What to Pack for a Weekend at the Beach

In Manhattan there's a kind of Friday afternoon exodus that happens every week in the summer, as urbanites flee the heat and head to Long Island , upstate New York , New England and Pennsylvania for the weekend. Whether you're a twentysomething sharing a beach shack with a huge group of friends or you've got a private retreat with waterfront views, the challenge as you leave the house on Friday morning is the same: What do I throw into my single weekend bag?

Years of experience have shown me that I can rely on these few staple items for weekends at the beach.

1. An ivory or camel-colored shawl

(Patrick Robinson for Target Linen Scarf in Ivory

and Open Shoulder Dress in Blue Medallion Print)

Sounds boring, but it's the perfect item for evenings, when the heat of the day has faded. I throw it loosely around the shoulders or wrap and tie it tightly, depending on the temperature. Pashmina-silk blend shawls have become easy to find, not to mention, very cheap and a neutral color like ivory or a muted sand or beige goes with everything.

2. One pair of faded -- not stretch -- jeans

(GAP trouser jean)

To me, stretch jeans don't look classic, especially on an older woman.

3. A loose, cotton sleeveless shirt

Personally, I'm not comfortable in skin-tight tanks and T-shirts. I love the feel of much-washed cotton blowing around my body. Find a great shirt like this and I promise you'll wear it for years. All that aside, a long-sleeved T-shirt is also great to have in the bag -- soft, not too tight, and free of logos. Navy will stay looking clean for a couple of days.

4. A pair of khaki shorts

(Walter khaki cotton leather-piped walking shorts)

I prefer the knee-length kind that I call "city shorts" over sporty shorts. They're crisp and nicely cut.

5. A jersey dress that can be squeezed into a ball is ideal, so that I'm covered for any kind of after-dark event (I usually take a black one).

6. A swimsuit and sarong

These go in last. A great sarong, by the way, can be wrapped in many ways around the body to look like a day dress or a nice skirt that's good enough to walk around town in, if you experiment with it. It can even become an evening piece if you wear it over a one-piece swimsuit and have some interesting jewelry at the wrist, neck or ears.

7. Two pairs of flat thong sandals

(H&M Loves Kylie strappy flip-flops)

Make sure one pair is metallic to transition easily to evening. I pack these down the side of the bag.

8. A hat

(H&M Loves Kylie wide-brimmed sun hat)

9. Sun block

10. A small purse, and I'm done.

The weekend bag doubles as my beach tote -- and surely, someone's got a beach towel I can borrow?

>Check out these beach bag essentials for ideas on where to start.