Start by deciding where the day ends, because that sets the whole outfit.
If the day stops at the waterline, swim trunks or fitted swim briefs are enough, and this list runs from those to loose linen pants with a linen button-up.
If the shore leads to a boardwalk, a seafood lunch or a patio, you want a polo with trousers, a linen shirt or a printed button-up, plus espadrilles that handle both sand and a table.
Across all of it, one piece gets to be loud, such as a tropical print worn open over bare skin, and everything else stays solid.
1. Tropical Prints
Worn open over bare skin, a printed shirt is the easiest beach move there is. Leaving it unbuttoned lets the pattern frame you instead of covering you.
Choose one loud piece, then let the shorts, shoes and hat stay plain and solid. Plain swim trunks in a solid color let the print do the talking, and a busy pair of shorts with it will fight the shirt.
2. Espadrilles
Gum-soled espadrilles solve the problem of what to wear on your feet when flip-flops feel too casual. Canvas keeps the upper light and lets air through, while a gum sole adds some spring and grips well on wet pavement.
I like them with cuffed linen trousers, since the woven look matches the fabric. Gray is easier to wear than a bright color, and it leaves the shirt as the main thing people see.
3. Linen Button-ups
Worn unbuttoned over swim shorts, a white linen shirt gives you a layer for the walk from the car to the water. Add sunglasses and a cap, and the outfit is finished.
Keep the shorts patterned and the shirt plain, so only one piece is busy. Roll the sleeves to the forearm if you want it looser.
Your vacation shirts and polos should do more than just cover you—they should be equally suitable for breakfast and dinner, and breathable while still shielding you from the sun in all the right places.
— GQ
4. Linen Pants
Loose linen pants are a comfortable alternative to shorts, and they look more deliberate. Matching them with a linen shirt in the same shade reads as a set, which is the quickest way to look pulled together.
Bare feet work on the sand; a pair of sandals covers the walk along the boardwalk. White shows every wet spot, so I would stay out of the surf in them.
5. Accessories
A shell-and-starfish beaded choker finishes a plain white polo better than a chain would. It adds texture without adding noise, and the beach setting does the explaining.
Wear one piece, not three.
6. Textured Sleeveless Tops
Sleeveless tops in a cream, textured knit look best with something that moves, such as wide-leg trousers in a black-and-white crochet pattern. Sunglasses and flip-flops keep the whole thing relaxed.
The rule I follow is one pattern at a time: either a textured top with plain shorts, or a printed shirt with solid trunks, never both at once.
This look is also a bolder choice than linen, so wear it with confidence.
7. Polo Shirts with Trousers
A ribbed knit polo in maroon with white pleated trousers is a beach look for the boardwalk, the seafood lunch or the bar after, not for swimming.
Rib texture gives a solid color some depth, so the shirt does not need a pattern.
Pleats give the white trousers room to move, which matters in warm weather. Keep the shoes simple, and I would add nothing else.
8. Swim Trunks
Striped trunks in black and white are the safest pattern a man can wear to the water. Vertical lines read clean from a distance, and they go with a plain white towel over the shoulder.
Pick trunks that sit above the knee and bring one towel, not a bag of extras. Going shirtless needs nothing more, and a cap is the only add-on I would suggest.
9. Fitted Swim Briefs
Bright green swim briefs are a confident choice, and the color does all the work. Fitted briefs leave no fabric to hide behind, so I would pick a single saturated shade over any print.
They suit a beach where others dress the same way, and a quiet stretch of sand may feel exposed. Pack a pair of trunks as a backup if you are unsure.
10. T-shirt and Swim Shorts
A black graphic tee with floral boardshorts works because the dark shirt calms the pattern below it. The shirt carries the text, the shorts carry the color, and an olive baseball cap ties the two together.
Choose a shirt in one dark shade so the shorts stay the focus. Slip on the cap last, and you are ready for the walk to the water.
Footwear Considerations
Beach shoes should be light, open and easy to kick off. Anything you would hate to see full of sand stays home, and that includes leather boots, which run hot and heavy and collect sand fast.
Slide sandals and canvas sneakers both hold up too, so pick whichever suits how the day is likely to go. Boardshorts and a tee or tank need nothing special underfoot; any beat-up pair works.
Leave leather soles at home, along with any shoe that suffers when it gets wet.
If the shore leads straight to a patio lunch, loafers are the one dressier step I would take, and I would carry them rather than wear them across the sand.
Mixing Patterns
Give a pattern one job. When a bold piece sits next to a solid, the eye knows where to look, and the outfit reads as chosen rather than thrown together.
Start with the loudest piece you own and build around it in flat colors. Pull the solids from a shade already in the pattern, so the two feel related without matching.
If two patterns share the outfit, make one clearly larger and bolder than the other. 2 pieces of equal volume compete, and that is where outfits start to look accidental.
Give yourself one last look in the mirror on the way out the door. If you cannot say which piece is the star, remove a pattern.
Sun Protection
Sunburn comes from hours outside, not from a bad plan, so cover it twice: with what you wear and with what you apply.
Look for clothing with a UV protection rating on the label. A shirt with that rating gives you coverage that does not wear off or need reapplying, and it works well for long stretches of walking, fishing or volleyball.
Use sunscreen on every spot the fabric leaves bare: face, neck, ears, hands, feet and the tops of your shoulders. Put it on before you leave the house, and reapply it through the day, especially after swimming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should men wear to the beach?
Start with light, breathable fabric: a linen shirt worn open over swim shorts, or a plain polo with trousers if the day ends at a boardwalk lunch.
Keep one piece loud and the rest solid, so the outfit looks chosen. Finish with sunglasses, a cap, and slip-on sandals or canvas shoes that come off in one motion.
Can I wear pants to the beach?
Yes, as long as they are loose, lightweight linen or cotton.
What is beach casual attire?
Beach casual means swim shorts or boardshorts with a tee, tank or open linen shirt, plus easy footwear like slide sandals or canvas sneakers.
A cap and sunglasses finish it. Comfort comes first, and one patterned piece is plenty.
How do you mix patterns in a beach outfit?
Give each pattern one job: put the loudest piece next to flat solids so the eye knows where to look. Choose your solids from a color already inside the pattern, and the two will look planned.
