The summer break is a time of relaxation. A time to lie back, take a breath and catch up with ourselves. It is also a time for fun. Not just frolicking in the surf, either, but with your clothes. It is a golden opportunity to be bright, bold and throw restraint (somewhat) to the wind. No more so than when it comes to swimwear. This year there is a particular bumper crop, varying in lengths, hues and silhouettes. To help you choose before you go poolside, we asked the MR PORTER team to open up their beach bags.

I was very tempted to go with Mr Tom Ford’s wild leopard print swim shorts for my summer trip to Jamaica this year – you don’t spend all that time getting beach-ready to go unnoticed – but then I came across these perfectly blush, millennial-pink trunks with the Hollywood hip adjusters and knew I’d found the one (who am I kidding? I’m getting them both). I will, of course, remain similarly low-pro day-to-night with my Valentino pyjama top and Kirk Originals acetate aviators.

In the summer, I spend most of my weekends at the beach in Fire Island, so having the right swimwear is essential. I don’t typically wear a lot of hot pink, but a bright pair of trunks just feels right for the dog days of summer. These magenta Bulldog swim shorts from Orlebar Brown, with a tailored fit, are perfect for going from pool to beach to town… Just make sure to protect your face from those UV rays with Lab Series’ Daily Moisture Defense Lotion and this Holiday Boileau “dad” hat.

Summer dressing, particularly holiday dressing, should be all about fun and colour. These Missoni swim shorts have the best graphic pattern around, as far as I am concerned. Combine them with a pair of dazzling Castañer espadrilles and you may give onlookers a pleasing pattern clash-induced surprise. Then, top it off with these amazing FLATLIST sunglasses, and you’ll be the talk of the beach.

Fortune favours the bold, and this summer, I’ll boldly be chopping an inch (or two) off the length of my swim shorts. Not because I’ve been working my quads to demi-god perfection in the run up to holiday season (I haven’t), but because short shorts are the item du jour. The thigh is the limit, though; I won’t be going for anything with an inseam less than four inches. This pair by Atalaye will do nicely and will look even better as my tan deepens through summer. Plus, they’ll look good with the Mr P. shirt and Dries Van Noten sandals that I’ve just nabbed.

I like to think that I don’t really care what I wear on holiday (it’s good to have a break from thinking about clothes), but these Dries Van Noten swim shorts are very nice indeed. Good fit? Check. Not boring, but not too loud? Check. Arty Danish interiors pattern that says “I’m into fashion but, like, also art and stuff?” Check, check, check. I’ll be wearing them with these Moscot enamel sunglasses, and lots of Erno Laszlo’s sun lotion to keep up with that, er, pale and interesting thing I’m failing to cultivate.

When I’m on holiday, I live in my swim shorts and sunglasses, so these Mr David Hockney-esque print shorts from Sunspel and square-framed sunnies by Kirk Originals are spot on. As a father, the days of lounging around a pool and reading a book while supping on an ice-cold beer are largely a thing of memory. Nowadays, I need activities, so this Frescobol Carioca bat and ball set will help keep the family entertained (while I sneak off to the bar to keep hydrated).

Heaven forbid that the MR PORTER crew happen to simultaneously descend upon the same beach this summer. Can you imagine? It’d be like a Sir David Attenborough documentary. In defence of my colleagues, some (all?) of whom appear to have chosen their swimwear with the intent to cause maximum scandal, there really is no better time to take a walk on the wild side than on one’s summer hols. Personally, I take a rather more functional approach to swimwear, which is why I’ll be opting for Onia this coming season. The brand’s quick-drying Calder swim shorts feature double-stitching and reinforced pockets, rendering them perfect for all of the things I like to do at the beach, such as clambering across and jumping off large rocks, kicking and punching beachballs, and so on. I’m not much into tanning, so when I eventually retire to my sun lounger, I’ll protect my pasty skin with a long-sleeved T-shirt – this one, courtesy of Neighborhood, has a suitably nautical skull-and-crossbones motif – and a bucket hat from Acne Studios.