Packing for the beach is a little ritual. You open the suitcase on the bed, you look at the calendar of holiday days and you always ask yourself the same thing: what do you really need, and what will end up folded at the bottom? The answer isn't 'take everything', but building a travel wardrobe that combines itself, where every piece works with the others. In this guide you'll find the complete checklist for a week by the sea in summer 2026: five essential categories, what to choose in each one and the Dream Shop pieces that get you to the beach with your style already sorted.
Swimwear: the heart of the suitcase
The golden rule is simple: one swimsuit for every day you'll spend in the water, plus a spare. Salt, chlorine and sun ruin fabrics, and having a dry change ready is the difference between a comfortable day and one spent in still-damp bottoms. For a week by the sea, three or four pieces are ideal: a practical bikini for swimming, a more striking one for the sunlounger and the sunset photograph, and a one-piece swimsuit for the days when you want more coverage or want to go from the beach to the beach bar without changing.
With two-pieces, go for styles that hold up in the water: bandeaux with cups, Brazilian bottoms with adjustable ties, knotted triangles that adapt to your size. The Havanna Bikini, with its textured top and double-tie Brazilian bottoms, is the kind of style that suits different bodies and stands up to a proper swim. If instead you're after a single piece that flatters the silhouette, the animal-print one-piece with side cut-outs plays on deep necklines and metal details, perfect out of the water too with soft trousers.
Persian One-piece Swimsuit
Animal print, side cut-outs and a central medallion: a one-piece that looks more like a garment than a simple swimsuit. Wear it on the beach, but also with a long skirt for aperitivo, without ever losing its impact.
It's the wildcard that saves space in your suitcase: one single piece, two or three different occasions.
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Want to see every style available? Browse the Two-piece bikinis and One-piece swimsuits and monokinis collections.
The cover-up: from the beach to the sunlounger, no fuss
It's the most underrated piece in a beach suitcase, and yet it's the one you use most. A good cover-up takes you from the sunlounger to the kiosk, from the beach to a stroll along the seafront, and in the evening it even becomes an aperitivo piece. Two are enough: a light one for daytime, like a sarong or a tulle robe, and a more worked one — lace, crochet or fringing — that can carry a sunset happy hour too.
Tulle and lace remain the great stars of summer 2026: romantic sheerness, embroidered edges, soft silhouettes that move with the breeze. The Baleari Cover-up in white tulle and lace is the classic boho piece that goes with everything, from a black bikini to a colourful swimsuit. If you like a bolder style, go for fringed gipsy kimonos, which add movement and a fashion-magazine touch even over the simplest swimsuit.
Baleari Cover-up
White tulle and lace, boho cut, a length that skims the ankle: it's the cover-up that turns any swimsuit into a complete look. Featherlight, it takes up almost no room in the suitcase and doesn't crease.
Wear it open over your bikini by day, closed with a gold anklet in the evening. Holiday effect guaranteed.
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You'll find every style in the Kimonos, cover-ups and tops collection.
Dresses: one for the day, one for the evening
On a beach holiday, the evening is a chapter of its own. After a shower and with a little salt still in your hair, it's time for dinner, for aperitivo in the square, for a stroll after sunset. That's why your suitcase needs at least two dresses: a light one for the day, in cotton or tulle, easy to throw on after the beach, and a smarter one for the evening, that gives you that proper holiday feeling.
For daytime, fresh mini dresses work beautifully, like the Jennifer Dress in cotton or the Blossom Dress in floral-embroidered tulle. For the evening, though, the maxi dress is the absolute star of summer 2026: fluid satin, splits, fine straps. The Serenella Maxidress captures exactly this mood — sensual but easy to wear, it rolls up in your suitcase without taking up space and drops out on its own once you put it on.
Serenella Maxidress
Satin, straps crossed at the back, splits that reveal the leg: it's the evening dress every beach suitcase should have. Elegant without being demanding, it works just as well with a flat sandal as with an embellished heel.
The fluid fabric moulds to the body and isn't afraid of travel creases.
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Discover more among the Maxi dresses, the Short dresses and the Mini dresses.
