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Tired of your swimwear already? Spruce up your suits by sticking to one color palette from head to toe and give your well-loved bikinis and one-pieces new life for the rest of summer. Monochrome dressing is a styling trick often kept in back pockets of street style stars, but it isn’t limited to outside the shows. In fact, the tonal approach for summertime style was seen in past pages of Vogue ranging from the ’40s to the ’80s, in both brilliant beach outfits and glam poolside ensembles. In energizing brights or soft neutrals, consider your next beach look sorted.
And dressing in a single color has its own effortless ease. Stay comfortable in loose pull-on shorts or wrap up in a low-slung pareo; get covered up in an oversized button down or flowing caftan; and accessorize with your pick of sunhat and tinted sunglasses. Here, five monochrome beach outfits inspired by the Vogue archive that set the tone on high summer style.
Golden Hour
Catch rays in a slew of sunny separates, like a ruched one-piece suit and pull-on terry-soft beach shorts. Top it off with a mustard drawstring bucket hat from Jacquemus and a pair of slingbacks from the Row and you’re golden.
Soft Sand Dunes
Whether you’re on the beach or the boardwalk, stay cool in sandy neutrals in a variety of textures like natural canvas, woven wicker, and soft suede. A mixed-media shoulder bag is a chic alternative to the classic beach tote, while a pair of lace-up flip-flops are casual enough to wear on the beach, but elevated.
Laying Down the Lawn
No beach access? No problem. If you’re upstate or inland, try seagrass greens for laying poolside or relaxing in your slice of the great outdoors. Keep your uniform simple with a lime one-piece and complementing sarong. Tote your necessities—headphones, sunscreen, and sage-tinted sunnies—in a top handle.
Hot-Pink Summer Breeze
When it comes to summer style, a carefree oversized button-down is the season’s most versatile piece, even in fuchsia. Wear one open over a matching bikini and a pair of paperbag shorts for a punchy monochrome beach look or for a breezy evening boat ride.
Waterside Whites
Channel seaside glamour with an ankle-grazing cover-up and a balconette bikini. You might be staying local for this year’s beach vacation, but a pair of block-heeled sandals and a flowing hair scarf will have you feeling like you’re somewhere fresh and far-flung.
