WHAT TO WEAR OVER A SWIMSUIT THIS SUMMER: THE BEST SWIMWEAR COVER-UPS AND DRESSES TO TRY ON

Since summer will be here before we know it, we can think of no better time to start curating our warm-weather closets ready for those long-awaited sun-filled days. From weekends spent swimming, reading, and strolling along the beach to long-awaited vacations packed with oceanside activities, lounging by the pool, and exploring all your destination has to offer. You’ll be asking a lot from both your swimwear and the pieces you choose to pair it with. So, to make things nice and simple, we’ve put our cyber-shopping skills to the test to bring you all the best sustainable summer clothing that you, your closet, and the planet so deserve. Keep on reading to discover all we’ve found and prepare to fall head over heels for your most sustainable and stylish summer wardrobe yet...

SIMPLE YET CHIC WRAP-AROUND SWIMSUIT COVER UPS

Whether your day involves relaxing by the water or strolling on the sand, finding the right bathing suit cover up is essential. Firstly, you’ll want to make sure it fits and fastens just how you want it to. You’ll also need it to work for all the kinds of days you have planned. So, think about the length and decide whether you prefer a mini, midi, or maxi style. Then, turn your attention to the fabric and color/print. At Koraru, we’re all about finding the most beautiful, recycled, and sustainable materials. With that in mind, we highly recommend adding the the Clarence knit skirt, by sustainable brand Reformation, to your lineup. This beautiful, knit skirt makes for a romantic beach skirt to layer on top of your black bikini bottoms to create a seamless effect. With its floral design, it is sure to coordinate easily with the pieces you already own. It’s perfect for pairing with a simple white t-shirt and will also go great with your go-to head turning pring or black swimsuit top or as the perfect thing to throw over your one piece bathing suit and head off to lunch at the nearest beach bar.

As if all this wasn’t enough, this dreamy skirt is made while saving 14 lbs. of carbon dioxide and 178 gal. of water. We’ll be throwing this eternally chic skirt over the Zabel tube one piece bathing suit and Annie one shoulder top in Nero all summer long.

DREAMY SUMMER MIDI DRESSES WHEN TEMPERATURES SOAR 

When the sun’s beating down and all you want to do is head for the beach, cool sustainable dresses are all you need. Look out for styles you can easily slip in and out of. And those you can wear over your favorite bikinis and cute bathing suits. For example, we all need an effortlessly stylish white midi dress for our summer plans. Luckily, sustainable brand Arielle has created the perfect one. Their beautiful bias cut slip dress is made from 100% milk fabric with a summery swiss-dot finish. It also has a super pretty V-neckline with adjustable tie-up spaghetti straps for the quintessential summer silhouette. This dress is particularly perfect for throwing over a bandeau bikini like the Nikko bandeau top and matching Nikko scrunch bottoms in the shade Avorio. A sleek white bikini like this one will compliment the soft white hue of this dress.

Also, if you’re wondering what exactly milk fabric is, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like! Milk fabric is made when leftover milk from organic dairy farms is ‘fermented and spun into a silky fiber’. The process uses zero chemicals or dyes and only a very small amount of water. The final product, the milk fabric, is antimicrobial, hypo-allergenic, and regulates temperature making it ideal for summer. It’s even fully biodegradable.

MAKE WAVES IN A SUSTAINABLE SUMMER MINI DRESS

There’s nothing like stepping out in a breezy mini-dress at the height of summer. Especially when it’s as easy to throw on over your favorite bathing suit as the Lani wrap dress by Ocean Child is. A simple yet seriously chic mini silhouette, this little blue dress is made using 100% organic cotton. It’s lightweight, breathable, sustainable, cruelty-free, and produced using ethical practices. Add this to your warm-weather closet to pop over every high waisted bikini and one piece swimsuit you own. You’ll look and feel effortlessly cool and put together at a moment’s notice. Also, if you choose to wear yours over a one piece swimsuit like the Chikyu belted one piece (highly recommended) you’ll be ready for anything from impromptu dips in the ocean to dinner by the water. 

STEP OUT IN SUSTAINABLE SARONGS

Keep it classic this summer in a sleek sustainable sarong. Maybe you’re spending time relaxing poolside with a good book in hand. Perhaps you’re heading to the beach for a family day filled with sun, sand, and surf. Either way, these timeless wrap-around swimsuit cover ups are a must-have for your beachwear lineup. We’re opting for block-color styles we can pair with our go-to white and black bikinis. Like the Hedy classic triangle bikini top and coordinating Hedy mid-rise bottoms. This bikini comes in six gorgeous colors and prints, all of which will match perfectly with a sarong.

Our top pick? The Santorini Sarong, available in six different shades and prints, by Shinjuku Lanes. Either one of these dreamy sarongs will be an invaluable addition to your vacation closet. Not to mention, you can fully enjoy your newest clothing purchase knowing it’s made from 100% bamboo and coloured with eco-friendly dyes, making it gentle on your skin and the planet.

Written by Sophie Mara - Fashion & Lifestyle Writer for Koraru

Sophie is a fashion and lifestyle writer based in the eco-friendly city of Brighton, England. She has years of experience writing for a number of online fashion and lifestyle publications about personal styling, fashion & lifestyle, Fashion Week coverage, beauty and more. On rare occasions when she's not writing, Sophie can be found with her head in a good book or catching up on her favourite interior design series