How to be stylish at the beach

I don't know which ones you are.

Are you one of those people who are like those sun-drunk desert lizards who deploy self-regulating body heat techniques just to stay exposed to the sun longer? They coat themselves with oil and hold on until the skin is brown and well-patched and only leave the beach when the sun is worn out from having shone too much for too long.

Or are you one of those who buy a crappy parasol, made far, far away, at the beach souvenir shop to erect it as a shaky rampart between you and the sun and who cling to it when the wind threatens for fear of find yourself at the mercy of ultraviolet?

In both cases, and even if you are part of another category that my Manichean introduction will not have described, I will tell you: you have the right to elegance even at the beach.

Why be elegant at the beach?

Showing up in a shapeless faded t-shirt, long surfer swim shorts and Havaiana flip-flops, anyone can do it. Everyone does it very well, instinctively, and besides, there are only a few people who are offended by it, so why do it any other way? After all, you're going to sweat on a towel, so why make the effort to dress well?

Only if you have seen films like And God... Created Woman, Plein soleil or its American adaptation The Talented Mr Ripley, La Piscine, or even films with Marcello Mastroianni, perhaps you have been able to see what There's something charming and enjoyable about being elegant at the beach.

Don't worry, I'm not talking about a tie, jacket or closed shoes. There is no question of spending the same vacation as Mr. Hulot but I encourage us to make the effort to be presentable in a context where everything pushes us not to be .

Because it's in situations like these that we see the truly elegant. Yes, elegance is played out even on the short distance separating the car and the beach.

Besides, you will forgive me for the digression but at Pitti Uomo, this famous men's fashion show in Florence, you can quickly discern the real elegant ones from the fake ones. There is an implacable truth, which cannot be imitated, which emanates from truly elegant people, those who are even elegant when it comes to going to the beach and I'm not talking about buying expensive clothes, I'm talking about choosing your clothes with care even in the most informal moments possible.

This is what gives this truth which we then carry everywhere with us and which does not deceive.

Good beach attire is:

• A short-sleeved top
• Swim shorts
• Sun glasses
• A head covering
• Open shoes
• A bag

Swim shorts

Of course, you have the right to wear swimming trunks . Especially if you're past fifty, your skin is already dark just after summer has started, there's a bit of irreverence in you and confidence in every atom of your body.

Perhaps you even have a small dog to whom you have given a human name and which you hold in your arms because he has difficulty moving forward in the sand.

You are a regular at the beach, the municipal employees greet you. You know every grain of sand and always put your towel in the same place at the same time every day.

You are in Cannes, or along the Amalfi Coast, the Costa Brava or anywhere else as long as the water lapping your beach is called Mediterranean.

But for everyone else, I recommend swimming shorts . I am fiercely attached to the idea that there is no elegance without a little modesty and that any clothing that does not tarnish the dignity of its wearer is always preferable.

Or, you have to know how to distill a small dose of immodesty into a dignified outfit: for example, it's the shirt that you've opened a little too much, in a context of high heat, or it's the small watch that's little bling on tanned skin.

To say it now, the swim shorts should reach above the knee and their length should be harmonious with your height.

A guide to swim shorts has been published, but I can give you this advice here:

• if you are tall, don't take it too short
• if you are short, not too long
• If your height is average, I would say mid-thigh shorts are best.

By the way, short shorts provide more freedom of movement . Which can be useful when your kid runs away to cuddle a giant stranded jellyfish and you have to dive to stop this fully inflated balloon heading for the nasal septum of a sleeping granny, like Martin Parr.

Here is a small selection:

A nice seersucker at La Paz.

Plant print for Atalaye .

Madder print for this Rubinacci . Maybe my favorite...

The most stylish board shorts ever. Birdwell Beach Britches , at Jinji.

Frescobol Carioca , sky blue is always appreciable for swim shorts, for any skin tone in fact.

Hartford plain water green swim shorts. Effective, pleasant to wear.

If you prefer a print, choose a micropattern instead. Or at least something that isn't too heavy, too busy. We're at the beach, we have the right to fantasy, but it's not doing ourselves any favors to dress up either.

The top

I love wearing shirts to the beach for several reasons.

1. Not many people wear them so it stands out.
2. Because I need fullness and I prefer a loose shirt to a loose t-shirt. I find that the shape of the first lends itself better.
3. It is easier to find shirts made of linen alone or linen and cotton than a t-shirt
4. I can have fun with the shape of the collar
5. I can choose to open it a little too much, roll up the sleeves as I wish

And surely other reasons which escape me now but, for the beach, I recommend the short-sleeved shirt or not.

I must also say that I have a weakness for the polo shirt which, with its collar, has a little more character than the t-shirt and besides, for the latter, you don't need me to get it right. choose. The same rules apply as always .

I think of polo because when I think of beach, I think of French Riviera and that is part of the outfit.

