Food, Home and Style
At the End of Your Robe: Beachwear Bargains
As if getting in shape for summer weren’t enough pressure—now you have to figure out how do you pull together warm-weather looks that are fashionable, flattering, and affordable. If last year’s bikini is too stretched out or your swim trunks are faded beyond recognition, consider these 10 resources for finding a perfect beach wardrobe while still staying financially afloat.
Old Navy: The ultimate resource for beach items that are fresh, bright and, most of all, cheap. Their men’s swim trunks in solids and prints are only $15. Mix and match separates and one-piece swimsuits for women are all under $20; kids’ swimwear is a steal for less than $10 an item. And who can beat flip-flops for five bucks?
Swimoutlet.com: Prefer doing laps in the pool to lounging the beach? This site has more athletic-style swimsuits. If you are a die-hard Speedo fan, check out the clearance corner. Grab your goggles, caps and other gear here too.
Target: Women’s one-piece bathing suits are $30 to $35. If you’re having a swimsuit emergency and need to grab a black bikini bottom, you are sure to find one here for less than $20. Men’s funky and colorful trunks run right around $20, too. Also, find a colorful beach bag here and stock up on your tanning lotions and creams.
Victoria’s Secret: Going for the sexy beach vibe? Victoria’s Secret is the place to pick up your next hot cut-out one-piece or string bikini. Serious discounts are available right now if you shop online: save 25 to 50 percent off more than 300 styles in their sale and clearance section. If you make a purchase by June 7 you can even get another 30 percent off already reduced pieces with a discount code. Now that’s sexy and smart!
Swimsuitsforall.com: For plus and harder-to-fit sizes. Their styles are contemporary and wallet friendly and they offer a great return policy. Take advantage of their “fit and flatter” section, where they make suggestions to suit your specific body type, and the personal shoppers available online or over the phone.
Belisi: A summer beach look isn’t complete without an oversized scarf, perfect for tossing over your shoulders when the wind blows or wrapping around your bottom sarong-style. This site offers silk pashminas and big summer scarves at good prices (right around $50). They offer free shipping along with free gift wrapping for that last minute beach party gift.
J.Crew: A great place for girls who like to keep their options open. Mixing and matching tops and bottoms is a great way to create multiple looks, and J. Crew makes it easy to extend the life of your suits by switching printed tops with solid bottoms and vice versa. Plus, these high-quality basics will last a lot longer than the other discount styles.
Wholesale Discount Sunglasses: It’s a long name with a long list of summer eyewear options. Guys especially can score major deals on all kinds of shades, from sporty to sophisticated, and their one-year return policy is a rare opportunity to trade up after the season has passed.
Macy’s: I recently found a great selection of beach cover-ups at Macy’s, both online and in the store. The trendy maxi dress is a simple and easy way to glam up at the beach or BBQ and is a fashionable alternative to a T-shirt and shorts. Tunics, shawls and scarves are all in one section at the store, so you can grab a few options to accessorize your look for your next pool party.
e4hats.com: Top off your look this summer with a fabulous straw hat. This website gives you endless options at great discount prices, and coupon codes are right on the site for extra savings. My favorites are the safari styles and a natural colored straw fedora with a dark band for $18.99.
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Julie Greene is an independent fashion stylist, wardrobe consultant and writer. She lives in New York City. Read more of her column about looking fierce in a financial crisis here.
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Target also has a great selection of women’s swim cover-ups. And in these recessionary times, I’ve noticed that they’ve lowered their prices, too. A white swim tunic that I was eyeing last year (but never bought) for $21.99 is now priced at $18.99 this season.