Free Shipping on US orders over $150
-
Collections
-
Bikini
- One Pieces
- Cover-Ups
- Men's
- Sale
- MODA GLAM x L'ANIMAL
- Nice Breed
-
A resort jumpsuit works when it is made of a breathable fabric, cut with room to move and styled differently for each part of the day. One piece, three looks: sandals and a straw tote for the beach, sneakers and a crossbody for sightseeing, heels and statement earrings for dinner. Below you will find the fabrics, fits, shoes, layers and packing habits that make that work, plus what to wear under a jumpsuit when the day starts at the pool.
Three things decide it: fabric, closures and how much you can do in it. A jumpsuit that is stiff, heavy or fussy to take off will stay in the suitcase. One that breathes and moves will be worn four times.
Personal stylist Jordan Stolch, quoted by the New York Post, names cotton, linen, chambray, jersey knit, merino wool, bamboo and silk as the best materials for a summer resort trip, because of their natural moisture-wicking properties. She advises avoiding synthetics, which are less breathable and trap heat against the body.
Travel + Leisure gives similar guidance for warm destinations: choose a sleeveless, light and breathable jumpsuit for places like Palm Springs, and keep wool, fleece and heavy knits for colder climates.
A quick fabric guide for a warm-weather trip:
| Fabric | Feel in heat | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linen or linen blend | Cool, airy | Sightseeing, lunch, dinner | Wrinkles easily, so roll it |
| Cotton or cotton gauze | Soft, light | Beach days | Can look casual at dinner |
| Silk | Smooth, light | Evening | Shows moisture, so choose a print or deep color |
| Jersey knit | Stretchy | Travel days | Choose a fuller drape, not a clingy one |
Travel + Leisure’s testers point out that a jumpsuit’s neckline, straps or back may call for a strapless or backless sticky bra, or for a style with a built-in bra, full chest coverage or thicker straps. They also suggest avoiding tricky closures or zippers if you are traveling solo, because of bathroom stops. Check this before you buy, not at the airport.
A wide-leg cut moves air around your legs and drapes over wrinkles. Halter and wrap-tie shapes work for daytime and evening, and a self-tie belt lets you change the waist from relaxed to defined. For long travel days, avoid anything tight or restrictive. Stolch’s advice for travel is to favor looser tops and wider-leg pants over tight, restrictive bottoms, and the same logic applies to a one-piece.
If you are between lengths, choose the one that clears the ground in flat sandals and still looks right in heels. A cropped or ankle-length wide leg does both.
The beach-day jumpsuit is light, loose and easy to peel off. Look for a sleeveless wide-leg style in white, sand, soft coral or sage, in cotton gauze or a linen blend.
Outfit 1: the white gauze set-up. A sleeveless white wide-leg jumpsuit, flat leather sandals in a cognac or tan shade, a woven straw tote and a wide-brim hat. Wear your swimsuit underneath. When you reach the sand, the jumpsuit comes off in one step and goes into the tote.
Outfit 2: the sage V-neck. A linen V-neck jumpsuit with short sleeves and a tie belt, flat tan sandals, small gold hoops and oversized sunglasses. A silk scarf knotted on the bag handle adds color without adding weight.
Outfit 3: the cover-up swap. Skip the jumpsuit for the sand itself and wear a swimsuit with a long cover-up, then change into the jumpsuit for the walk to lunch. This keeps the jumpsuit clean and dry, which matters for linen.
Tips for beach days:
For walking days, the jumpsuit needs pockets, a forgiving fit and shoes you can wear for hours.
Outfit 4: the utility jumpsuit. A khaki or warm tan cotton twill jumpsuit with patch pockets, a white crewneck tee underneath if you want sleeves, comfortable sneakers and a nylon crossbody bag that keeps your hands free.
Outfit 5: the travel-day knit. Travel + Leisure editors tested a Tencel-blend jumpsuit through a full day of walking, sitting and commuting in London and found it still looked fresh without steaming. The takeaway is the category: wrinkle-resistant, soft fabrics that go from the plane to the street. Dress it down with white sneakers or up with kitten heels and a statement necklace.
Outfit 6: the relaxed linen. A sleeveless stand-collar linen-blend jumpsuit, espadrilles and a raffia tote. Town & Country calls espadrilles the mainstay of summer footwear, and they are easy to wear all day in dry weather.
The same editors recommend features that pay off on the road: wrinkle resistance, moisture-wicking, built-in UPF protection and pockets, ideally zippered or hidden ones for your phone and card.
The evening version uses the same jumpsuit with different finishing pieces. Dinner dress codes at all-inclusive resorts are typically smart-casual, leaning more formal, according to the New York Post. Stolch says flats and sandals are acceptable but flip-flops are not, and that heels are an excellent way to elevate an evening look.
Outfit 7: the easy upgrade. Your daytime linen jumpsuit, strappy sandals or wedges, statement earrings and a small bag. Add a light shawl or linen kimono for air-conditioned dining rooms.
