Beach Costume
Bring the sunshine and tropical vibes to your next costume party.
A beach-themed costume is a classic, crowd-pleasing choice that is perfect for summer parties, tropical events, or Halloween. This guide focuses on the iconic 'tacky tourist' and surfer aesthetic, which is incredibly easy to put together using everyday summer wear. The look consists of a bright Hawaiian shirt, straw hat, sunglasses, and fun beach accessories like a lei or inflatable pool float.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- ~15 min
- Budget
- $15–45
Try it on
See yourself as Beach
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
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Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Beach costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Beach costume — one box instead of 6 pieces.
Hawaiian shirt
A bright, short-sleeved button-down shirt featuring tropical floral, palm tree, or hibiscus prints.
DIY: Use any bright, colorful short-sleeved shirt you already own.
Khaki shorts or swim trunks
Classic beige khaki shorts, board shorts, or colorful swim trunks to complete the summer vibe.
DIY: Any casual summer shorts or denim cutoffs will work perfectly.
Straw sun hat
A wide-brimmed straw lifeguard hat or a classic fedora-style panama hat.
DIY: A simple baseball cap or visor can substitute.
Sunglasses
Retro aviators, oversized plastic sunglasses, or fun novelty shades.
DIY: Use your everyday summer sunglasses.
Flower lei
A colorful synthetic flower necklace to add an instant tropical party feel.
DIY: String together real or paper flowers if you have them.
Inflatable pool float or beach ball
A small inflatable swim ring to wear around your waist or a classic striped beach ball to carry.
DIY: Carry a beach towel draped over your shoulder instead.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Beach costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on your khaki shorts or colorful swim trunks.
- 2
Button up your tropical Hawaiian shirt, leaving the top one or two buttons open for a relaxed look.
- 3
Place the flower lei around your neck.
- 4
Put on the wide-brimmed straw sun hat and slide your sunglasses onto your face or prop them on your hat brim.
- 5
Slip into a pair of comfortable flip-flops or sandals.
- 6
Inflate your pool float and wear it around your waist, or carry your beach ball under your arm to complete the look.
Makeup & hair
Keep hair messy, textured, and windblown as if you just stepped off the beach. Apply a dab of white sunscreen or zinc oxide lotion on the bridge of your nose for a classic, humorous touch.
Beach for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- One person dresses as a tacky tourist and the other dresses as a surfer, mermaid, or shark.
- group
- Coordinate a beach party group with lifeguards, surfers, hula dancers, and tourists.
- kids
- A miniature version featuring a colorful rash guard, swim trunks, a tiny sun hat, and a sand bucket prop.
- Plus size
- Hawaiian shirts and board shorts offer a relaxed, comfortable, and highly adjustable fit for all body types.
- pet
- A small dog-sized Hawaiian shirt and a tiny flower collar lei.
Tips
- Wear comfortable flip-flops or sandals that you can walk in all night.
- If the event is outdoors in cool weather, layer a plain white t-shirt underneath the Hawaiian shirt.
- Use a real beach towel as a prop that doubles as a seat or blanket if needed.
- Keep your phone and wallet safe by tucking them into a fanny pack, which fits the tourist theme perfectly.
Beach costume FAQ
- What do you wear to a beach-themed party?
- A bright Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts or swim trunks, sandals, a straw hat, and fun accessories like sunglasses and a flower lei.
- How do you make a quick DIY beach costume?
- Simply wear your favorite summer swimwear or shorts, throw on a colorful button-down shirt, wear sunglasses, and carry a beach towel.
- What are some other beach-themed costume ideas?
- You can dress up as a lifeguard, a surfer, a scuba diver with DIY cardboard oxygen tanks, a mermaid, or even a shark.
Did you know? The iconic Hawaiian shirt, or 'Aloha shirt,' originated in the 1920s and 1930s when local tailors in Honolulu began using beautiful Japanese kimono silk fabrics to create casual button-down shirts.