How Dua, Hailey & More Are Layering Their Beach Looks This Summer

The OOOs are trickling in, the Europeans are fleeing their cosmopolitan haunts, and flip-flops are being thrown into suitcases. August brings the hope of chill before September promises to thrill, and our steadfast bikini reporting is taking on more dimension with the help of our most stylish follows who all have suggestions for layering our swim looks, both on and off the beach.

The swim-short-and-monokini mania as seen on King Kylie, Alexa Chung, and others proves a bit more coverage goes a long way when dealing with double-digit UV indexes and the infamous cool-morning-hot-afternoon combo beachgoers are familiar with. Indeed, whether decamping from a boat in Ibiza or hopping into the water of St. Tropez, it girls are opting for more layers than a simple black bikini can offer. Take Dakota Johnson’s sheer lacy dress that takes her brown two-piece from boat to beach club in five seconds, or Jenner’s mini swim skirt that lets her go from water to dancing effortlessly.

These transitional pieces don’t only offer maximum mileage across every vacation activity, they can provide a bit of solar protection as well. See Hailey Bieber’s bolero top in her Rhode campaign, or her Pucci rashguard-bikini one-two-three punch that prevents the ever-so-fatal day-one shoulder burn. The crop top can easily be dried out during your siesta and worn with the matching capris (or denim shorts) to wear to dinner.

The overarching lesson here is to squeeze all the sartorial juice out of your pieces when on the go. Hybrid clothing-swimwear has never been easier to access or style. Charli XCX wore a Gimaguas pink metallic bikini (our favorite going-out top of the summer) with a sheer knit dress. She didn’t touch the water or sand in this look — but could’ve. A pareo, like the beaded one seen on Dua Lipa, is just as effective as a coverup as it is a club-ready skirt. Leah McCarthy spoke with us earlier in the summer about her Baobab collection, which offers simple swim skirts and shorts with the same ethos in mind: If your swim isn’t city-ready as well, these days, why bother with the investment?

Below, we’ve recreated a few looks based on the slightly more covered-up feel swim has this summer. Remember to shop with dual intent in mind: Will this triangle top also work in a basement club? Will this swim short ride up when I’m getting dinner after a long beach nap? Most importantly, go outside the box and don’t be afraid to wear pieces in unlikely spots or ways.