Outfit 8: the jewel-tone silk. A high-neck, sleeveless silk jumpsuit in emerald or sapphire with a subtle drape through the leg, strappy heeled sandals, a clutch and chandelier earrings. A tailored black jacket over the shoulders makes it formal enough for a more dressed-up restaurant.
Outfit 9: the black wide leg. A black halter or wrap-tie jumpsuit is the most versatile evening piece. Gold jewelry and a metallic sandal are enough. Change the lipstick and you have a different outfit from the one you wore to lunch.
The practical logic is to wear one piece in several ways. Packing one jumpsuit and styling it three ways usually does more than packing three outfits you wear once.
For more on dress codes and how to build a single evening look, see our guide to packing one evening outfit for resort dress codes.
Because the jumpsuit is the whole outfit, accessories do the work. Travel + Leisure advises focusing on shoes, layerable jackets or coats, and jewelry or handbags to round out the look.
| Occasion | Shoes | Bag | Layer | Jewelry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach | Flat leather sandals | Woven straw tote | Cover-up or wide-brim hat | Small hoops |
| Sightseeing | Sneakers or espadrilles | Crossbody or raffia tote | Linen-blend kimono cardigan | Minimal |
| Dinner | Heeled sandals or wedges | Clutch or small shoulder bag | Light blazer, thin cardigan or shawl | Statement earrings |
| Travel day | Sneakers or flats | Crossbody with zip pocket | Thin cardigan | None |
A few notes on layers. Stolch recommends bringing a lightweight layer such as a structured blazer or thin cardigan to handle the swing between outdoor heat and restaurant air conditioning. A kimono or linen cardigan weighs little, goes over a jumpsuit without crushing it and suits every column in the table.
If you want more ideas on how to build the rest of the suitcase, our summer outfit ideas for women cover vacation and beach looks beyond the jumpsuit.
Most people who wear a jumpsuit on vacation also pack swimwear, so plan the two together. A few combinations work well:
At L’ANIMAL we design bikinis, one-piece swimsuits and cover-ups as part of a resort wardrobe, so they sit comfortably under or alongside the jumpsuits described here. Men can pair the same logic with men’s swim shorts and a light linen shirt.
If you are packing a jumpsuit for your next trip, start with what goes under and around it. Our collections include bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, cover-ups, men’s swim shorts and the BÄDĒ SUIT, designed by Lital Simel-Rhedrick with attention to detail and timeless style. Browse the full swimwear and resortwear collection and pick the pieces that match your trip.
Free shipping applies on US orders over $150. Check the product pages for current availability and sizing.
A jumpsuit is a full outfit in a single piece, so there is less to cram into the suitcase and less to decide each morning. Travel + Leisure editors list this as the biggest perk of packing one.
Some habits that help:
For how many pieces you need overall, our guide to packing only 9 pieces walks through a small capsule. We also explain why versatile pieces make every trip easier.
That is one jumpsuit worn three times with three different results. If you plan your free hours around an active vacation by the sea, pack the sneaker version of the outfit for those days and keep the heels for evening.
We design swimwear and resortwear to be worn in more than one way. A jumpsuit follows the same idea: one piece that changes character with the shoes, the jewelry and what you wear around it.
The strongest resort outfits feel easy. They do not look overworked, they move well in heat and they take minutes to put on. That is why we pair every suitcase plan with the pieces closest to the water: a swimsuit you love, a cover-up that can carry you to lunch and a clean, simple palette that mixes with the jumpsuit you already own.
When you build a resort wardrobe, start from the swimwear and the cover-up, then add one jumpsuit in a neutral shade. Everything else is accessories. Our bikinis, one-piece swimsuits and cover-ups are designed with attention to detail and timeless style, so they remain wearable from one trip to the next.
Lital
Yes. Resort dinners are typically smart-casual, and a jumpsuit in linen, silk or crepe fits that. Add heeled sandals or wedges, statement earrings and a light layer for air-conditioned rooms. Avoid flip-flops, which the New York Post’s stylist says to leave for the beach.
Natural fibers such as linen, cotton and silk are the most breathable, according to the stylist quoted by the New York Post. Travel + Leisure also recommends a sleeveless, light cut for hot destinations. Linen wrinkles, so roll it when you pack.
Choose a swimsuit whose straps and neckline sit inside the jumpsuit’s neckline, and match the tone of the fabric so nothing shows through. A one-piece gives the smoothest line under light fabric. A cover-up is a good alternative for the pool.
It can be. Pick a soft, wrinkle-resistant fabric, check how the closure works before the trip and add a thin cardigan for cold cabins. Pockets help, and a style that is easy to use in a small restroom is worth looking for.
One or two is enough if you vary the shoes, bags and layers. A neutral one that goes from day to evening covers most plans, and a second in a bolder color gives you variety.
