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Seaside style made easy: Your ultimate shopping guide to the best beach essentials

By Josefin Forsberg
Model on beach wearing striped swimwear

Photo: Getty

Think statement sunnies, slip-on sandals and semi-sheer cover-ups; consider this curated edit of vacation essentials to be the foolproof fashion guide to your next sartorially-savvy summer escape

All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Life at the beach is breezy, especially when you dress the part. If you're planning a European escape or heading to the Archipelago, your shore-bound style is likely top of mind. Imagine sandy feet, glistening water, and the soothing sounds of gentle waves—only to be interrupted by the micro-stressor of forgetting a crucial beach essential.

Eradicate the frustration of memory blanks and panic buying suncream with our carefully selected edit. With multi-purpose functionality in mind, these coverups and summer separates will make the perfect partner for a bikini or one-piece as you head for a seaside lunch. Better yet, our selection of sandals will ensure you sidestep the dreaded "no shoes, no entry" policies. Finally, save yourself the strain of squinting at your book and the pangs of stinging burns with our selection of sunglasses and sunscreen.

The best seaside sunglasses

Whether you prefer the drama of an oversized cat eye or the vintage nostalgia of classic aviators, our selection of sunglasses ensures every face shape has its best features accentuated. From feline Saint Laurent to channel your inner Marilyn Monroe to Top Gun aviators - pick and choose at your leisure.


Mask sunglasses

Alberta Ferretti

SHOP NOWEUR 275
tinted square frame sunglasses

Missoni Eyewear

SHOP NOWEUR 230
Oversized round-frame tortoiseshell acetate sunglasses

Gucci Eyewear

SHOP NOWEUR 363
Ganni x ace & tate baby blue kayla

Ganni

SHOP NOWEUR 200
Sunglasses oversized square shape

Swarovski

SHOP NOWEUR 230
Large aviator-style gold-tone sunglasses

Ray-Ban

SHOP NOWEUR 155

The best beauty essentials for the beach

Arguably, the most important for a trip to the beach is an array of heat protectants. To serve beach lovers who prefer to apply SPF on the go, Garnier's mist makes re-application a breeze. There's no better beauty accessory than a lightweight headscarf protecting your scalp, and this striped stunner from House of Dagmar after you've detangled your sea-salt-soaked tresses. Plus, for ocean enthusiasts who enjoy a quick turnaround from beach to dinner, Dior's waterproof mascara will serve you well.


Linen blanket scarf - black and white

House of Dagmar

SHOP NOWEUR 160
The Original Mini Orange Safari

Tangle Teezer

SHOP NOWEUR 15.90
Mascara 38 C waterproof 01 black

Sensai

SHOP NOWEUR 27
Sensitive advanced hydrating face protection mist, spf 50+ 75 ml

Garnier

SHOP NOWEUR 10
Hydrating Sun Protection Spf 50+ Body

Emma S

SHOP NOWEUR 23.90
Capital Soleil Sun Stick SPF 50+

Vichy

SHOP NOWEUR 15.90

The best beach bags to store your essentials

For those who prefer to pack light, the top-handle basket bag by Sensi Studio is the perfect accessory. On the other hand, if you are a regular beach club go-oer that likes to carry an outfit change, the straw basket bag by Rabanne or the raffia tote by Arket are great options.


Oversized straw bags - blue/purple tones

Mehrotra

SHOP NOWEUR 302
Macramé and straw tote

Sensi Studio

SHOP NOWEUR 380
Oregon large raffia shopper

The Row

SHOP NOWEUR 1190
Striped raffia tote bag

Rabanne

SHOP NOWEUR 545
Lotus medium raffia tote

Khaite

SHOP NOWEUR 1620
Straw tote

Arket

SHOP NOWEUR 83

The best sandals to wear from the boardwalk to the beach

Spanning elevated flip-flops to chunky platforms, our choice of beach-ready footwear is perfect for boardwalk strolls, pool-side lounging. Not only will they protect your soles against scorching hot sand, but – most importantly – they're easy to kick off prior to heading into the ocean.


Arizona suede sandals

Birkenstock

SHOP NOWEUR 157
100mm denim thong sandals

Coperni

SHOP NOWEUR 490
Logo-embossed tonal-design slides

Ganni

SHOP NOWEUR 175
Renee snake-effect leather sandals

Aeyde

SHOP NOWEUR 225
Crossover leather slides

Cos

SHOP NOWEUR 125
Marbella leather-trimmed raffia mules

Gianvito Rossi

SHOP NOWEUR 690

The best breezy cover-ups and sea-side sets

Over the past couple of years, the beach cover-up has come to shine, with multiple brands releasing see-through crochet sets and open-knit dresses that lend themselves beautifully to a bikini or one-piece base. Really, a good seaside layer is easy to shrug on and off – making our selection of stretchy maxi dresses, tie-front frocks, and cotton sets the best bet when getting ready for the beach.


Ankara convertible cotton and stretch-jersey maxi dress

Eres

SHOP NOWEUR 345
Stefhani ruffled beach cover-up

Bananhot

SHOP NOWEUR 325
Halliday cotton crop top

Zimmerman

SHOP NOWEUR 395
Linen and cotton beach cover-up

Toteme

SHOP NOWEUR 260
logo-print striped shirt

Rotate

SHOP NOWEUR 201
logo-print striped shorts

Rotate

SHOP NOWEUR 106