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How to Style Your Beach Cover-Ups - 7 Creative Ideas

Beach cover-ups are the ideal clothing for your vacations or a quick seaside trip.

They come in various styles, materials, prints, and colors and can offer you a decent, stylish look when going for a swim, cruising the ocean, or enjoying leisure strolls on some Greek island.

Whatever your personal preferences are though, in this article you’ll learn more than a handful of ideas to better style your beach clothing and upgrade your summer look.

However, before getting into some useful fashion tips let’s begin with the basics. 


What are The Beach Cover-Ups?

Beach cover-ups refer to the clothing women tend to wear over their swimsuits when traveling by the sea or savoring the swimming pool. The term usually includes one-piece clothing whether it is short, long, or mid-length.

Why need distinct clothing for the beach though?

The truth is that this kind of vesture allows you to protect your skin from the bright sunlight while keeping your looks on point.

Versatility, practicality, and comfort are the core and most useful characteristics of beach cover-ups! This holy trinity is what makes them so popular worldwide. 

What Materials Are the Beach Cover-Ups Made From?

It depends.


Cotton and linen are the most common fabrics found in beach cover-ups since they are light, healthy for the skin, and summer-friendly materials.


However, you can find beach clothing made of various other fabrics.


Viscose, polyester, rayon, chiffon, and even silk, along with numerous blends of all of them, create monochrome and printed pieces for every liking.


This wide range of materials in turn can lead to numerous styles like crochets, see-throughs, cut-outs, frills, and the list goes on.


Their patterns are infinite also: florals, summery prints, vibrant colors, and tie-dyes. Once you get in the mood you’ll wonder which one to choose.


Pair it with gold earrings and your favorite espadrilles and grab your hair in a bun to complete the style.

What Types of Beach Cover-Ups Exist?

The basic types of seaside clothing usually vary between the following types:

  • Caftans

  • Sarongs

  • Tunics

  • Shirts

  • Kimonos

  • Wrap Dresses

  • Maxi Dresses

  • Scarves and Wraps

Whichever you choose though, you can be sure that you’ll have a stylish outfit while indulging in the 3 “s”: the sun, the sea, and the sand!

Especially if you use the following tips to further enhance your looks!

How to Style Your Beach Cover-Ups - 7 Creative Ideas

Now that you have entered the world of beach clothing for good, you can discover our 7 creative ideas to style them for this summer.

Here is the list:

1. Wear Them as a Dress

Most of the beach cover-ups can be worn as dresses. Either short or long. And vice-versa. Many summery dresses can work as cover-ups over your swimwear as well.


The only thing you should pay attention to is your accessories. Switch from your flip-flops to sandals or platforms. Add a belt. Take a smaller raffia clutch instead of your beach tote.

You can also turn a sarong or a simple scarf into a dress to ensure you cover focal parts of your body for some shots by the pool bar. Just wrap it around your body.

 Discover rockflowerpaper’s collection of stylish beach cover-ups  


Pair it with some “quiet” jewelry and your flat sandals, wear your favorite lip gloss and you are ready to go!

2. Wear Them With Your Shorts

Pairing your short beach cover-up or even your kimono with your shorts (jeans, cotton, satin, etc.) can instantly make you look – and feel more comfy.


For this combination, you can choose a fancy white shirt or a trendy long kimono. Both of these combos will keep you stylish enough.

3. Style Them with Fancy Jewelry

You can also elevate your beach appearance by wearing some fancy jewelry.

The most appropriate options for the case would be pieces of jewelry with bold summer references one way or the other. Coral necklaces, macramé bracelets, and statement earrings made of seashells can give you enough credit. 

4. Wear Them as a Top

If you only have a scarf to use, worry not because you can be creative as well and turn it into a fancy top like a cross-over wrap top.


It goes super well with any kind of bottom you choose to wear like a pair of linen trousers or a boho skirt.


 Learn more on how to create a summer boho style! 

5. Wear Them as a Skirt

Alternatively, you can switch the cards and create a bottom instead of a top. Wrap your sarong around your waist to create an envelope-like skirt.

Even if you only have a scarf you can do the work. Choose between a DIY a shorts or a midi skirt for your after-beach look. 


To upgrade your house’s atmosphere, making it cozier and fun you don’t need to do much. Adding some clever decorating details will be enough.

6. Be Creative with Your Shirt

If you go to the beach with just a plain linen shirt you can still make something more stylish out of it.


Instead of just wearing it the classic way, you can unbutton it and wear a belt on your waist. You can also tie its endings in a knot just under your chest and turn it into a fancy top.


Pairing it with your shorts or a long skirt will have you covered and ready to attend that beach party with confidence.


To upgrade your house’s atmosphere, making it cozier and fun you don’t need to do much. Adding some clever decorating details will be enough.

7. Use your Beach Cover-Ups in Your Head

Finally, to create an elegant beach look you can use your seaside clothing in your head. How?


Simply by creating a head wrap. It’s easy to do it with your scarf, wrap , or sarong. And very practical if it’s windy.

Here is the way:

Fold the sarong in half and place the middle at the back of your head. Gather your hair along with the sarong and twist it until it becomes tight. Coil the twisted sarong on top of your head comfortably. Then secure the style by tucking the sarong’s ends into the coil or using a large hair tie.


To upgrade your house’s atmosphere, making it cozier and fun you don’t need to do much. Adding some clever decorating details will be enough.

Ready to Style Your Beach Cover-Ups?

With these 7 creative ideas to style your beach cover-ups, you can make infinite combinations for elevated stylish beach looks.

No one is going to judge you and even if they do you simply don’t care!

Why? Because it’s summertime! The season of the year when everything is pretty much allowed to happen.

So, let your imagination unfold and become the ultimate beach icon!