How to style an effortless resort wardrobe for men

Fundamental principles of resort styling

1) Keep it natural

The number one rule when packing for a beach or resort vacation is, keep it natural.  The weather at resort locations is often hot and humid. Ensure you pack pieces made of light natural fibers such as linen, cotton, and bamboo. This will give your skin optimum breathability and keep you fresh and cool throughout the day. Synthetic fabrics, on the other hand, can leave you feeling hot and sticky and will lead to excessive perspiration. So it is best to avoid synthetics and gravitate towards natural yarns.

2) Coordinate colors

 

The key to packing like a pro, is to plan your wardrobe so the majority of the tops and bottoms can be worn together interchangeably. This will give you the optimum level of flexibility and give you the ability to create a large number of outfits from a handfull of quality pieces. This is handy, as you will be able to travel light and have more room in your luggage.

3) Quality, not quantity

You are better off investing in a small number of high-quality pieces that will wash well, feel better against the skin and coordinate as part of a collection, rather than packing a large number of poor quality garments that wash poorly, feel itchy against the skin and ultimately can not be worn well together.  For example, when choosing linen pieces, remember not all linens are created equal. Ensure you purchase high-quality linen pieces that breathe and wash brilliantly, over cheaper synthetic blends that feel itchy and fall apart in the wash. Try brands like Madda Fella that offer 100% premium linen, at very reasonable prices.

Start with the core basics

Now that you know the fundamental styling principles you can start selecting pieces for your resort vacation. A good starting point is to use neutral essentials to form the foundation for your resort wardrobe. Go for core basics in neutral colors such as white, navy, oatmeal and taupe. Here are your must-pack items for any beach or resort vacation:

Classic linen shirts

 

Linen shirts are an absolute staple item when packing for a vacation in warm, tropical climates. They are incredibly versatile and can be worn casually to the beach and pool, or dressed up for enjoying fun evenings out at local bars and restaurants. Pack a mixture of short and long sleeve linen shirts, as long sleeves provide excellent protection from the sun. Roll up the cuffs for a relaxed beachy vibe. We love these Ernest Linen Shirts as they are 100% linen, premium quality and machine washable.

Practical Linen Shorts

 

The other must-have resort wear item is a pair (or two) of classic linen shorts. They are comfortable, stylish and breathable. Choose them in neutral colors such as navy, taupe or pebble grey, as this will give you the flexibility of matching them with tops of various prints, colors and styles. These Truman Linen Shorts are a great buy because they have been vintage washed, ensuring the color does not fade over time.

Relaxed linen pants

Linen pants are another core essential on any tropical vacation. Perfect for relaxed days, or to dress up in the evenings with your favorite shirt. Wear with high-quality leather flip flops during the day or dress up with camel or taupe boat shoes for a smarter look. Remember to roll the cuffs for a relaxed and easy-going feel. We highly recommend choosing linen pants that have been pre-washed during manufacturing, like these Beach Linen pants, as this process creates a lovely soft and comfortable feel to the linen.

Inject some personality

Once you have chosen your neutral base for the wardrobe, it is time to spice it up with bold colors, fun prints and nautical stripes.

Bold color blocking

Choosing a bold accent color is a brilliant way to spice up any vacation wardrobe and add interest to your core essential pieces. These Stock Island Shorts in mineral red provide a striking lift to the neutral color pallet of navy, white and pale blue.  Notice how one pair of shorts can easily be worn back with the majority of the tops to create multiple unique and interesting outfits.

Play with tropical prints

 

Nothing helps you channel vacation vibes better than a breezy tropical print. Choosing bold prints in colors that align with your overarching color palette is a brilliant way to ensure the print is still versatile and matches the majority of your wardrobe pieces. We simply adore this Ernest Linen Shirt with vintage palm accents, as it provides a fresh twist to the classic navy linen shirt.

Classic stripes with a modern twist

 

Incorporating stripes into your vacation wardrobe is another fun way of injecting personality into your vacay style, while offering a subtle nod to the nautical surrounds. Give stripes a fresh twist by choosing new season's colors such as glass, Caribbean blue and coral. This lightweight Ernest Linen shirt, in coral stripe, is a perfect example of providing a modern twist to classic resort styling. Choosing striped shirts with interesting and modern necklines is another way of creating a contemporary look. These Castaway shirts, for example, feature a crew collar placket design creating a modern take on classic nautical style.

So, there you have your ultimate guide to styling a fresh and effortless resort wardrobe:

1. follow the styling principles of natural fibers, coordination and quality
2.  use neutral basics as the foundation
3. spice it up with bold color blocking, prints and stripes

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