Whether you're relaxing poolside or lolling beside the sea, a luxury beach towel is a must to help you dry off quickly after a dip.
Fairly new to the market is the beach blanket - it won't dry you but it is an excellent alternative for lying on and picnicking.
Usually oversized and also sand and waterproof, beach blankets are really coming into their own as essential pieces of beach kit.
Here's our pick of the best-looking towels and blankets that look as stylish as they are practical...
15 stylish beach towels and blankets
Block Stripe Beach Towel
Made from Better Cotton, whose mission is to help cotton communities to thrive while also protecting the environment, you can buy this beach towel with a clear conscious. We think the blocks of pink, orange and red look a little like a summer sunset.
Buy the Block Stripe beach towel from John Lewis (£17)
House Pool Towel
Can't get to Babington House? You can still tap into its elegant aesthetic with a pool towel that's used in Soho Home in Paris. It's fade-proof and fluffy, even when dried outdoors. Oh and those wavy lines and dots in classic navy add a fun, carefree vibe...
Buy the House Pool Paris towel from Soho Home (£65)
Le Basque La Sirenuse Beach Towel
Featuring a quirky graphic print, this towel is sure to be the envy of your fellow beach loungers. Made from 100% cotton, the towel is finished with cute tassels.
Buy Le Basque La Sirenuse beach towel from Amara (£71)
You might also like stylish beach bags for your summer holiday
Turquoise Fish Scale Peshtemal Towel
Peshtemals are lightweight towels traditionally used in Turkish baths. They are velvety and soft and tightly woven, making them immensely durable and highly absorbent. This peshtemal was designed in Cornwall and made by weavers in Denizli and Hatay in Turkey.
Buy the Fish Scale Peshtemal towel from Atlantic Blankets (£49)
Quilted Reversible Gingham Beach Blanket
Machine washable, and with an attractive gingham fabric in green and yellow, this blanket will look just as good in your home as on the beach. Because it's quilted, it's super-comfy for lying on too. It even has a water-repellent lining and can be popped in the washing machine as soon as you get home from the seaside.
Buy the Reversible Gingham Beach Blanket from Not on the High Street (£36)
Parasol Stripe Travel Beach Blanket
Easy to roll to tuck under your arm or pop in a beach bag, this blanket is perfect for lazy days in the sun. It even has a handy pocket for suncream or your keys and phone.
Buy the Parasol Stripe travel beach blanket from Anthropologie (£68)
Lindos Outdoor Blanket
This large woven blanket is ideal for garden picnics, days in the park or for gazing out to sea. Made from pure Turkish cotton, it has cute tassles and a low-key classic stripe.
Buy the Lindos outdoor blanket from The White Company (£47.60)
You might also like the best garden parasols
Unicorn Stripe Beach Towel
Fun and vibrant in rainbow colours, this 100% recycled towel is quick drying and comes in its own drawstring bag so you can keep your towel, shades and a beach read altogether in one handy place. The towel has an elastic hook for ease of hanging it up to dry.
Buy the Unicorn Stripe beach towel from Oliver Bonas (£23)
Anna Pink and Orange Geometric Towel
Made from super-soft cotton in a punchy pattern, this beach towel is the result of a joyful collaboration between LK Bennett and Heti Gervis of Heti's Colours.
Buy the Anna Pink and Orange Geometric beach towel from LK Bennett (£79)
Pure Cotton Striped Beach Towel
Excellent value in zesty shades, this soft and wonderfully absorbent cotton beach towel is sizzling! It's chlorine-resistant and won't fade, even after repeated washes.
Buy the Pure Cotton Striped beach towel from Marks and Spencer (£12.50)
Jamdani Summer Towel
Crafted from slubby cotton, woven on looms in West Bengal, this towel is quick drying and lightweight. This Jamdani design can be traced back centuries in Bangladesh, so is carrying on a heritage tradition.
Buy the Handwoven Jamdani Summer towel from Toast (£49)
Oversized Crater Lake Beach Towel
Supersized in cotton velour, this beauty is sure to become a favourite both on and off the sunlounger. Sheared on one side for softness, it's looped on the other for absorption. What's more, it's certified by Oeko-Tex, meaning this product has been produced in a sustainable way.
Buy the Oversized Crater Lake beach towel from Pendleton Woolen Mills (£65)
Morella Outdoor Towel
In a pleasing nautical stripe, this towel is made from super-soft velour on one side and Terry loops on the other so it's incredibly fast drying.
Buy the Morella outdoor towel from The White Company (£17.50)
You might also like best picnic baskets and accessories for summer
The XL Beach Blanket
Available in a wide range of tones and checks or stripes, we couldn't resist the rich golden tones of this one. Made in Pakistan from 100% cotton, its generous size will mean you can properly spread out.
Buy the XL Beach Blanket in Vintage Gold Check from Business & Pleasure Co (£51)
Cabana Stripe Towel
This Peshtemal towel (a towel traditionally used in Turkish baths) is a chic holiday accessory. It even comes in its own bag that can double up as a travel pillow! If you're not at the beach, you can use this in your bathroom, a guest room or the gym.