Getting dressed for the beach should be easy. After all, you're wearing less clothing than almost anywhere else. Yet it's also one of the easiest places to get it wrong.
With nowhere to hide behind layers, tailoring or clever styling, every decision carries a little more weight. The fit of your swim shorts, the shape of your sunglasses, the shoes you leave by your towel – they're all on full display. It's why the men who always seem to look effortlessly put together by the coast rarely wear anything remarkable. Instead, they've simply mastered proportion, fabric and restraint.
The best beach outfit shouldn't look like an outfit at all. It should feel relaxed enough for a swim, smart enough for lunch and comfortable enough to wander straight into town afterwards without looking as though you've forgotten to get changed. Think less "day at the seaside", more the sort of understated ease you'd expect to see along the Amalfi Coast or on a quiet stretch of the Balearics.
Here's how to get it right.
Swim shorts
Every good beach outfit starts with a decent pair of swim shorts. They spend as much time drying in the sun as they do in the water, so they need to work beyond swimming alone.
Length is the first consideration. Somewhere around mid-thigh – typically a five- to seven-inch inseam – tends to flatter most body types. Long board shorts might have their place on a surf break, but elsewhere they can throw off your proportions, making your legs appear shorter and your overall silhouette heavier. At the opposite end of the spectrum, ultra-short trunks require a level of confidence that very few men genuinely possess.
Colour matters too. Loud tropical prints have become synonymous with package holidays, whereas solid colours age far more gracefully. Navy, olive, terracotta, stone and faded blue all pair effortlessly with linen shirts and sandals, while still looking perfectly at home beside the pool.
Linen shirt
Few garments earn their place in a holiday wardrobe quite like the linen shirt.
Thrown over swim shorts, it offers enough coverage to walk into a beach café without looking half dressed, while remaining cool even in punishing heat. It's one of those rare pieces that somehow manages to feel both relaxed and refined at the same time.
White remains the obvious choice, but it's far from the only one. Soft ecru, sage green, tobacco brown and washed sky blue often feel more considered, and arguably flatter sun-kissed skin even better. Wear it open over your shorts, loosely buttoned with the sleeves rolled once or twice, or fully buttoned with drawstring trousers once the sun begins to dip.
Pure linen delivers the most character, complete with its inevitable creases, but linen-cotton blends offer a cleaner finish if you prefer something a little less rumpled.
Sandals
For many men, footwear is where beach style begins to unravel.
The best options are also the simplest. A pair of leather sandals will always look more refined than moulded rubber alternatives, while minimalist slides make sense when you're moving between the sea and your towel. Fisherman sandals have enjoyed a deserved revival over the past few summers too, offering a little more structure without sacrificing breathability.
If you're heading somewhere for lunch afterwards, a pair of espadrilles strikes a similarly relaxed note while feeling slightly more dressed.
The key is choosing footwear that's easy to slip on and off. Nobody wants to wrestle with laces while standing on one foot in hot sand.
Sunglasses
Beach sunglasses don't need to chase trends. In fact, they're usually better when they don't.
Classic shapes have survived for decades because they simply work. Wayfarers remain one of the safest bets, while P3 frames, crown pantos and understated aviators all bring a little personality without dominating your face.
Lens colour deserves as much thought as frame shape. Green, brown and grey tints tend to look softer than heavily mirrored lenses while offering excellent clarity in bright conditions.
Unless you're cycling there or competing in a triathlon, leave the oversized wraparound sports sunglasses at home.
Beach bag
The humble beach bag rarely gets much attention, yet it quietly dictates how everything else comes together.
A simple canvas tote is difficult to beat. It holds a towel, water bottle, book and sunscreen without adding unnecessary bulk, and it somehow looks better the more battered it becomes. Woven shoppers bring a touch more Riviera charm, while mesh bags have the practical advantage of allowing sand to escape before it follows you back to the hotel.
The important thing is avoiding anything that feels overly technical. The beach isn't the place for compression straps, sternum buckles and enough attachment points to summit Ben Nevis.
Hat
A hat earns its keep long before it completes an outfit.
A washed cotton baseball cap is the easiest option and suits almost everyone. Linen versions feel a little smarter, while bucket hats have quietly shed much of their festival baggage over the past few years, particularly in muted colours.
If you're spending long afternoons by the water, a straw hat offers unbeatable shade, provided it feels authentic to both the setting and your own style.
Whatever you choose, the goal is practical sun protection rather than making a statement.
What not to wear
Socks and sliders
Some combinations deserve to stay indoors. Socks with sliders might have become normalised by footballers and airport lounges, but on the beach they simply look confused.
Lace-up sneakers
You'll spend half your day taking them off, emptying sand out of them and putting them back on again. Slip-on footwear exists for a reason.
Board shorts
Unless you're actually surfing, they're usually more fabric than you need. They sit too low, fall too long and throw the balance of everything else you're wearing.
A massive backpack
You don't need expedition luggage to carry a towel and a paperback. A simple tote looks better, weighs less and is infinitely easier to live with.
Gym gear
The beach isn't an outdoor weight room. Sleeveless performance tops, compression clothing and training shorts rarely belong anywhere near the sea unless you're exercising.
Minuscule swim shorts
There's a sweet spot when it comes to swim short length, and this isn't it. Tiny trunks can look self-conscious rather than confident. Mid-thigh remains the benchmark for good reason.
