Going on vacation soon? Here are 11 of the best casual vacation outfits you need for your next beach trip.
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Summer is here and you know what that means- it’s officially vacation season!
If you are planning to go on a sunny holiday any time soon, you will need a few key casual vacation outfits that will elevate your wardrobe and alleviate your packing stress.
In this post, you will see 11 coastal chic casual vacation outfits that are perfect for anyone with a chic, beachy or costal granddaughter aesthetic. These outfits are comfortable, easy to pack and easy to match with one another, creating the perfect mini-vacation capsule wardrobe.
This post is all about the best casual vacation outfits you need for your next beach trip.
Casual Vacation Outfits:
1. Two-Piece Set
When packing for vacation, it’s all about keeping the luggage light. One great way to do this is by creating a capsule wardrobe so of interchangeable items so you are able to create numerous outfits without taking up a ton of space in your suitcase.
Two-piece sets are my go-to when it comes to casual vacation outfits because you can re-wear the set multiple times throughout your stay by simply pairing the pieces with other items in your suitcase. This button-down and shorts set is my personal favorite summer vacation outfit and one of the best vacation outfits in my wardrobe because it is so comfortable, chic and easy to style.
I have styled this two-piece set without the bralette, with a white sheer top over the bralette, with a swimsuit underneath, the shorts by themselves, the button up by itself self- I even sleep in this set. It’s THAT good. Check out all the ways I style this two-piece set here:
This specific set is old from Peppermayo, but you can shop our top two-piece set picks below:
2. Tshirt Dress
A t-shirt dress is another great staple to bring on any vacation because it’s EASY. No matter if you are leaving the beach and in need of a cover-up, headed to dinner after a day of soaking up the sun or hitting the outlets for a day of shopping, a loose-fitting t-shirt dress is the perfect, easy beach vacation outfit.
Shop our top t-shirt dress picks:
3. Linen Pants and a Swimsuit
Linen pants are a staple everyone needs in their wardrobe, especially when putting together casual vacation outfits. Throwing on a pair of drawstring linen pants over your swimsuit instantly creates the perfect chic and easy beach attire. No matter if you are grabbing lunch, headed to the beach or headed out on the boat, linen pants are the perfect easy item to throw on.
Linen pants can easily be worn as a cover-up, but they can also be worn as part of an outfit, making them the ultimate vacation essential. I wear these linen pants at least once a week and have paired them with simple tank tops or tees and sneakers, button-downs and platform sandals and have even dressed them up with blouses and lace-up heels for dinner.
Check out all the ways I style these linen pants here:
These linen pants are thrifted, but you can shop our top linen pants picks below:
4. Classic Beach Sweater and Flowy Shorts
For those breezy evenings spent by the ocean after baking in the sun, you may want to bring a sweater. I recommend a cream open-knit sweater because it’s not too hot and it can easily be paired with any bottoms you already packed.
Open knit sweaters are a great addition to any wardrobe because they are timeless and can be worn throughout all seasons. Layer it up in the winter, and wear nothing but a bikini under it in the summer. I wear this open-knit sweater non-stop with linen pants, layered over biker shorts, to work with silk pants and lounging around the house with yoga pants.
Shop our top beach sweaters and flowy shorts picks:
Another essential that is seen in quite literally all of the casual vacation outfits in this post is a good pair of sandals that can easily be worn with multiple outfits. The Steven Madden Hadyn sandals are a personal favorite and my go-to for every beach vacation outfit.
Shop our top sandal picks:
5. Striped Sweater and Linen Shorts
There is no beach vacation outfit that is more nautical and chic than a striped sweater thrown over your shoulders with a bikini top and a pair of linen shorts. While this may not be the most practical look for a day in the hot sun, it would be great for an evening on the sand or for boating, since the breeze cruizing can get a little nippy.
This outfit is paired with white linen shorts, another must-have summer vacation outfits essential. Linen shorts are lightweight, breathable and instantly elevate any look.
Shop our top striped sweater, linen shorts and black bikini picks:
A great beach bag is another key essential to every casual vacation outfit. You want it to be cute, but also functional.
Shop our top beach bag picks:
6. Light & Flowy Dress
You really can’t go wrong when selecting a dress for one of your summer vacation outfits. After a long day in the hot sun, the last thing you’ll want is something that clings to your body.
A flowy dress is an easy throw-on-and-go look when you don’t know what to wear. You will instantly look chic and put together after throwing on a classic dress- even if you’ve got saltwater in your hair and sand between your toes.
Shop our top light and flowy dress picks:
7. Oversized Button Down
If you didn’t opt for a two-piece with a button-down top, you may still want to add an oversized button-down to your casual holiday outfits packing list (or reconsider and go with the set after all). An oversized button-down looks great on its own as a cover-up, with a pair of shorts for lunch or shopping or unbuttoned over a t-shirt dress for a casual dinner. If you are copying the casual vacation outfits in this post, you should already have all these pieces on your packing list!
Shop our top button down picks:
8. Crochet Cover Up
Crochet pieces have been all the rage this season. Dresses are my personal favorite crochet style because they can be worn by themselves as a cover-up or layered with a slip for an easy dinner outfit.
We also love crochet pieces because they can be transitioned into the fall, and are expected to be a huge trend this year- so don’t be afraid to invest in a piece you love and know you will get your wear out of!
Shop our top crochet dress picks:
9. Fun Crop Top paired with linen pants or denim shorts
Because when else do you have the opportunity to wear a barely-there, nearly bikini-top, top other than at the beach? Pair with a pair of your favorite linen pants or dress it down with a pair of high-waisted denim shorts and you’re ready for a casual sunset dinner, a game of put-put or a night on the town!
Shop our top crop top picks:
10. Gauze-material
Gauze is a great material to pack for a casual vacation outfit because it is an incredibly lightweight and airy cotton fabric.
If you decide to go with a white gauze top, you can easily style it with the other bottoms selected in the previous casual vacation outfits, such as the shorts from the two-piece set. If you did not pick out a two-piece set earlier in this post, I recommend going with this white gauze set from Target– it’s been all the rage on TikTok recently.
A neutral pair of gauze shorts would also be a great item that you can easily pair with a cream sweater, white button-down or swimsuit for a summer vacation outfit.
Shop our top gauze picks:
A key vacation outfit essential that you also see in this look is a great straw bag. The key to the perfect star bag is one that closes, is easy to carry and can actually hold your essentials. I’ve had this Lilly Pulitzer one for years and I always bring it as my go-to crossbody for every sunny vacation.
Shop our top straw bag picks:
11. Maxi Dress
Nothing says vacation outfit like a maxi dress. Maxis are great because they are a one-and-done complete look, so they don’t take up as much space in your suitcase. Like many of the outfits in this blog post, maxi dresses are also comfortable and can easily be dressed up or down with the right shoes, hair and bag.
The maxi dresses linked below are all easy-breezy, with some a little dressier in case you have a nice dinner planned.
Shop our top maxi dress picks: