Fashion does not stop at the beach
and if you spend a lot of time at the beach it’s not just about having
fashionable swim wear, it’s also about what you choose to cover up with whether
it’s going for a drink at the bar, walking the beach or just protecting
yourself from the sun. Cover-ups need to be easy to put on and take off; they
also should be light, provide protection from the sun and hide less than
perfect bits.
Sarongs have always been the
perennial cover-up favourite but can be a bit boring whereas lots of normal
everyday clothes can also double as cover-ups.
When you are looking for a cover up
think of the parts of your body that you want to accentuate and alternatively
the parts that maybe you want to well, cover -up! For instance if you have not
so perfect arms and maybe a bit more tummy than you would like, go for a loose
kaftan style shape which covers the arms and skims the body.
Dresses with ruched tops work well
if you have great arms and shoulders are easy to pull on and off and can also
be rolled down and worn as a long skirt. There are a plethora of tops in
different styles you can choose from: loose blousan styles with low-cut peasant
style drawstring necks have a “boho” look and look especially good when they fall
off the shoulder. Blousan type tunics work best in cheesecloth and light
viscose materials as they need to be floaty and loose fitting. Tunic tops with
drawstrings around the hips or waists mean you can shorten or lengthen
depending on your mood. What is very in
vogue this year are play suits which have a young, fun feel to them.
If you want to totally cover up
there are some nice maxi dresses but make sure they are in light materials as
long dresses can be a bit cumbersome on the beach.
Accessorise any of these outfits
with hats or scarves. Hair can go a bit awry at the beach and a hat conceals
many sins and they also funk up any outfit making it that bit special. Stetsons
are still most people’s preferred choice for the beach but also check out Funky
Monkey’s huge cotton sombreros in all sorts of colour that look great with
dresses or for just snoozing under.