Travel guide
What to Wear to a Resort
Think in transitions: pool to lunch, beach to bar, sightseeing to dinner. Fewer clothes, more jobs each.
What should you wear to a resort? Light, breathable clothes you can wear over swimwear by day, plus one or two slightly neater outfits for dinner: linen shirts, simple dresses, shorts or loose trousers, comfortable sandals and one light layer.
Think in transitions: pool to lunch, room to breakfast, beach to bar, sightseeing to dinner. You don’t need an outfit for each. The goal isn’t a suitcase labelled “resort wear”; it’s clothes that feel relaxed by day and still look presentable when you walk into a restaurant.
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What is resort wear?
Resort wear is relaxed, lightweight clothing for warm-weather holidays that still looks put together: breathable linen and cotton, easy shirts, shorts, loose trousers, simple dresses and cover-ups, and comfortable sandals rather than heels.
In fashion, “resort” (or “cruise”) is also the name for collections released between the main seasons, originally for people heading somewhere warm in the northern winter. You don’t need anything from one. Clothes you already own, chosen for heat and easy changes, do the job.
It’s close to the resort casual dress code, which is how many resort restaurants describe their evening standard.
The resort wardrobe at a glance
- Swimwear, two sets on longer trips
- A cover-up you can wear beyond the pool
- Lightweight tops and shirts
- Shorts, skirts or loose trousers
- Simple dresses, if you wear them
- Comfortable sandals
- One pair of shoes for walking or a smarter dinner
- One light layer, such as a fine cardigan
- One or two slightly neater evening combinations
The safe resort outfit
| When | What to wear |
|---|---|
| Pool day | Swimwear + light shirt or cover-up + shorts, skirt or loose trousers + sandals |
| Out and about | Tee, polo, shirt or simple top + light bottoms + sandals or clean casual shoes |
| Dinner | Neat light shirt, blouse, dress or top + trousers, skirt or smarter shorts + clean sandals or shoes |
That structure covers a surprising number of resort holidays.
Resort wear doesn’t mean dressing up all day
People move between breakfast, pools, beaches, activities, rooms, bars and restaurants all day. There’s no point wearing something so elaborate at breakfast that you have to change before the pool, and spending the whole day in swimwear gets awkward when you stop at a bar on the way back. The best resort clothes sit in between.
Breakfast
One of the most casual parts of the day: shorts and a tee, light trousers and a casual shirt, a simple dress, or a skirt and top, with sandals. Swimwear underneath for the pool later? Add a proper shirt, dress or cover-up. A relaxed outfit with swimwear under it is very different from wet swimmers and a towel.
The pool
Keep it simple: swimwear, a cover-up, sandals or thongs, a hat and sunglasses. Two sets of swimwear let one dry while you wear the other. For long days outdoors, Cancer Council recommends sun-protective clothing along with sunscreen, a hat and shade.
Your cover-up should work at lunch too
This is the easiest way to pack light. A useful cover-up might be:
- An oversized lightweight shirt
- A shirt dress
- A simple cotton or linen dress
- A kaftan that works away from the pool
- A lightweight matching set
The best ones let you leave the pool, put something on and walk straight into a casual restaurant. That beats something that only works for the thirty metres between your room and a sun lounge.
What to wear to lunch at a resort
Relaxed but properly dressed: light shirt + shorts or loose trousers + sandals, a simple dress + flat sandals, or a tee or blouse + skirt or shorts + casual shoes.
Some hotel restaurants ban swimwear; others are very casual. If the resort gives dining guidance, follow it. The key distinction is usually between dressed for the pool and dressed for the restaurant.
What does resort casual actually mean?
Resort casual means relaxed warm-weather clothing that still looks intentional: collared shirts, polos, neat tees where accepted, linen or light trousers, chinos, smart shorts where allowed, simple dresses, skirts, blouses or polished tops, and clean sandals or casual shoes.
It usually isn’t formalwear. But it isn’t boardshorts, wet swimwear and thongs at dinner either. The exact line depends on the resort and the restaurant.
Check the actual restaurant’s dress code
Larger and luxury resorts often have different standards at different restaurants: one may be very casual while another asks for smart casual. Don’t assume the whole property has one rule. Check booked restaurants before you leave, and solve it with one useful outfit rather than several emergency options.
What to wear to dinner at a resort
At many resorts, dinner is simply one step neater than daytime.
Women
A simple dress, blouse or polished top, trousers or a skirt, and flat sandals or other comfortable evening shoes. At a smarter restaurant, move toward a slightly more polished dress or separates. Jackets, ties, heels and formal dresses are rarely needed unless the venue asks.
If the resort says smart casual
Take it seriously, but don’t panic: polished rather than formal. Men: a collared shirt, light trousers and clean shoes. Women: a simple dress, or a neat top with trousers or a skirt, and polished sandals. Properties interpret it differently, so the venue’s own rule beats any guide. See smart casual.