Here is my little selection:

Ripa Ripa linen shirt , inspired by Marcello Mastroianni. Made in Italy. In addition, we can recreate the look of Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair.

Ripa Ripa has other shirts in more conventional colors that I invite you to discover. Nice brand.

G.Kero is really the vacation wardrobe for me and I could wear this shirt just as well on the beach as in the evening with an old 501 and espadrilles. And then, as a fan of David Bowie, I don't say no.

Hartford linen chambray shirt.

Terry cloth polo shirt, towel style, Orlebar Brown .

Piqué shirt, like a polo shirt. The kind of top that is pleasant to wear, that you don't care about creasing, that is flexible and has a rustic side that lends itself well to the beach context. Ecoalf, at Bien Bien Habillés.

NN07 shirt in lyocell and linen.

Light You Must Create shirt whose retro style is particularly suitable for the seaside atmosphere.

Not for everyone, but these pastel colors look great. To wear, as on the model, with white, cream, beige. President's

The headgear

For obvious reasons, protecting your head from the sun seems like a good idea. And, while I absolutely love a cap, when it's too hot, I prefer a drier material, which won't stick right up against my shiny forehead.

Everyone has their own dislikes.

This is why I prefer straw hats to caps and bucket hats at the beach . However, if the weather is not scorching, I can easily give in to one of these three options. Even if I have never found the bob that will make me happy.

And I know that, in a live broadcast some time ago, I said that in my opinion Panama hats should only be reserved for gentlemen over the age of fifty, but I don't see a satisfactory alternative when we're on the market. burning sand.

So here are some options:

Superb Courtois hat . Go see the others, it's really great art and it's in very good taste. In addition, the products are taken care of.

One of these three Sublime hats , Japanese brand. They can roll around and get stuffed in the bag or you could even fall asleep on them without damaging them. Useful and beautiful.

Lock and Co beige linen cap .

La Paz . The beach bob. Not to be put on everyone's heads...

Sunglasses

Well, it seems obvious that you shouldn't go to the beach without a pair of protective glasses. Eyes are important, after all, that's how we see. So. Now that I have a full ball in the shoulder, a nice open door, I will show you what I have selected.

Knowing that Benoît recently filmed a Parlons Clothes on the subject .

For my part, I am for eye-catching glasses. I'm a little tired of always seeing the same shape, neither too round nor too square. And, I believe that at the beach, we can let loose a little. Besides, glasses are a real way to give someone charisma. If you wear simple clothes and your pair of glasses is statement, your whole image will be changed (for the better, if the pair is well chosen).

So, here are some glasses with character, I warn you:

Max Pittion , to dream a little. French brand from Oyonnax taken over by the Japanese. Here, it's the Politician shape, a classic full of audacity from the brand. To give you quality finishes: all rivets are in 10k gold.

The Edie from Sun Buddies , more accessible. I like the fairly thick, assertive frame.

And still a fan of Moscot whose pairs of glasses constantly refer to the cinema, I think.

And it is impossible to talk about "glasses of character" without quoting Jacques Marie Image which I invite you to discover if you are not familiar with it. I also think of Kirk Originals and Native Sons .

The shoes

How many times have I seen myself walking on the beach with closed shoes and socks. And how many more times have I found holiday sand in my Parisian living room? So it can be charming, putting a balm in your heart during the first days of recovery. “Aaaaah really it was good.” But all the same, we will notice that the sensation of grains of sand under bare feet is pleasant only when these grains are innumerable. When you can count them, it's less pleasant.

And so!, at the beach it is better to opt for open shoes, which can be easily taken off and put on. So, you have the flip-flop, of course, but for those who want to push the debate a little further, here is what I suggest:

Selection of open shoes:

Steve Mono . Rare sandals that I find elegant. Not you ?

The good old Birkenstocks , faithful to the post. Often criticized, but still there!

Quite elegant sandals from La Botte Gardiane.

Greek god sandals Ancient Greek Sandals , made in Greece. Not sure if you shouldn't reglue the sole after a summer, but I find it rather elegant. Wear without socks.

The bag

It's true that it would be a shame to ruin all your efforts to look stylish with a bad bag, right? For me, a good bag is discreet. The beach bag par excellence is the tote and I must say that I am not against it. It's practical, you can put all kinds of things that stick out (here too, I think of all the mess you drag around for your children).

And then, once again, when there is sand in the bottom of the bag, we turn it over, tap the bottom and that's it. No need to develop great imagination to dislodge the grain of sand that has got stuck in an inaccessible bulge in the bag.

In addition, I do not recommend a backpack style because it will make your back sweat. You already have to take care of your armpits, let's let your back breathe.

So here is a small selection of shopping bags:

Onia cotton canvas bag . Simple and beautiful like the smile of a loved one.

Waterproof Teflon canvas bag. Not stupid. Léon Flam x Paraboot

Norse Projects tote bag.

Amiacalva bag in cotton canvas.

Some outfit inspiration to finish