Pretty much all of these work for summer lounging about at home too: I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve clocked on the sofa with the dogs in this by-now-classic Emerson fry caftan. It’s got one of the most winning color combinations ever.
And speaking of color combinations, I’m always a fan of pink and orange, and the embellishment here is a cheeky touch.
This is so satisfyingly graphic: just black on white with a wee pop of yellow.
A jumpsuit is kind of a novel answer to the beach coverup question, and this one is so damn cute.
I own a version of this navy gauze caftan, and what’s really good about it is that—unlike many a cover-up—it’s completely opaque, so you can wear it from the beach to the street.
I wouldn’t fuss with the belt on cotton poplin number—it’s crisp enough without it.
Last year, I acquired this leopard print linen coverup from Emerson Fry, and I have loved it, and am pleased to see they’ve put it back in rotation after it sold out. I wore it to the beach pretty much every time I went, and it got softer with each wash (I would keep it out of the dryer unless you want it to shrink up a bit).
A feminine floral that works for me because it’s not quite a maxi, which I feel is so much more flattering.
This maxi, on the other hand, really works: so graceful and flowy.
I could see myself kicking around my favorite farm stands in this sweet contrast eyelet cover-up.
A really elegant choice (that isn’t cheap) from Mara Hoffman. I like how the fabric has a barely-there grid pattern.
Going short isn’t a crime at the beach, I don’t think, and this pink and green Indian block print is just so fun.
I’d wear this tunic over jeans apres-beach.
I love the stripes on stripes here: so cheery.
Rickrack trim has never looked so sophisticated.
I can’t resist anything that has a little metallic thread running through it, and I’m a sucker for an old-school sundress shape too.
A tomboyishly sexy option.
A slightly slinky piece that’s lightened up by bright contrast stitching.
A striped linen specimen that just looks so damn comfortable.
And finally: this would be so perfect for a beach barbecue that it almost makes me want to throw one.
This post is as delightful and refreshing as a Mai Tai.
Ditto.
I don’t know why I don’t own one. I seriously like this look, and admire women who rock it. Maude, Mrs. Roper, I mean you.
That striped hat though… I was very sad it didn’t come up on the anthro site when I went searching for it. Maybe because I’m outside the US.
Well! That pink and orange number is coming with me to St. Barths in two weeks!
LOVE a caftan! The Vermont Country Store has great ones. I like the sleeveless ones best. They are soo cool when it’s hot. I wear them all summer!
What a great post. (Fyi, the Anthro stripe on stripe is sold out. Boo.)
What a great group of lounging-around-the-house-in-something-other-than-sweatpants alternatives! I ordered the Emerson Fry full length version a couple of summers ago and, unfortunately for me, it was huge on my 5’2″ body, BUT my 5’8″ daughter was happy to take it off my hands. She LOVES it! Ergo, the shorter leopard print version is going into my shopping cart immediately. (picture me smiling!!)
Although I’m thin, I have cellulite on butt and thighs, so coverups are ESSENTIAL for me. I LOVE over-sized unstructured items. but I’m slender with smaller, sloping shoulders. I can’t carry off the volume of material of many of these and can’t carry of many clothes that are in fashion now. I do better with a shoulder seam at my shoulder and one-size-fits-all clothing completely swamps me, although I’m 5’7″
For cover-ups, I’d wear that sundress or some cool patagonia sundresses that covert to skirts, or sundresses with smocking at the top that I can pull off and on easily with faffing around. My very best cover-up was a white shirtdress midi-to-maxi, which was
sized, with a waist tie; I got compliments wherever I went. Shrunk too much. Hard to believe but it’s hard to replace.
Argh. “Without faffing around.”
The pink and orange J Crew is pretty, but very thin and see-through material. Fine for the beach or lounging, not so great at a farmers’ market.
I’m loving the striped versions, bummed that the Sundry one is sold out and seems to be an Anthro exclusive. Also, had my eye on the Tangier caftan from 9seed FOEVERRRRR! I’ve got to get it this time (preferably on-sale, which is why I never get it!).