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What’s This About
A nautical beach outfit for men pairs navy, white, sand and faded red with linen and cotton, a Breton or plain shirt, and loafers, boat shoes or sandals.
This guide gives five complete coastal outfits and practical pointers, such as:
A white polo and navy linen look for lawn games
A Breton shirt and linen blazer for a waterfront brunch
Boat shoes with non-marking soles for an evening sail
Practical sailing clothes for watching a regatta
Gingham and faded red trousers for a clambake
and many more!
Choose one nautical detail per outfit and build around clothes you already own.
Key Points
01One striped top or pair of boat shoes looks relaxed; anchors everywhere look like a costume.
02Many boat owners ask for non-marking soles on deck.
03Brands are examples only; fit matters more than the label or price.
04The look describes clothes, not anyone’s background or wealth.
A nautical beach outfit for men combines navy, white, sand and faded red with light, breathable fabrics such as linen and cotton, a Breton or plain shirt, and loafers, boat shoes or sandals.
The five outfits below suit a lawn game, a waterfront brunch, an evening sail, a regatta and a beach clambake, drawing on the relaxed look of East Coast yacht club style.
This register is often described as Old Money style or modern Old Money, which are contemporary style labels, so wearing these clothes says nothing about anyone’s family, schooling or wealth.
Brands are named only as examples of the garment meant, and a well-fitting equivalent at any price does the same job.
A light touch works best: one nautical detail, such as a striped top or boat shoes, looks relaxed, while anchors on every garment can start to look like a costume.
1. Croquet Club Look
For an afternoon of lawn games, a crisp white cotton polo shirt is a good base, such as one from the British maker Sunspel, and it suits a country club setting too.
Pair it with navy linen trousers, for example from Polo Ralph Lauren, which stay cool in the sun.
Add brown leather penny loafers, such as a pair from the French shoemaker J.M. Weston, one of several brands often linked with Old Money style, and a woven chestnut leather belt.
Finish with tortoiseshell sunglasses and a simple watch on a leather strap.
Wear: white cotton polo shirt, navy linen trousers, brown penny loafers, woven brown belt.
2. Waterfront Brunch Look
For a relaxed brunch at a waterfront restaurant or club, combine linen with a striped Breton top.
Start with a Breton shirt in ivory and navy, the striped top that began as French naval and Breton fishermen’s wear; the French maker Saint James sells a classic version called the Meridien.
Layer a lightweight, unstructured linen blazer in sand, for example from the Italian designer label Boglioli, known for soft tailoring.
Pair these with pleated ecru linen trousers.
Finish with brown suede loafers, such as a pair from the Northampton shoemaker Crockett & Jones, and a braided leather belt in caramel.
Wear: ivory and navy Breton shirt, sand linen blazer, ecru linen trousers, brown suede loafers, braided caramel belt.
3. Sundown Sail Look
For an evening on a boat, choose clothes that move easily and add a warm layer for when the wind picks up.
Begin with a crisp white linen shirt, such as one from the Paris shirtmaker Charvet, whose shirts feature in our guides to Parisian chic and the French BCBG style.
Pair it with navy cotton twill trousers that fit well at the waist and seat, so you can climb and sit comfortably.
Layer a cream cable-knit cotton sweater, for example from Ralph Lauren Purple Label, or drape it over your shoulders until the sun goes down.
Choose navy and white boat shoes with non-marking soles, such as a pair from the Maine maker Quoddy, because many boat owners ask guests not to wear shoes that mark the deck.
A braided leather or rope bracelet is optional.
Wear: white linen shirt, navy twill trousers, cream cable-knit sweater, navy and white boat shoes.
4. Regatta Spectator Look
For watching a sailing regatta from the shore or a spectator boat, practical sailing clothes look right and handle spray and sun.
Start with a navy performance polo shirt, for example from the British sailing clothing maker Musto; wear an event logo only if you are competing or the event gave you the shirt.
Pair it with white cotton twill shorts that end just above the knee, such as tailored shorts from Orlebar Brown.
Add brown leather deck shoes, for example from the Irish maker Dubarry, and a woven tan leather belt.
Finish with polarised sunglasses, which cut glare from the water, and a water-resistant watch on a navy fabric strap.
Wear: navy performance polo, white twill shorts, brown deck shoes, tan woven belt.
5. Clambake Outfit
For a beach clambake, bring in the brighter colours and checks of summer preppy style.
Begin with a light blue and white gingham linen shirt, such as one from Gitman Vintage, one of the American preppy brands we cover.
Pair it with faded red cotton trousers, such as Nantucket Reds from Murray’s Toggery Shop on Nantucket, a familiar sight in New England preppy style.
Layer a cream shawl-collar cardigan in a light linen or cotton blend for the cooler evening.
Finish with brown leather fisherman sandals, a braided ecru cotton belt, for example from the Italian belt maker Anderson’s, which suits Italian old-money style, and tortoiseshell sunglasses, such as a pair from the New York optician Moscot.
Wear: blue and white gingham linen shirt, faded red cotton trousers, cream shawl-collar cardigan, brown fisherman sandals.
Men’s Beach Attire Do’s and Don’ts
Scroll horizontally to see all columns →
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Use the colours of sea, sand and sky: navy, white, sand and faded red | Wear neon colours or several loud patterns at once |
| Choose linen, cotton and light wool that let air move | Assume a famous label or a high price guarantees quality |
| Check the fit at the shoulders, waist and trouser length | Wear clothes too tight to sit, climb or walk on sand in |
| Choose one nautical detail, such as a Breton top or boat shoes | Add anchors and rope motifs to every garment |
| Keep shoes, belts and bracelets in good repair | Wear shoes with marking soles on someone else’s boat |
Fit and the silhouette you prefer are different choices, so wide pleated linen trousers and slimmer chinos can both look right if each fits you well.
Bringing the outfits together
Nautical beach style balances neat, traditional clothes with a relaxed coastal feel.
Start with what you already own, such as a white shirt, navy trousers and brown loafers, and add one coastal garment at a time.
For a lighter take on these Old Money beach outfits, try a vintage linen shirt or striped top from a second-hand shop.
Quizzes and personal help from The VOU
None of these tools is needed to wear the outfits above, but some readers like extra help when choosing clothes.
Take our three quizzes first, then book a consultation if you want personal help.
1. Check your body shape
Check your body shape with the body shape quiz for men.
2. Find your seasonal colours
Find your seasonal colours with the seasonal colour quiz for men.
3. Take the fashion style quiz
Take the fashion style quiz for men to see which styles and outfit ideas match what you like wearing.
Book a consultation for personal help
For personal help, you can book paid consultations with The VOU’s image consultants and stylists, including a fashion style analysis for men.
Mandy Meyer’s focus at The VOU is men’s body-shape styling, garment fit and outfit proportions. Her coverage addresses the practical questions behind a wardrobe choice: how a jacket sits across the shoulders, how trousers fall and how different cuts change the silhouette a wearer wants to create.
Her subject areas include the triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, oval, trapezoid, hourglass and diamond labels used in body-shape styling. These provide starting references for comparing visible proportions; they do not capture every body or prescribe one correct way to dress. The focus connects those observations with garment shape, construction, length and the relationship between the upper and lower parts of an outfit.
Mandy’s editorial coverage combines visual comparisons with fit checks for comfort and movement. Readers can consider whether a cut gives them the room they need, where clothing pulls or gathers and which changes might support their preferred look. The aim is to make menswear choices more understandable while keeping personal preferences and the wearer’s own styling goals central.