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01. Dressing for the Pool Is Different Here

At many lifestyle resorts, traditional swimwear isn't necessarily what you'll see around the pool. Depending on the resort and the area you're using, guests may be nude, with something light to slip on when they want a little more coverage.

That makes cover-ups surprisingly important. Our Style hub also covers eveningwear and lingerie, if you're putting together outfits for the rest of the trip.

Sheer dresses, mesh cover-ups, pareos and tiny wrap skirts are particularly useful. They're easy to put on over bare skin, take up almost no room in your bag and give you enough coverage when you're walking between different parts of the resort.

From Pool to Restaurant

Even at resorts where very little is worn around the pool, you'll normally need to cover up before heading into a restaurant or other indoor areas.

This doesn't necessarily mean getting properly dressed. A sheer dress, loose beach shirt, kaftan or pareo can be enough to take you from the pool to lunch without returning to your room.

MTYT Tip

Pack at least one cover-up that you can put on quickly without needing swimwear underneath it. You'll probably use it far more often than you expect.

02. What You'll Actually Wear During the Day

If you're packing for a swingers resort, you probably need fewer conventional daytime clothes than you think. Much of your day may be spent nude around the pool, with something small and easy nearby for when you want to cover up.

Sheer Cover-Ups

Probably the most useful thing you can pack. Mesh and lace dresses give you some coverage without feeling as though you've suddenly dressed for the outside world.

Long, short, fitted and loose versions all work. Having two or three also gives you an easy way to change your look during the week.

Pareos & Wrap Skirts

A pareo or tiny wrap skirt takes seconds to put on and barely occupies any suitcase space. They're particularly useful for walking back to your room, heading to the bar or simply having something close at hand when you leave your sunbed.

Shirts & Kaftans

An oversized shirt or lightweight kaftan gives you more coverage when you want it and can be useful for breakfast, lunch or wandering around the resort.

Just remember that individual restaurants can have their own dress requirements, particularly in the evening.

Swimwear

It's still worth packing a bikini or swimsuit even if you expect to spend most of your pool time without one. You may want it for excursions, a spa, a conventional hotel before or after your stay, or parts of a resort where nudity isn't expected.

MTYT Tip

Don't pack as though you're going on an ordinary beach holiday. A suitcase full of daytime dresses, shorts and swimwear can come home barely touched, while the three tiny cover-ups you packed get worn constantly.

03. Brands We Like

The best resortwear for a lifestyle holiday isn't necessarily what you'd pack for an ordinary beach trip. We're particularly interested in brands that go beyond bikinis and swimsuits, with sheer cover-ups, tiny skirts, pareos and lightweight pieces that are easy to slip on and off around the pool.

These are the brands we've found that fit that brief particularly well.

Best for: Sheer cover-ups and sexier poolside dressing

PQ Swim is useful for the part of a resort wardrobe that matters more to us than another collection of bikinis: lightweight dresses, sheer layers and cover-ups that can turn swimwear into an actual daytime outfit.

The look tends to be glamorous and body-conscious, making it particularly suited to adults-only resorts where poolside dressing can be a little more adventurous.

Best for: Understated luxury for sophisticated resort days

BONDI BORN combines swimwear with a particularly good selection of sheer dresses, skirts and cover-ups. The designs tend to be simpler and less overtly sexy, while still showing plenty of skin.

A good option if you like the idea of sheer resortwear but prefer something more understated.

Best for: Glamorous poolside pieces with a sexier edge

Sommer Swim is particularly good for the pieces that actually get worn around the pool: sheer dresses and robes, tiny wrap skirts and lightweight layers that are easy to slip on and off.

The swimwear is beautiful too, but it's the resort collection that really caught our attention for lifestyle holidays.

Best for: Polished resort pieces for beach and pool days

Vitamin A is best known for swimwear, but the pieces we're more interested in here are the things that work around it - cover-ups, dresses and easy resort clothing that can take you from a public beach or pool into the rest of the day.

A good choice when you want something relaxed and sophisticated rather than overtly sexy.

Best for: Polished resortwear that works beyond the pool

Melissa Odabash takes things in a more understated direction, with beautifully designed swimwear alongside dresses, kaftans and cover-ups that work well beyond the pool.

It's particularly good if you want pieces that feel at home at a luxury resort or on a cruise, rather than something bought specifically for a lifestyle holiday.

Best for: Colourful resortwear with a playful feel

Luli Fama is the place to look when you want your swimwear to get noticed. Expect bright colours, bold prints and more revealing cuts, alongside cover-ups and resort pieces with the same playful feel.

A good choice when understated isn't really what you had in mind.

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