Sarongs are a thing of the—well, the 90s. So for those of us (and I suspect there are a few) who don't exactly look forward to showing off every bump, roll, mole, or blindingly white area of our bodies on the beach all summer long, or for those who do have sculpted lipid-free bodies but like to stay active in and out of the water, Carve's Pipeline shorts make a casual and stylish cover-up for pool and beach days. Inspired by gym shorts (and who doesn't love lounging around in gym shorts?), these super-soft boardshorts give you the freedom to move around—be it surfing, sailing, or just sunning—without having to check if you're busting out of your swimsuit bottoms. They also dry quickly, have a rear pocket with a Velcro closure to store keys or an ID, and slip on or off easily with a drawstring tie at the waist. Aside from the fact that wearing the Pipelines might bump up the cool factor on your beach apparel scale, we also like these shorts on principle: Carve Designs, a women's active apparel company focused on marrying fashion and function, was founded by two female surfers and athletes who were tired of "squeezing their rears into juniors' clothing." Amen to that.
$54; carvedesigns.com