Just Beachy: This Summer’s Beach Trends For Her

Tis the season for sun, sand and surf, and working hard to look your best while wearing next to nothing. Turn heads for all the right reasons this summer by highlighting your best waterside assets in this year’s hottest beachwear trends.

Swimsuits

Halter tops and off-the-shoulder styles are making a comeback this season, plus sexy one-piece suits featuring cutouts, sheer fabrics and monokini silhouettes. Long sleeves and workout-inspired tops are trending, as are high-waisted bottoms for bikinis. Also, avoid matching tops and bottoms too closely, opting instead for eclectic and one-of-a-kind mix-and-match combinations.

Swimsuits: bikini.com

Materials

Swimwear involves more cuts, diversity and unique materials than ever before. Mixed media that incorporates blocks of sheer and iridescent fabrics like lace and tulle is popular on both swimsuits and cover-ups, and all pieces favour unique accent elements like ribbons, embroidery, small fringe, pom poms, printed linings and embellished cord ends.

Cover-up: fancy.com

Colours And Prints

Florals, stripes and engineered prints are big this year on swimsuits (cover-ups are more neutral), as is colour blocking with vivid tones like bright blue, intense orange, lemon yellow and neon pink. Geometric shapes are popular used as colour blocks or prints, and for solid colour suits, both all-white and shades of nude are making a big splash.

Swimsuits: asos.com

Cover-Ups

This year, coverups are leaning strongly to the boho side, favouring long, flowing cuts and feminine details like sheer fabrics, lace, crochet, netting, fringe, tassels and pom poms. Unlike the trend for suits and accessories to go bright, coverups are more neutral (think white, black, beige), relying on cut and lightweight, breezy textures for appeal.

Cover-up: jcrew.com

Shoes

Footwear should be simple and strappy – and able to take you from sand to shore seamlessly. Think tall gladiators, tie-up wedges and flat sandals with interesting details. Espadrilles are a great comfort option, updated with ankle straps or ties and featuring feminine and sport influences. And as for colour, footwear embraces two themes this year: classic neutrals or bold and bright.

Sandals: asos.com

Bags

Beach bags should pop: think big, bright and full of personality with a relaxed, slouchy shape. Natural fibres and woven textures like canvas, jute and braided straw are must-haves, accented with cheerful accessories such as tassels, pom poms and bold graphic prints. Additional details like rope or braided handles and brightly printed interiors round out the most eye-catching styles.

Bag: jcrew.com

Jewellery

Body chains and lariats are trending as a way to dress up basic bikinis, as are chunky necklaces and bracelets with pops of ‘fruity’ colors like raspberry, lime and grape. Ocean-inspired accents like shells, starfish and sand dollars are runway-approved for a romantic vibe, while mixed metals adorn the boho-chic crowd, and nautical continues as a can’t-miss classic.

Necklace: fancy.com

Beauty

A beautiful beach glow is always on-trend, but this year sun protection is more popular than ever. SPF is available in natural moisturising and bronzing formulas, as well as special fabrics and full coverage or long sleeve suit styles. Also, advances in swimsuit tech make concealing trouble spots easier than ever, and ‘tough to wear’ styles have become more widely available to different body types.

Tan-Boosting Sun Lotion: amazon.co.uk

Hats

Fashion-forward beach hats are oversized and floppy, with wide brims for broad sun protection and a classic, romantic vibe. Natural fibres and neutral colours are popular, with embellishments kept fairly simple to let bold hues on suits, jewelry, and shoes shine. Pair with mirrored sunglasses for the perfect final touch.

Hat: aerie.com

Overall Trends

There’s something for everyone, with beach influences drawing strongly from the ‘90s (halter tops, off the shoulder), boho-chic (kimonos, tassels, mixed metals) and classic (one-pieces, nautical) categories. Subtle romance makes an appearance in delicate accents and woven details, and colour leans to big extremes, favouring both bold and bright and solid ‘barely there’ basics like all-white and nude.

Photo: aerie.com

Article by Rigel Celeste

Thank you to the following experts for their insights and contributions: Gaby Tessitore, copabikinis.com; Aisha Jones, aishajones.com; Sica Schmitz, beadandreel.com; Coley Harrison, instagram.com; Claudia Montez, isabellegracejewelry.com; Joanna Kinsman, kinsmanswim.com; and Stylist Jen, rigbyandpeller.com