One dinner outfit can do several nights
Don’t plan seven dinner outfits for seven nights. Light trousers can do three evenings with different tops, a simple dress can be worn again, and a dinner shirt becomes a daytime shirt two days later. The staff aren’t keeping a spreadsheet of your wardrobe.
Take clothes that can change jobs
The most useful pieces move through the whole trip:
| Piece | Jobs it can do |
|---|---|
| Light long-sleeved shirt | Pool cover-up, sun layer, lunch shirt and evening layer |
| Loose trousers | Flight, sightseeing, dinner and cooler evenings |
| Simple dress | Breakfast, town, lunch and dinner with a change of shoes or accessories |
| Clean sneakers | Airport, sightseeing, walking and some casual dinners |
The more roles each piece plays, the smaller the suitcase.
What shoes do you need?
Usually fewer than you think. Pair one: sandals or thongs for the pool, beach and casual use. Pair two: comfortable sneakers, walking shoes or cleaner casual shoes for sightseeing and travel. Add a third only if dinner really needs it, and check pair two can’t already do the job. You don’t need five versions of the same sandal.
Can you wear thongs around a resort?
Around pools, beaches and casual areas, generally yes. Restaurants vary: casual venues won’t mind, smarter ones may expect more. A good pair of simple sandals bridges pool and restaurant more easily than thongs.
Hot weather, layers and beachfront resorts
Hot and humid
If the resort is tropical, humidity changes the wardrobe more than the word “resort” does. Choose airy light cotton, linen and blends, light rayon or viscose, and quick-drying fabrics. Don’t build the trip around heavy denim. See our tropical holiday and hot-weather guides.
Pack one light layer anyway
Resort air-con can be fierce. Even at 30°C you may want a layer in restaurants and lobbies, for sea breezes, boats, transfers and the flight. A light overshirt, cardigan, wrap or fine knit is plenty, and it doubles for the plane. See our long-haul flight and airport guides.
Beachfront resorts
The beach may be very casual while the lobby, restaurants, bars, spa and shops feel more polished. The answer isn’t more clothes; it’s a few pieces you can put over swimwear and keep wearing. See our beach holiday guide.
What if you’re leaving the resort?
Don’t pack only for the property if half the holiday is outside it: towns, markets, boat trips, hikes, cultural or religious sites and restaurants may need different shoes or more coverage than the pool. Research the destination separately, for example what to wear to a Bali temple or a Thai temple.
A resort in Fiji isn’t the same packing problem as one in Bali, Greece or Queensland. Pack for destination + weather + activities + resort, in that order. The hotel’s aesthetic should be one of the last things deciding your suitcase.
Destination guides: Bali resorts, Thailand resorts, Noosa resorts, Port Douglas resorts and Fiji.
A one-week resort packing example
For a warm seven-night stay with swimming, a couple of excursions and dinners:
| Item | How many |
|---|---|
| Light tops or tees | 4 |
| Light shirts | 2 |
| Casual bottoms | 2 |
| Light trousers | 1 pair |
| Simple dresses or evening combinations | 1–2 |
| Swimwear | 2 sets |
| Versatile cover-up | 1 |
| Light layer | 1 |
| Sandals or thongs | 1 pair |
| Walking or casual shoes | 1 pair |
| Hat and sunglasses | 1 each |
| Underwear and sleepwear | As needed |
That’s plenty of combinations without dedicated resort outfits. Packing cubes keep swimwear, day and evening pieces separate. Travelling lighter? See carry-on only.
What not to pack for a resort
| Skip | Why |
|---|---|
| Seven different dinner outfits | Repeat; nobody’s counting |
| Several near-identical sandals | One good pair covers it |
| Formalwear | Only if a specific venue requires it |
| Clothes that only work by the pool | Cover-ups should go to lunch |
| A whole new “resort wear” wardrobe | What you own usually works |
| Heavy clothes for the tropics | Humidity punishes them |
| Impractical shoes for excursions | Boats, markets and paths need grip |
| Delicate clothes | Sunscreen, humidity and salt water are hard on them |
The resort packing test
Before something goes in the suitcase, ask:
1
Can I wear this somewhere other than dinner?
2
Can I put this over swimwear?
3
Will it work outside the resort?
4
Can I walk comfortably in these shoes?
5
Does the restaurant actually require this?
6
Is something else already doing this job?
If a piece only exists because you imagine resorts need a special wardrobe, give it another look.
So, how should you dress for a resort?
Casual by day, something proper over swimwear when you leave the pool or beach, and one step neater for dinner. A good resort wardrobe is surprisingly ordinary: comfortable shirts, simple tops, light trousers and shorts, a dress or two, swimwear, good sandals and one practical pair of shoes. Check the resort before you go, pack for its one known requirement, and make everything else earn its place by being useful more than once.
