Great Swimsuit Cover-Ups for Summer

What's your favorite type of bathing suit cover-up? After a hot day on the beach, what do you like to throw on to cover-up when you get out of the water? Especially when you plan to attend the evening's barbecue or run other errands, you might need the perfect clothing item to dress up your swimsuit.

Summer isn't the only season for cover-ups. After a winter dip in a heated pool, a terry robe or long shirt is nice to help ward off the chills.

What's your favorite? Here are several cover-up options for summer or even winter.

There's nothing easier--and often cheaper--than a good ole wrap dress as a swimsuit cover-up. Made of cool, breezy materials, these dresses often are just wrapped around the body naturally with the straps over the shoulders holding them together. Talk about comfortable!

Some wrap dresses are strapless and come with ties around the waist. Others have straps. These dresses are easy to pull off and on and thus make great cover-ups for bathing suits.

Other than a wrap dress, a piece of clothing that may be simpler is a wrap skirt. It's an excellet option to the wrap dress. A wrap skirt is so easy to just pick up, put on, and tie around and over the bottom part of your swimsuit. You can easily pair your bikini top or tankini with a stylish wrap skirt.

If you want a fun option to just cover the bottom part of your body, put on a wrap skirt to create an instant outfit to hang out in after the sun goes down. You can always also add a loose summer blouse on top to go with the skirt and dress it up.

Maxi dresses are all the rage this summer, whether over a swimsuit or not. Maxi dresses are so long that they go to the floor--or ground--and beyond.

My niece tells me it's totally in style for dresses to drag the floor. Well, in my day . . . . Okay, let's just go with that.

If you want major coverage after swimming, put on a Maxi dress. It will cover you up, and you are even appropriately dressed for an outing or night on the town.

Another option for a fashionable swimsuit cover-up is a halter dress. Short, long, mini or maxi, the halter dress does a dual job of covering up the swimsuit plus makes you ready to go elsewhere.

Generally, the halter dress is easy to pull up right over the swimsuit. Having no zippers or buttons, getting the dress on over the suit is a snap.

Some halter dresses have ties around the neck, while some don't. Choose one that will better fit the style of swimsuit you will be wearing underneath. The halter dress is a nice, flowing, (and definitely comfortable!) option to wear over your swimsuit.

The tunic or shirt dress is one of my favorite options for a swimsuit cover-up because it is so comfortable. It is made of a lightweight material, such as a cotton mix or perhaps even some kind of filmy gauze.

The shirt dress won't be as dressy as the wrap, maxi, or halter dresses, so many styles probably won't double as a party dress for the evening activities after a day on the beach. But the tunic shirt will certainly serve its purpose well.

The tunic is basically a long comfortable shirt that is a pleasure to pull on after a hot day in the sun. It's usually loose and oversized; it's soft, it's comfortable, and it works perfectly as a cover-up for a bathing suit.

Some sun worshippers may prefer the ease of slipping on a summer robe swimsuit cover-up. If you want something quick that's easy to get on and off, a robe works just fine. If you just want to cover-up and have no need to dress up for other plans, a robe is great.

A cloth or terry robe works well, too, when the water is a bit cool. Throwing on a robe could be nice and cozy when you need a warm-up. However, if you want a fancier cover, find a sheer robe with delicate trim. You'll be covered somewhat but still looking good in a stylish cover-up.

Of course, if you don't to spend the money, just grab a pair of shorts and a comfortable t-shirt out of your dresser to cover-up after your swim.

While not the most stylish option, it's a cheap and quick one. But if you want to be a bit more fashionable, you might consider some of the cover-ups mentioned in this article.

Whatever you decide, just be sure to enjoy the water and sun. Don't forget the flip-flops and sunscreen!