Shoes and sandals: comfort by day, jewels by night
With shoes there's one precise rule: take few, but take the right ones. For a week by the sea, three pairs are enough. A comfortable, water-resistant flip-flop for the beach, a low sandal for daytime strolls, and an embellished sandal for the evening, which turns even the simplest dress into a postcard look.
Beach flip-flops, like the Pearl Flip-flops with pearls and glitter, combine practicality with a small touch of shine. For the evening, though, the rhinestone sandal is the investment that makes the difference: the Ruissy Embellished Sandal with sparkling appliqués works with a maxi dress as well as with shorts, and takes up almost no space. Avoid packing very high heels if your destination has cobbled streets or wooden jetties: a mid heel or a wedge is often the smarter choice.
Ruissy Embellished Sandal
Applied rhinestones, available in black or silver: it's the evening sandal that finishes off every holiday look. Flat or with a slight heel, it stays comfortable even for a dinner that involves a lot of walking.
One single pair, endless combinations: from a maxi dress to denim shorts.
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Every style in the Flip-flops and sandals collection.
Accessories: the details that make the look
They're the final layer, but often the most important: accessories take up hardly any space and completely change an outfit. The right pair of sunglasses, a gold anklet, a beach towel that doubles as a backdrop for photos: these are the details that make a beach suitcase truly complete. The minimum list? Sunglasses, one or two anklets, a few rings and a good towel.
The Chain Sunglasses with their gold chain and cord are the most photographed accessory of the summer: wear them on your face or hanging round your neck, always glam. Anklets, meanwhile, are the beach jewel par excellence: the Anchor Anklet with its nautical anchor charm is perfect barefoot on the sand. And for the beach don't forget a big, colourful towel, to lie on but also to wrap up in when it turns cooler.
Chain Sunglasses
Frames with a gold chain and removable cord: sunglasses and accessory in one. Keep them round your neck when you go into the water, put them on as soon as you come out: no risk of losing them under the parasol.
The gold detail lights up the face and works with any swimsuit.
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Complete the look with Sunglasses, Anklets and Beach towels.
Frequently asked questions about packing for the beach
How many swimsuits should you pack for a week at the beach?
For a week by the sea, three or four swimsuits are ideal: a practical bikini for swimming, a more striking one for the sunlounger and a versatile one-piece that takes you from the beach to the beach bar. Having a dry change avoids putting on a still-damp swimsuit. You'll find every style in the Dream Shop Swimwear and bikinis collection.
What to pack for the beach besides swimwear?
Besides swimwear you'll need: two cover-ups (a light one for the day and a smarter one for the evening), two dresses (a short one for the day and a maxi dress for the evening), three pairs of shoes (flip-flops, a low sandal and an embellished sandal) and essential accessories such as sunglasses, anklets and a beach towel. It's the checklist that lets you combine several looks with just a few pieces.
Which cover-up is the most practical to take on holiday?
Cover-ups in tulle, lace or crochet are the most practical because they're featherlight, don't crease and take up hardly any room in a suitcase. A boho style like the Baleari Cover-up is worn open over a bikini by day and closed, with a few accessories, in the evening. Discover the selection in the Kimonos and cover-ups collection.
Which shoes should you take to the beach to save space?
Three pairs are enough: a comfortable, water-resistant flip-flop for the beach, a low sandal for the day and an embellished rhinestone sandal for the evening. It's best to avoid very high heels if your destination has cobbled streets or jetties. See every style in the Flip-flops and sandals collection.
Which dress should you take for dinners on a beach holiday?
For holiday dinners, the ideal is a maxi dress in satin or chiffon, with fine straps or splits, that works with flat sandals as well as an embellished heel. Fluid fabrics like the Serenella Maxidress roll up in a suitcase without creasing. Explore the Dream Shop Maxi dresses collection.
Does Dream Shop offer free shipping and payment in instalments?
Yes. At Dream Shop shipping is free on orders from €100 and you can pay in three interest-free instalments with Klarna. It's the easy way to complete your whole beach suitcase — swimwear, dresses, shoes and accessories — in a single order.
Ready to pack?
Swimwear, cover-ups, evening dresses, embellished sandals and accessories: you'll find everything you need for the beach in 2026 at Dream Shop. Free shipping from €100 and payment in 3 instalments with Klarna.
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