensuring you look fabulous for all of your favorite beach activities!
Though it is tempting to bring every swimsuit, sundress, and sandal you own, less is really best! A few of our tried and true tips to achieve this…
- Lay everything out on a large flat surface as you choose your pieces so that you can see the larger vision (like your bed or the floor).
- Think through a general color scheme – in other words, as you select your pieces, choose one or two common colors to stick to.
- Start by choosing a couple of bottoms to build your looks around.
- Choose pieces that you can wear multiple times and for different purposes (for example, a dress that can also be worn as a cover up). Also pieces that can transition from day to night (for example, a pair of distressed denim shorts), and individual pieces that mix and match with several of the other items you have packed.
Packing for Beach Vacations – Suitcase Packed
Just for fun, we have “packed” a suitcase for the beach below. Here is our packing list:
Bottoms – distressed denim shorts, ruffled skort, white flare denim
Tops – a-symmetrical hem tank, tank blouse, swing tank, embroidered henley blouse
Dresses – short flounce dress, tie dye maxi, ombre tunic
Shoes – metallic slides, metallic sneakers, studded snakeskin slides, wedge sandals
Accessories – denim jacket, gold earrings, turquoise earrings, all weather bangles, sun hat, straw tote
**Sidenote – pack several of your favorite swimsuits…. For some of our favorites, check out our recent blog post on all the things swimsuits!
Good Bottom Options
Denim Shorts | White Jeans | Ruffled Skort
Start with a good pair of denim shorts – this distressed pair by Agolde is a go-to for us! Wear these denim shorts to the beach over your suit, with one of the casual tops and snakeskin slides for a casual lunch out, or take them up a notch with a dressy top and wedge sandals for dinner on the water.
Never leave home in the summer without a good pair of white denim jeans. After being in the sun all day, it can be chilly in the AC! We love this pair by Joe’s Jeans…. They feature a subtle flare leg (a huge trend this year) and have just the right amount of stretch to flatter your figure. Wear these jeans with any of the tops and shoes we packed!
This ruffled skort is an investment piece, but worth every penny. We love it in navy to mix and match with the items on our packing list. This skort functions similarly to the denim shorts – beach coverup all the way up to dinner out and basically anything in between!
Beach Ready Tops
Tank | Fun White Blouse | Geometric Swing Cami | Striped Tank
This soft and cool a-symmetrical hem tank is perfect for casual day time activities. Wear it unknotted and flowy, or knot it in front or back for a more streamlined fit. This tank is perfect for all three of the bottoms we packed!
An easy breezy white blouse is always a good idea for the beach. We love the added details of this short sleeve embroidered henley. And once again – you got it – it easily mixes and matches with all three of the bottoms we have packed!
Love this geometric swing cami!! It would look great with slides and denim shorts for a shopping afternoon with the girls and with white denim and wedge sandals for cocktails out! Wear it untucked, half tucked, or tucked and bloused for three very different vibes!
This striped tank blouse is cool and comfortable, but structured, making it a bit dressier than the a-symmetrical tank. It can be worn casual or dressy with all of the bottoms in our suitcase.
Dresses Perfect for the Occassion
Drop Waist Dress | Tie Dye Maxi | Patterned Flounce Dress
A couple of pretty dresses is a must when packing for the beach. They fit the bill for the casual vibe of the beach and are so easy to throw on as you quickly change from beach attire to head out for a fun activity. This bohemian ruffle dress with tassels in navy ombre is perfect for strolling down the beach, running to the store to restock groceries, or cocktailing by the water. It is equally fabulous with slides, sneakers, and our dressier sandals!
Love this tie dye maxi! Wear it long or knot it on the side for an asymmetrical hem or if you are petite and need to take the length up. Throw it on as a cover up and repurpose it later in the day for dinner!
Nothing says beach quite like Lilly Pulitzer, and we love this patterned flounce dress. Perfect with the metallic sneakers, slides, or wedge sandals!
Beach Vacation Must Take Shoes
Slide Sandal | Neutral Wedge | Metallic Sneakers | Snakeskin Slides
We discovered this Kari sandal by UGG last year and are in love. It comes in a beautiful blush color that goes with everything. These shoes can withstand the sand and water and can be dressed up too!
Though things at the beach tend to be relaxed and a bit more casual, we still always pack some sort of heeled sandal. These wedges by Michael Kors are a go-to for us year over year and are a great neutral for everything in this suitcase. BONUS: though they are a relatively high wedge heel, they are super comfortable!
These perforated metallic sneakers are functional and fashionable!
When packing shoes, always go for neutral – and yes, that includes snake skin ladies!!! Do not be afraid to mix patterns with snakeskin print either!
Packing for Beach Vacations – Make or Break Accessories
Gold/Turquoise Earrings | Gold Leaf Earrings | Straw Sun Hat | All Weather Bangles | Denim Jacket | Straw Tote
Choose two pairs of earrings that pair with everything you have laid out – one pair in gold, and then a pair with a pop of color (we love turquoise as a “neutral” that pairs with everything summer).
Of course, a good sun hat is an absolute must – protect your skin, ladies! Another fun tip – if you stay on the beach a bit too long and are rushing to get ready for dinner, throw on your hat and a bright lipstick with one of your looks. No one will ever know you have dirty hair!
If you like to accessorize on the beach and beyond, Budha Girl’s all weather bangles are perfect for you!!! These bangles truly can be worn in the pool and ocean without showing any wear and tear, making them the perfect accessory to throw into your suitcase.
It can be cool in the AC or the breeze, so never leave home without a jean jacket. Levi’s trucker jacket is a fabulous staple to have in your closet (and suitcase).
Now, we know this one is hard, but do your best to choose ONE purse that functions during the day and night to bring with you. We happen to love this straw tote!
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