What to Wear to the Hamptons

A Complete Guide to Navigating the Beach Town's Dress Code

Recently, one of my book clubs decided we should take a trip for our next meeting, and what better place to go as New Yorkers in the summer than the Hamptons? Of course, we were all psyched for the weekend getaway - fresh air, midday swims, lobster rolls. But there was one major question plaguing the group chat: “What are you going to wear?”

Seeing as how I’d been to the Hamptons previously and tend to spend a good amount of time plotting and planning outfits, my friend (hi Alex!) asked me if I’d put a little something together for the group to serve as an outfit guide/inspiration. I ended up putting together a short PowerPoint for them and they loved it! They told me that they really did consult it while packing, so I thought I’d share the PowerPoint with you all in case you’re looking for a little guidance for an end of summer Hamptons packing list.

First, I started with the aesthetics of the trip. How did I want them to feel in the Hamptons? What images came to mind when thinking about this exclusive bougie beach town? For me, it was coastal grandma/granddaughter, crisp glasses of wine, warm summer days with brisk evenings by the water, laughing while pedaling rented bikes to the beach, and Ralph’s ice cream after dinner.