What to Wear to the Beach: A Casual Denim Shorts Outfit

Ahhh, sweet sweet summertime. I live for summer and easy casual beach outfits. One of my favorite summertime activities is walking on the beach. In order to stay comfortable, I tend to wear a combo of denim shorts, crop tops and sandals. As a girl who grew up living at the beach, I’ve found that there are 5 items that make up the perfect casual beach outfit. Keep reading to see what they are!

Outfit Details:

Aerie Top (on sale for $12!) / H&M Denim Shorts / Sandals / Similar Straw Bag / Pink Statement Earrings (comes in 6 colors and under $13!)

I love spending the day at the beach swimming but my second favorite thing to do is walk on the beach at dusk. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I live for the beach or any place near water. During the day it’s super sunny, hot and you need to constantly be refreshed by the ocean. At night, it feels like a completely different place. The sun starts to set, the sky fills with beautiful pink and orange colors, the night air is so refreshing and the gentle crashing of the waves brings so much peace.

During the day, I love wearing a crop top and denim shorts as a beach cover up over my swimsuit. At night I throw on a pair of statement earrings, a strapless bra, sandals and a beach bag. When I go to the beach, I want to sit in the sand, play, run around and not feel confined by what I’m wearing which is why denim shorts are the best option.

Outfit Details:

Aerie Top (on sale for $12!) / H&M Denim Shorts / Sandals / Similar Straw Bag / Pink Statement Earrings (comes in 6 colors and under $13!)

5 Items to Wear to the Beach

Crop Top – This Aerie Crop top is hands down one of my favorite purchases of the summer! I adore the cut out details on the front, the slight cinched peplum top and the cross tie on the back. It comes in the blush color I’m wearing and also a cream color which I also own. I told you I love this top. It’s on sale for $12 which is such a steal! Worth every penny! I’m not one to walk around with my whole stomach hanging out, so I usually wear a crop top with shorts that have a slight higher waist for a more modest look.

Denim Shorts – I purchased these denim shorts right before I left for Hawaii and wore them in Oahu all the time! They are my most worn purchase of the summer and under $20! The cut on them is perfect, not to high, not to low. I don’t like super high rise or tight clothes because it makes my stomach hurts and gives me physical pain. These are a 6, fit my body nicely and have enough breathing room. So these were a win! They are also not super short. Believe me, I tried on so many denim shorts, and most were booty shorts on my 5’8 frame. I feel comfortable enough going to dinner or walking around in them.

Sandals – You can literally never go wrong with a pair of sandals for the beach. These are super similar to the one’s I’m wearing and only cost $30, plus white goes with everything. Next summer I want to splurge on these adorable Jack Rogers sandals! I am already dreaming up casual beach outfits I can wear with them!

Statement Earrings – These will dress up any casual outfit! I like how they really tie my outfit together and make it feel complete! Plus, earrings are just fun! Target sells the best budget friendly pairs in tons of colors!

Straw Beach Bag – A large beach bag is the best because it holds so much! You can put you phone, towel, water bottle, wet swimsuit, and sandals in your bag and still have room. I bought this bag in Savannah on a family vacation but I found a similar option here.