This December, we packed a last minute trip down south. When I looked in my closet, I had a bit of a panic – as all my summer clothes were in storage, along with my furniture awaiting my new apartment. I had no idea what to wear in the Mayan Riviera, and didn’t want to break my budget buying new clothes. Luckily, I caught a great sale at Forever 21, and added a few pieces to my cart to make great resort wear outfits that are timeless and perfect for Summer 2019 as well.
I’m wearing a burnt orange linen dress from Forever 21, a green bamboo handle bag from Forever 21, white sandals by Louise et Cie and Prada Minimal Baroque sunglasses.
The key to building a chic and cheap resort wear collection is to pair simple dresses and rompers in similar colours so that you can get away with using the same accessories and shoes. This minimizes the space in your suitcase, keeps a consistent palette and makes it easier to get dressed! While it can be tempting to bring lots of layered pieces and separates, I prefer to bring rompers, dresses and jumpsuits. One and done! I purchased a few dresses, a two piece set (that I wore to Tulum) and a romper from Forever 21 and didn’t break the bank at all.
Another tip is to shop in the clearance section of a website, filter by your size and find items that are up to 80% off because they were from last season. I love solid coloured pieces like this burnt orange dress because they are more timeless than a print. That being said, my chiffon rainbow dress was so gorgeous, and made a big statement.
I only brought this one pair of dressy sandals, and this green bamboo bag as a fun accessory. I also brought my Gucci Marmont bag along with me, but didn’t end up wearing it very much! I think a bag in a statement colour is perfect for resort wear, and this bamboo handle bag is a steal for under $40!
What to wear in the Mayan Riviera in Winter
If you’re curious what to wear in the Mayan Riviera, I’ve created a list of essentials:
- 2-4 lightweight dresses in linen, cotton or chiffon
- 1 romper to be used as a beach coverup when visiting cenotes, snorkelling or other local beaches
- 1 pair of denim shorts
- 1 white t-shirt to be worn with the shorts and on your flight
- 1 pair of denim in your favourite wash (be it light, dark, white or black) to wear on the flight and cold nights
- 1 denim jacket for chilly nights, can also be worn on your flight
- 1 lightweight sweater for your flight and colder nights
- 1 pair of dressy leather sandals in a neutral colour like white, camel or black
- 1 pair of flat leather sandals
- 1 pair of athletic sneakers (don’t be like my boyfriend and forget them so we can’t do excursions) to be worn on the plane as well
- 1 statement or crossbody bag
- 1 tote/beach bag
- 1-3 pairs of sunglasses
- 2-5 swimsuits
- 1 sunhat
- 1 set of workout clothes if you plan on working out during your vacation, or doing a more intensive hike/activity
- assorted jewelry – keep jewelry in one tone so it all matches, and avoid bringing family heirlooms or high value pieces
I hope this outfit inspiration and packing list helped you decide what to wear in the Mayan Riviera! Stay tuned for more fashion and travel content for my latest trip, or check out one of the posts below for more info:
10 Tips for Visiting Tulum, Mexico
What to Expect at All-Inclusive Resorts
Shopping Guide to Playa del Carmen
