Beach Cover-Up Dresses: 8 Designer Styles That Work Off the Sand Too

The short answer: the best beach cover-up dress is one you would wear without a swimsuit underneath. Choose cotton voile, poplin, linen, cotton mesh, in a midi to ankle length, with a neckline that sits well over swimwear straps. Our pick is the Johanna Ortiz Paraiso Agrste Dress, an ankle length cotton voile slip in ecru and navy that goes from the beach to dinner without a change. See every style in our designer dresses edit and on the Johanna Ortiz page.

Cover ups used to be an afterthought: a terry towelling dress, a crochet tunic, something to pull on for the walk back. Resort wardrobes have changed that. The designer cover up is now a proper dress in a breathable fabric, cut to sit over a swimsuit and good enough for lunch. Johanna Ortiz has built a large part of its reputation here. Johanna Ortiz founded her label in Cali, Colombia, in 2003, and still designs and produces there, working with Colombian artisans on the prints, the embroidery and the hand finishing.

Beach cover-up dresses at a glance

Fabric: what works over a swimsuit

• Cotton voile. Light, slightly sheer, dries quickly. The best all rounder.
• Cotton poplin. Crisper and more opaque. Looks like a day dress in town.
• Linen. Breathes best in humid heat, creases beautifully.
• Cotton mesh. Sheer on purpose, so the swimsuit becomes part of the look.
• Crinkled lycra. A swimwear fabric cut as a dress, close and evening ready.

Length and neckline

Midi and ankle lengths look most deliberate off the beach. A mini works for boats and beach bars. For necklines, a halter covers halter swimsuit straps, a strapless top sits over a bandeau, and a slip strap works with almost everything. If you love a halter, read our halter maxi dresses guide.

Our picks

1. Paraiso Agrste Dress

Ankle length cotton voile in ecru and navy with a slip-on fit. Crisp, coastal and breathable.

2. Reinventing Dress

Light linen in ecru and wine, with a tie at the back to cinch the shape when you want one.

3. Ebb and Flow Dress

A sheer ecru cotton mesh maxi with a halter neck, a front ring and cut outs at the waist.

4. Desert Heart Dress

Ankle length linen in green and rose, with a halter neck and a front cut out.

5. Buen Viento Dress

Black and ecru linen with a halter that wraps at the throat, graphic enough for dinner.

6. Baboon Call Dress

Crinkled black lycra cut close as a midi with a back buckle and tie, and an embroidered strap edge.

7. Paradise Dress

A strapless black eyelet cotton mini with a front ring.

8. Harbor Hues Dress

Off the shoulder cotton voile with voluminous sleeves, in an ecru and black print.

For a longer edit, read vacation dresses and cotton maxi dresses. For a wedding on the sand, see beach wedding guest dresses.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best fabric for a beach cover-up dress?

Cotton voile and linen. Both breathe, dry quickly and look like real dresses off the beach.

Can you wear a beach cover-up to a restaurant?

A designer cover up in voile, poplin, linen, yes. Choose a midi to ankle length and add leather sandals.

What length cover up is most versatile?

Ankle length. It covers a swimsuit fully and looks considered at lunch and dinner.

Should a cover-up dress be sheer?

It depends on the look. Sheer mesh shows the swimsuit on purpose. Voile and poplin are better when you want one piece that works alone.

Do Johanna Ortiz dresses fit true to size?

Yes. The house says its dresses fit true to size, and Coveti lists them on the UK ladder, where a US 0 is a UK 4.