Motel Margarita Tops & Hats: Vacation Pieces to Know

There is something refreshing about a label that began as a party instead of a runway. In 2018 three friends came home from summers abroad, two of them traveling international DJs and one a writer living in Ibiza, and they wanted to recreate the feeling of checking into a small hideaway. Their first parties were side events around Coachella, then nights at the Mondrian in Los Angeles and the Pendry in San Diego.

When Covid shut down events, they moved into margarita mix, and it took them almost two years to settle on a recipe they liked. The merch grew along with it, and the brand now works out of Costa Mesa, California. The through-line is a slogan that doubles as a daily reminder to leave a little room for pleasure. Their own About page tells the whole story with a very straight face.

I know what the clothes are aiming for: the souvenir tee you want to wear before the trip is even booked.

Motel Margarita's women's pieces are fewer than its general tees, and I think that makes the choosing easier. Cabana Club Crop in White is the one I would grab first: a short white tee with the Cabana Club script, made to sit at a high waistband rather than over it. It is the closest thing the brand has to a uniform for an unplanned afternoon.

If you want sleeves for the evening, Harbor L/S Rugby in Navy/White and Harbor L/S Rugby in White/Cherry both read like something borrowed from a boat club, in the best way. Montauk L/S Button Up in White is the cleanest of the group, and I would wear it open over a swimsuit at lunch, then buttoned with trousers once the sun goes down.

Picture her leaving the beach at five, rugby over her shoulders, crop tucked into a long skirt, nowhere particular to be. My tip is to size the crop to your bottoms, not your usual tee size, so the hem meets the waistband. What I would skip is wearing the rugby and the button up together; one collared layer is plenty.

The accessories are where Motel Margarita's sense of humor does the most work. Cabana Club Dad Hat in Bone/Black is the easy one, while Buy Me Margs Dad Hat in White and Buy Me Margs Dad Hat in Black say exactly what the afternoon is for. I would pick the color first, then decide how loud I want the front to be.

Island Scarf and Playa Scarf are the surprise of the group. I would tie one onto a bag handle, wrap it around a ponytail or knot it at the neck when the wind picks up. Cabana Club Tote in Natural/Black is a roomy carryall for a towel, a book and whichever scarf you end up wearing.

Picture someone tossing a dad hat into the tote at noon and still wearing it on the walk home at dusk. Try the hat with your hair the way you usually wear it, since a low ponytail changes how it sits. What I would skip is a slogan hat with a slogan crop; let one joke carry the outfit.

I like treating the tees as a starting point and letting the bottom change the setting. Seby Pant or Saheaven Trousers would give Cabana Club Crop in White a longer, calmer line, while Mirage Short and Jane Aline Flare Jeans are two different denim moods. Suri Shorts and Donna Jeans keep things casual, and Rail Way Pant is one more trouser shape to try.

When I want a skirt, Tropical Mesh Skirt has the most texture, and Rumi Maxi Skirt and Joelle Skirt offer very different silhouettes. For shoes, Square Toe Lily Sandal and Gio Loafer are two ways to finish, and Prudent Sneaker keeps the mood relaxed. Mini Riviera Straw Tote or Mini Chrystie Bag can carry the day without competing with the shirt.

I would put the tee and one bottom on first, then decide whether the plan calls for a sandal, sneaker or loafer. Because it is a crop, check the rise of the trouser or skirt in a mirror so the overlap feels comfortable. For a busy dinner, what I would skip is a very detailed skirt plus statement shoes; let one item do the extra work.

I like Motel Margarita most as a reminder to make room for the unplanned hour. The crop, the rugbies and the hats work best when one joke is enough: a graphic crop, simple shorts or denim, a scarf on the bag, and plans left open. Anyone who likes a souvenir before the trip has happened will get the brand right away. Although if the vacation fantasy is not your thing, the slogans may feel a little on the nose. I went deeper on a related idea in Ciao Lucia Dresses and Shorts: Vacation Pieces to Know. I went deeper on a related idea in MADISON THE LABEL Tops: Easy Pieces to Know.