I Want My Clothes to Feel Like a Towel But Not Look Like a Bathrobe
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“Summer” in San Francisco, where I live, often means 60 degree days, but I still make it my imperative to chase the sun so I feel like I’mactuallygetting a summer. That said, what I wear to and from the pool or river becomes almost as important as what I wear in the water — it needs to be something that’s comfortable, keeps me dry, and that will be warm enough to stave off the chill of wet hair. I’ve tried everything from oversizedbutton-upsto netted pieces that looked cute on the hanger, but none ever actually absorbed lingering water — the bare minimum for acover-up, in my opinion.
A few years ago, though, I went to the river with a friend, who had on a pair of shorts that looked like they were made from a printed towel material. I’ve been chasing that idea ever since: Pool and beach pieces that are actually made from thicker towel-like material, not just styled to look like one, that would be absorbent enough post-swim and didn’t feel like pajamas. For this hunt, I went looking for a pool outfit that’s actually stylish, easy to throw on, and dries me off in the process. After trying a handful of terry sets, dresses, and track suit throw-ons, I finally landed on some winners for pool days (and that might even work in early fall.)
My top picks
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The best (and most joyful one) for wearing to the pool and to lunch afterward.
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By far the most absorbent. The 100 percent terry cotton has four-way stretch and UPF 50+ protection.
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A great one for the price. It's thinner and feels like a real sweatshirt, not just a cover-up.
The Runners-Up
The one I wore for swimming — and then Zoom calls
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I tested the Terry Venus Shorts, an easy elastic-waist short, and theTerry Hurly, a cropped, roomy crewneck tee, both in their plush cotton-blend terry, and loved that the set came in a subdued color combo of chocolate and khaki stripes. I went swimming in my old Left on Friday swimsuit in Sonoma on a cool morning and as soon as I got out threw this on. While the terry was lightweight, it was pretty absorbent and I didn’t notice it soaking through after getting wet at all. What I loved about this one is it felt less direct towel clothing and a little more like an outfit I would wear beyond the pool. I ended up wearing it for a full day of Zoom meetings, too.
[Editor’s note: The brown-striped pattern of the shorts and shorts is sold out, so we’ve linked the in-stock options — a poppy-red top and blue-striped shorts — here.]
The long-sleeved option
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This one was a long-sleeve striped set with shorts, which I wore in the morning after a hot tub dip while in Sonoma. But once it started to heat up, it was definitely a bit too warm for the sleeves. You can’t really beat a white and blue stripes, though. They were cute and simple, and I did like that there was a little drawstring accent that added a nice detail. I kept the shorts on for the rest of the day and changed into a t-shirt. The shorts have a mid-weight terry with stretch and on-seam side pockets, so they held up well for the switch.
The one that stayed poolside
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Marine Layer’s Beach Terry Crewneck and Wide Leg Pant, in red and white stripe, is a set that is sweet without being cutesy, and again, I loved having pants as an option. I’ve noticed I’ve been gravitating more toward the sets that feel like a warm hug post-pool, since it’s cooler here in NorCal summers, but I could see a short set being the way to go if you’re in 100-degree weather. This one definitely felt a little more “pool clothing” than something I’d wear out and about. I think it was the plushness of the terry-out fabric, but either way, it was still a very happy post-pool look. I wore it to the beach and brought along my newParker Thatch and Big Night netted tote(honestly a very good summer bag). Absorbency was great, and I changed out of my suit and into it.
The one that’s super lightweight
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This was probably the thinnest of the ones I tried, but I wanted to make sure I had a dress in the mix, too. I wore it after I got out of the hot tub, and it was really easy to throw on before I could change. The terry fabric has whipstitch details and is genuinely lightweight and decently absorbent, so it works tossed over a bikini but given the airy material, I probably wouldn’t see myself wearing this one outside of the pool or beach too much.
The one that’s slightly ridiculous but absorbent
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This set was thicker and definitely one of the more towel-y out of the batch. The graphics were fun and quirky — it was a lot going on, but I loved it. I especially loved the button-down element. It’s a real camp-collar shirt, not just a pullover top, complete with a silly embroidered collar. I wore it on the holiday weekend up near Tahoe, kept it on for the drive back, and when we got home, I also bathed my child in it, which does get me soaked on occasion, and it held up. The fabric is a lightweight, double-faced organic cotton terry, so it dries fast despite the thickness.
The one that gave ‘60s vibes
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I’m kind of loving all things hot pink at the moment, including this terry set which came in “Bubblegum.” It reminded me the most ofLa Vesteout of the bunch — both in the palette and silhouette — which is the vibe I was going for. The pants have a high-waisted, relaxed straight-leg cut in that candy-pink hue, elevated by a punchy orange crush racing stripe. It was absorbent, with a medium thickness. It wasn’t the thinnest or the heaviest of the bunch. It transported me straight back to a ‘60s poolside party, but it still felt wearable enough for an actual day out, not just a costume.
My Winner’s Circle
The one that went from poolside to lunch
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I went withThe Great’s Micro Terry Lace-Up TunicandPantsin Margarita, which is a sunshine shade that is definitely not subtle, butisso joyful. The collar and open neckline, which laces up the front with metal grommets and a cotton drawcord, adds a little more interest and makes it feel less “I just hopped out of the pool” and more like something you could wear to a casual lunch, which is what I did after swimming. I tested this one on a spa day, coming right out of the pool when it was a little chilly and then heading next door to a local cafe. It definitely had a nice thickness to it and dried me off after my dip. The tunic itself is cut from soft, washed cotton micro terry and its longer body length is designed to layer over a suit should you want to ditch the pants in warmer temps.
The one that really dried me off
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This was by far the most absorbent “towel clothing” I tried. Left On Friday’s Towel To Go Top and Jogger, in Sweet Chili Heat (a red), was definitely heavier than a lot of the sets, but I threw it on after a dip and felt put together enough to continue on a hike through the redwoods and then wore it throughout the rest of my day. Plus, I dried off fast. The fabric is 100% loop terry cotton with 4-way stretch, which is genuinely absorbent like a towel and even comes with UPF 50+ protection. I wore the joggers (which I am actually wearing as I type this), so the use has continued to be well worth it beyond the pool or beach. I loved the side stripe on the jogger, a nice retro ‘70s detail, and the set felt very cool overall.
The one that surprised me
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I really loved the color of this set. I felt like the chocolate tones added an element of sophistication. I also loved that this one had a hood, which is convenient if you want to make an attempt at drying your hair post-pool. It felt more like a real sweatshirt than a beach throw-on. I wore it with my Rothy’s clogs. One thing I noticed was the terry did feel a bit thinner, which made it a little less absorbent than the others, but for a quick option at the beach or pool, and under $30 total, it was a great find.
[Editor’s note: The terry sweatshirt is currently only available in the orchid-pink color, so we’ve linked that colorway for the full set, but theshorts are still in stock in peppercorn-brownif you prefer.]
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