What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. One of summer’s great pleasures is heading out with a group of friends for a day on the water, then having that day stretch into an evening out for dinner/drinks, or, back to a house for a BBQ. Here’s a setup that can carry over from on the water, to after and kicking back.
The Swim Trunks: Original Penguin Earl Volley Swim Trunk in Daphne Blue – $30 – $65. Good grief swim trunks can be expensive. And depending on your size, these OP trunks might run you as much as sixty five bucks. But they get so many things right. Classic without being goofy. A liner for support. A waist band you can cinch up via the strings, and lack of diaper-like elastic at the waist. Want something similar but cheaper? Try these via Saks of 5th for $22.
The Watch: Casio Diver – $40.99 + Heavy Duty Nato Strap – $17.49. Often mentioned and for good reason. Perfect for a day at and in the lake. 200m water resistance means you should be plenty fine wearing it in and out of the water.
The Long Sleeve Tee: J. Crew Varigated Stripe Tee in Navy – $27.99 w/ SHOPNOW ($49.50). For when you want to take a break from the sun, or, the sun has gone down. All cotton w/ nautical stripes.
The Pants: J. Crew Factory Lightweight Chino in Dusty Mint – $29.50. Color without going full nuclear on your retinas. Noticeably lighter weight/thinner (but not in a bad way) cotton. A good layer to bring along and change into after you’re out of the water, dried off, and heading off to grab dinner (or, fire up the grill) and a pint.
The Bag: Beckel Canvas Handi Bag in Green – $48.00. Made in the USA, roomy enough for all your essentials, and the tote-style is much easier to dig around/root through at the beach than a standard duffel. A bit of a splurge, but if you’re one to haul stuff often, you’ll get plenty of use out of it.
The Entertainment: TDK Life on Record A33 Wireless Weatherproof Speaker – $57.99. Well reviewed and weatherized design. If the beach is packed, just don’t piss off your sand-neighbors. Not everyone has your taste in music.
The Entertainment Part II: Spalding Football – $18.99
The Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider Saltwashed CVO in Grey – $53.39 ($60). Flip flops are great and all, until the tops of your feet get sunburned. Plus, you’ll save your toes from mosquito bites come dusk.
The Sunblock: Neutrogena CoolDry Sport Spray SPF 70 – $7.17. Much, much easier to apply than standard cream sunscreens. And don’t forget to re-apply every so often.
The Beer: 21st Amendment Down to Earth Session IPA (4.4% ABV / 42 IBUS). Canned, clean, and hoppy enough considering it’s low ABV. Plus, there’s a chimp in a space suit on the label.
The Sunglasses: Warby Parker Barkley in Oak Barrel/Blue Lenses – $95.00. Almost a hundred bucks is anything but cheap, but WPs are made well, these come with polarized lenses, and it’s a color combo/frame shape that won’t go out of style anytime soon.