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To give it to you straight, I’m cheap AF. Sure, I have a disposable income set aside, but ultimately, I’m more likely to spend my money on food than on clothes. That being said, when I do spend on clothing, I make sure that I can wear it at least a few different ways so that I can get the most bang for my buck. And believe it or not, you can make a ton of cute outfits with swimsuit cover-ups.
Unfortunately, I don’t live close to the beach, and I rarely have enough leisure time to soak up the sun by the pool, so bathing suit cover-ups are something I don’t usually buy—especially when I would really only have the opportunity to sport them once or twice a summer. But where’s the fun in that? As much as I try not to blow my money on things I’ll only wear once or twice a year, sometimes you see a swimsuit cover-up that’s simply too adorable to pass up. In that case, you have to make them work IRL—as in, say, not out by the water.
Being the savvy shopper that I am, I picked up four different bathing suit cover-ups and did my best to style them outside the pool or beach. If you’d ask me, these pieces look incredibly versatile and can easily be multipurpose garments.
Scroll through for some swimsuit cover-up outfit ideas to try this summer!
Kristen Bousquet
Lace Bathing Suit Coverup: Lulus | Dress: thrifted | Shoes: Lulus | Hat: Lulus
This outfit was one of the easiest for me to style, thanks to the crochet top. You could simply toss it over anything and have it look cute. I grabbed for a floral, vintage dress with some white accents to go with the white crochet top. Tossed on my favorite pair of white heels, and I was good to go.
Kristen Bousquet
Kimono: Lulus | Skirt: Nasty Gal | Shoes: Lulus | Bodysuit: The Beauty Studio Boutique | Headband: The Beauty Studio Boutique
I’m all about color, y’all, so it only made sense that I needed a bright yellow kimono in my closet. I was surprised at how much I ended up liking this styled IRL (and with a bathing suit!). It added the perfect pop of color and brightness to this otherwise neutral look. The kimono’s texture also spiced things up. Overall, I was a really big fan of this look!
Kristen Bousquet
Cheetah Top: Lulus | Jeans: writer’s own | Shoes: thrifted | Hat: Lack of Color
This sheer, cheetah-print, tie-front top is perfect to toss on over your bathing suit, but IRL it absolutely needs to be worn with a top. I grabbed this cropped tube top that I had sitting around to keep things simple and really let the cheetah top be the statement piece of this look. Paired with white jeans and my favorite thrifted chunky sandals, this look came together really well.
Kristen Bousquet
Hat: Lack of Color | Kimono: thrifted | Pants: Lulus | Shoes: Lulus | Tank: GUESS
While this look may be more appropriate for spring if you’d ask anyone else, I think there’s no bad time for some pastel action. Purple pants were a must with this kimono to help bring out all its beautiful colors. Of course, the kimono and pants were enough for a casual look, so I kept everything else neutral so as to not go too overboard.