Beach Cover Up Outfits With Nautical Stripes
- Words by
- Julio Arco
- Published
- Reading
- 4 min
The easiest beach cover up outfits start with a navy and white stripe. A striped shirt over your swimsuit, a striped dress, or a matching set reads as put together, and the pattern hides sand and wrinkles better than a solid white.
If you are wondering what to wear as a beach cover up, pick a loose, breathable layer in cotton or linen, keep the palette to two or three colors, and add one or two natural textures like straw or leather. The sections below cover the styles, the fabrics and the details that make them work.
Which striped cover-up styles work best?
A swimsuit cover up shirt
A striped long-sleeve tee or a button-down is the simplest option. Size up so the shoulder seam drops slightly, leave it open or knot it at the waist, and the stripes do the styling for you. See the classic Breton shirt for how that cut is built.
A striped dress
A shirt-dress or a loose A-line is a one-step cover up that also works for lunch afterward. For more shapes, look at nautical striped dresses.
A beach cover up set
A striped top with matching drawstring shorts or wide-leg trousers looks deliberate with almost no effort. If the stripes run vertically on the trousers, they lengthen the leg. Horizontal stripes on trousers are harder to wear well.
Lightweight cover ups for dresses
If you would rather wear a sundress, throw a thin striped shirt open over it as a layer. It adds sun coverage for your shoulders without adding heat, and it comes off easily when you want to swim.
How wide should the stripes be?
Stripe scale changes how the outfit reads. Thin stripes look quiet and tend to blur at a distance. Wide, equal bands, about 2-3 inches, look sporty and draw attention to wherever they sit.
If you are petite, thinner stripes usually keep the proportions calmer, while very wide bands can cut the body into segments. On a cover up, check that the side seams line up so the stripes continue from front to back. Misaligned stripes are the first thing the eye catches.
Through the lens of evidence-based design, I'd treat stripe width as the first decision, because it sets how busy the whole look feels before color or fabric registers.
Which fabrics suit the beach?
Heat and humidity make fabric the deciding factor. Heavy polyester traps warmth, so choose natural fibers that drape.
- Cotton poplin is crisp and holds a collar, good for shirts and shirt-dresses.
- Linen is the classic summer fabric but wrinkles fast. A cotton-linen blend keeps the texture with fewer creases.
- Viscose or silk knits have a slight sheen and fluid drape, better for dinner after the beach.
Check opacity in daylight before you buy. If you can see pocket outlines through trousers or the dress is unlined, it will look sheerer once you are wet or backlit by the sun.
Does a cover up protect you from the sun?
Partly, and the fabric matters. The Skin Cancer Foundation says a UPF of 30 to 49 offers very good protection, while UPF 50+ offers excellent protection. A thin everyday shirt is not labeled this way, so look for a UPF tag if sun coverage is the main job.
For your head and face, dermatologist Anna L. Chien, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine says, "A hat with a 3-inch brim protects the top of your scalp, ears and face." A straw hat also fits the nautical palette. For skin concerns, check with a dermatologist.
What colors go with navy and white stripes?
Swap stark optical white for ecru, oatmeal or cream. It softens the contrast in bright light. Tan, cognac or driftwood leather sandals look more relaxed than matching navy or white shoes.
Red is the traditional nautical accent, so keep it to one item: a scarf on the bag handle or a lip color, not shoes, belt and bag together. Gold jewelry sits well against navy, and tortoiseshell sunglasses pick up the tan and gold tones.
How do you take a beach cover up into town?
A striped cover up can double as a daytime outfit with a few changes. Add espadrilles or flat leather slides, a raffia or basket bag, and a light third layer such as a denim jacket or navy blazer. For ideas, see boat day outfits with stripes and summer prints for beach vacations.
Hemlines matter too. Flats should leave the hem about half an inch off the ground, and wedges can cover the top of the heel. Dragging hems look messy fast.
For chic swimsuit cover ups for the beach, one clean stripe, one natural texture and one metal tone is plenty.
How do you care for striped cover ups?
Navy dye can bleed into white stripes, so wash new pieces in cold water, ideally with a color catcher sheet. Skip the dryer for cotton and linen, since heat shrinks the fibers and can distort the lines. Hang dry, then steam to refresh the shape.
Frequently asked questions
What to wear to the beach as a cover up?
A loose cotton or linen shirt, a shirt-dress or a matching set all work. Keep the fabric light and check that it is not sheer when wet.
Do horizontal stripes make you look wider?
Wide, blocky bands can add visual width, while narrow stripes usually blur. Fit tends to matter more than stripe direction.
Can I mix stripes with other prints?
Yes, if the scales differ, such as a thin stripe with a large floral. Pairing stripes with textures like eyelet or denim is a calmer option.
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