LAST UPDATED ON March 30, 2024

What To Wear and Pack For A Beach Vacation: Capsule Wardrobe Plan

Written By

Suchibaksmita Sahoo

Summer is already on its way and all of us ready to make some awesome trips. A lot of us going to beach destinations including myself.

In this post, I created your beach vacation capsule wardrobe so you never run out of cute outfits to wear on the trip and also flaunt them.

This capsule wardrobe is more like a checklist and essentials that you will need and some outfits that you can create through those.

Being born in the tropics, I love beach vacations, but when it comes to packing, I usually fall flat. I either end up packing way too much or way too less of things I should actually be wearing on the beach or on the vacation. It took me a while to nail the beach vacation vibe correctly. And I am here to share that with you.

Vacations have become a luxury as we get older and embark more responsibilities. I personally like each of my vacations to be memorable so I can go back refreshed and recharged back to reality. And that happens when I look and feel my best in the trip to snap some awesome pictures! Hahaha

But as I got older, I realized that the more I kept things to the last minute, the more I hated the packing process because I never found anything to wear on the trip, did a lot of last minute shopping and ended up wasting a lot of money on things that I would never wear.

Account For Location & Duration

The list totally depends on how long you are going and where you are going. The where part will determine whether you are flying, driving or taking any other form of transportation.

This will help you figure out your luggage situation and space to take stuff. This will help you to figure out whether you can take some additional beach essentials to enjoy.

Clothing To Pack

Swimsuits: Depending on whether you like bikinis, or one piece swimsuits. Becca has the best selection or 1 piece swimsuit and bikini tops that have sizes from A to DD cups. Depending on the days you are spending you can figure out your swimsuits.

Swim coverups: Coverups complete your beach resort outfits and also dry quickly compared to other clothes. You can pack at least two of these to interchange between days. I love packing a shirt and short set for two piece swimsuits and a crochet dress for one piece.
Shorts: Preferably linen shorts or cotton shorts that are quick to dry and breathable. I love Loft cotton shorts and linen shorts that have the perfect sizing guide for us women.
Dresses: You need some fun dresses that you can wear in the resort during the day and at night as well. These dresses could be printed, or in bright colors that will look chic and elevate your beach look.

Linen Pants: This is an essential that will cover your feet and still be breathable when you want to wear something more structured specially for night looks. I would go with one white and one black pair that you can wear with any style of tops.
T shirts – The easiest and absolute essentials are t shirts that look casual and also can be amazing swim cover ups. But these are also really versatile. You can tie them in the front and covert them into crop tops. Or just wear them, it never hurts to pack at least 2-3 of them.
Linen Shirts – I cannot tell you enough about the power of a good line shirt. A button down shirt is one of the most versatile piece in any closet, but a linen shirt is the ultimate summer essential. It is comfortable and at the same time because of the button details, it looks chic and put together. You can tie them or wear them over bikini tops and create a jacket style. You can wear just as swim cover ups. I would always go with a White Linen shirt because they look the most luxurious in that material and white is an easy way to elevate any outfit.

Cotton Blouse – this would be to dress up your shorts or skirts and create some cute daytime looks. Bohemian cotton tops are my favorite for this season. They are comfortable and also chic with all the embroidery details and colors.
Denim Shorts – This can be for the beach or for a casual look. Denim shorts are so versatile, they work on any look.
Mini Skirt – If you are on the beach a cotton skater style mini skirt would be amazing. You can wear it as a beach cover up as well or with any top to create a beach bohemian vibe.

Midi or Maxi Skirt – This is optional, but this is for a more elegant and put together look. You can pair it with crop tops or even a T shirt and still look beach chic.

Also Read: Easy Music Festival Hairstyles For The Vibe That Don’t Look Childish

Footwear

Waterproof Footwear: You need a good beach slides to enjoy your time near the water or you can wear it by the poolside of a resort. There are so many cute beach slides that are functional and stylish. And I have rounded them up for you.
Strappy Tie Sandals – These are extremely versatile and I cannot say this enough. You can pair them with your denim shorts and still look beach chic. And most of these flats are also really light to pack, so if you don’t like packing them you can also wear them.

Open toe flats: These are perfect to create cute beach outfits with your regular clothes that you can wear when you are outside of the pool or beach area. I love leather slides that are simple and look chic with summer outfits.
Heels: You need a pair of cute heels if you are going for dinner dates or just want to elevate your outfits a little more.
Sneakers: This is important even if you are not going to the gym. If you want to head out for a walk or something, having a pair of running or walking shoes will never hurt.

Beach Essentials

Sun Hat: You need to keep your head protected while sun bathing or even hanging out in the shallow side of a pool. Trust me your face will thank you for it. I like a good straw hat that is sturdy, so it won’t fall on my face. This way I can keep my hands free. And these are also easy to pack in suitcases. Lack of Colors is one of my favorite brands, but I have found other awesome alternatives of straw hats.
Beach Bag: You need a nice roomy beach bag that you can keep all your belongings securely and will be waterproof, so even if it gets wet, it won’t get damaged. I love the wicker bag from Staud which I have carried to Caribbean many times. But if you are not a fan of wicker bags, Longchamp has great quality nylon bags that you can also use as a travel bag.
Sunscreen for Body: A good sunscreen with at least SPF 40+ is needed when you are going be outside for extended amount of time. But you still need to reapply. Supergroup everyday lotion with SPF 50 is the perfect body lotion that you can apply for hydration and sun protection.

Sunscreen Spray for face: Yes, you need something lightweight for the face, not in terms of SPF but something that’s not going to make your face all white. I love the Supergoop setting spray with SPF 40 which is refreshing and will keep your light makeup in place.
Sunglasses – These are a must, and you probably thinking, Suchi I know this. But I see people not packing the right ones that flatters their face. To look good in photos, you need to invest in a frame style that looks good on your face no matter what you wearing. I usually prefer oversize style because they cover more area and look nice as well.

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Toiletries

After Sun Lotion: If you are prone to sun burns, you definitely need this. I love the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Weightless After Sun Gel Lotion. Its lightweight and feels great after a whole day under the sun.

Shampoo & Conditioner: You need something lightweight and hydrating. I use Pureology Strength cure shampoo and conditioner. This product adds more hydration to your hair and keeps it intact even after you wash everyday.
SPF Lip Balm: Again if you are sun burn prone, get one of these. Supergoop also has the perfect one that everyone in your family can use.
Hydration Masks: You can take some sheet masks to use in the hotel room after your day at the beach to get a quick spa treatment and recover from damage.

Mosquito Repellent: Tropics can be a tricky place and you would never know whether you attract mosquitoes or not. Keeping this handy always works.

Accessories

Beachy Earrings: These don’t have to be made of gold. Cute tassel earrings or clay earrings complete your beach outfits.
Bracelets: Since you will be wearing a lot of short sleeve or even sleeveless clothing, adding some jewelry will elevate your look.

Hair Ties: You can never have enough of these. You can mix and match with scrunchies and regular hair ties.
Evening bag: If you are flying, you can carry it in your beach bag as well. But this way you don’t have to hall your beach bag everywhere.

Complete List of Things to Pack for Beach Vacation

Also Read: Your Complete Spring Capsule Guide with Colors

You can save the photo below to your Pinterest account. Want some outfit idea, checkout this post where I am sharing what to wear on a beach resort vacation.