What To Wear Over Your Swimsuit: Four Options

Regardless of what your body looks like, you deserve to feel confident In your swimsuit. I realize, of course, that this is an elusive concept for many people—myself included. For those of us who don’t love wearing only our swimsuits when we’re living our best mermaid lives, it helps to wear something over your swimsuit.

Wearing something over your swimsuit can help you feel an extra air of confidence. It also provides extra coverage and protects you from harmful UV rays that have long been linked to skin cancer. With that in mind, we decided to round up four things that you can stylishly wear over any swimsuit.

What To Wear Over Your Swimsuit

Blooming Jelly Swimsuit Cover-Up

Also known as a beach cover, a swimsuit cover is my favorite way to accessorize my bathing suits. I especially like short and sheer cover-ups because they’re fresh enough to wear outdoors and I personally find them kinda sexy. Moreover, I prefer when my cover-ups have long sleeves since it can get rather chilly at the beach later in the afternoon.

This long-sleeve option from Blooming Jelly is made of ultra-soft polyester and has a bell sleeve that goes three-quarters of the way down your arm. It also has beautiful detailing on the sides of the chest and at the elbows. These designs give this cover-up the boho chic feel that I love to sport when I’m around a body of water.

Available at Amazon ($36)

Boao Sarong with Tassel

From makeup and skincare to articles of clothing, I am a sucker for any product that’s multifunctional. And that’s exactly what this Boao sarong is. While you can use it as a sarong, you can also tie it around your waist so that it works like a maxi skirt. If you’re feeling a little chilly, you could also wear it as a shawl.

My favorite thing about this specific pick, though, is that there are two sarongs with every purchase. You get to pick from a combo of colors so that you can mix and match as you see fit. Since this sarong is made out of cotton, it’s extremely soft and breathable on even the hottest of days.

Available at Amazon ($24)

RanRui V-Neck Caftan

As much as I love a good fashion moment, I don’t love taking the time necessary to put a look together. And that’s exactly why I love wearing caftans, which are essentially long, loose dresses. This RanRui garment is made of 100 percent rayon and is machine washable. I also like the slits along the side of the leg. They’re not overly exposing your thighs, but they’re open enough to peek your leg through if you want.

It’s worth noting that these caftans are rather loose and are meant to be one-size-fits-most. If you’re more on the petite side and like for things to be form-fitting, I’d suggest looking at other options. If, however, you’re okay with a loose-fitting dress, I don’t think it gets much better than this caftan. And, for the record, more than 4,500 Amazon reviewers back me up on this.

Available at Amazon ($29)

a midi dress answers the question of what to wear over swimsuit

R. Vivimos Long Sleeve Floral Print Midi Dress

Here’s another well-reviewed option to wear over your bathing suit. In fact, more than 12,00 Amazon reviewers have awarded this dress four out of five stars. It’s not hard to see why, considering that there are more than 25 pattern options. Additionally, this dress is made out of a cotton and rayon blend (with 60 percent cotton), so it’s breathable and comfortable.

The one thing about this dress is that the care instructions say it’s hand-wash only. Read: If you know you want something that you can easily throw in the washer and then dryer, this ain’t it. In fact, some reviewers who did machine-dry it saw that the dress shrunk a considerable amount after that.

Available at Amazon ($33)

An oversized T-shirt answers the what to wear over swimsuit question.

Soly Hux Oversized T-Shirt

Even though I only own one oversized T-shirt, it is actually one of my favorite articles of clothing. It’s a Dragon Ball Z shirt and I wear it at least twice a week — usually once during the day and then again to sleep in at night. Over the summer, though, I also wore it over my two-piece bathing suit when I went to the beach or to my rooftop pool. I got compliments pretty much every single time I wore it.

I like wearing an oversized T-shirt over my swimsuit because it’s easy to put on and take off, and it’s very casual. These shirts from Soly Hux are particularly cool because they have awesome affirmations on the back of them. For example, one says “Do what makes you happy” while others sport phrases like “Good vibes.” Unlike the previous dress, these polyester and elastane tees are machine washable.

Available on Amazon ($24)

A crochet dress answers the question of what to wear over swimsuit.

Bsubseach Sleeveless Knitted Cover-Up Dress

Are you someone who wants to wear a sexy yet conservative swimsuit cover? Allow us to introduce you to the Bsubseach Sleeveless Knitted Cover-Up Dress. This dress is full-length, but it has a tasteful slit that closes up just above your knee. On the back, there’s an oval-shaped opening that shows off the area from your shoulders to your lower back.

This dress is available in 15 colors and is made of lightweight polyester. Some taller reviewers have noted that this dress isn’t quite full-length on them, which is why they advise sizing up if you’re also tall.

Available at Amazon ($33)

Regardless of what you choose to wear over your swimsuit, the important thing is that it makes you feel comfortable and confident. Oh, and next time you’re packing your bag for the beach, remember to pack your flip flops and your sunscreen, too! (If you need a list of the best non-toxic sunscreens, we got you covered—pun intended.)