After what felt like eons, the third season of The White Lotus finally premiered on Max this Sunday, marking what might be one of the most highly anticipated releases in modern TV streaming. Set on the island of Koh Samui in southern Thailand, the setting and cast of both new and familiar faces plunges us into a world steeped in mystery, betrayal, and spirituality, all set against the backdrop of the ultra-luxury resort. The series is, of course, known for its exploration of chaotic rich people and the issues they can never seem to outrun, no matter how far-flung their destination of choice is. As such, the style on the show is basically a master class in a wealthy vacation wardrobe.
So when I heard that H&M was partnering with costume designer Alex Bovaird on a collection inspired by the series’s third installment, I was all ears. Filled with airy caftans, opulent beaded jewelry, intricate prints, and capacious beach bags, the collaboration hits on all the highlights that have made the show’s wardrobe become as viral as it is. Of course, Bovaird had this season’s cast in mind when she co-designed the collection—she says she’d put Chelsea in the romantic frill dresses; Chloe in the sarong, bikini, and sunglasses; Belinda in the burgundy dress and caftan; and Piper in all the lace pieces. Yep, I see the vision.
While the collection certainly looks luxe, trust me it fits and feels even better than you can imagine. When I sat down to link out to everything I tried on, I was actually floored that the pieces were so affordable. (Most everything is sub $100.) From a versatile printed pareo to a larger-than-life raffia bag and designer-vibe ruffled chiffon caftan, the collection is dripping with rich-mom-on-vacation-in-Thailand energy. Continue on to read my reviews and shop the full edit here.
Balloon-Sleeved Chiffon Dress + Seashell-Pendant Necklace
Pictured: Balloon-Sleeved Chiffon Dress ($109), Seashell-Pendant Necklace ($45), Straw Shopper ($90), and Straw Bucket Hat ($55)
My Review: Starting off strong with what is by far my favorite piece from the collection. In fact, if I could only purchase a single thing, this stunning chiffon caftan would 100% be my pick. First of all, the color. It’s a deep burgundy hue that borders on a chocolate brown and is the a flawless base to gold accents, like the shell pendant necklace I styled it with. The dress is the most expensive piece in the edit, and at $109, that’s saying a lot. But I had a chance to style everything before I knew the price points of any of the pieces, and when I tell you I assumed this would have been at least three or four times higher, I mean it. It’s giving designer in every way. Here, I styled it as a beach cover-up, but the semi-sheer fabric would also be fun to wear as an evening piece atop a slip.
The dress also features a closure at the neckline that transforms it from a beach cover-up to an evening-ready piece. Here, I fastened it to show off what an ultra-elegant silhouette it has worn like this.
H&M x The White Lotus
Balloon-Sleeved Chiffon Dress
H&M x The White Lotus
Seashell-Pendant Necklace
Straw Shopper + Straw Bucket Hat
Pictured: Straw Shopper ($90) and Straw Bucket Hat ($55)
My review: The bigger the bag, the richer the outfit looks, right? Right. The Straw Shopper is all the proof I need to underscore this point. I think the extra-large shape and elevated brown color speak for themselves, but I will say that this was another piece that I was floored by. I’ve seen and tried on so many raffia bags from both affordable and luxury labels and can say with certainty that this one stacks up well. I can already imagine Parker Posey’s character pulling up to the White Lotus pool with this bag in tow.
As for the Straw Bucket Hat, it’s in the same nutty-brown tone, so it automatically pairs well with the bag for a ready-made beach look. It has more structure than a traditional bucket hat, and the size and shape are what lend it a much more elevated feel than your average straw hat. I popped it on with a few of the outfits here and was delighted with how good it looked with pretty much everything.
H&M x The White Lotus
Straw Shopper
H&M x The White Lotus
Straw Bucket Hat
Patterned Resort Shirt + Patterned Resort Shorts + Glittery Crochet-Look Top
Pictured: Patterned Resort Shirt ($45), Patterned Knee-Length Shorts ($45), Glittery Crochet-Look Top ($45), and Straw Bucket Hat ($55)
My review: While we have yet to get too far into the character development and plot lines this season, this printed shorts set immediately reminded me of something that Portia would have worn from last season in Sicily. The long shorts give off a tomboy vibe that I think her character would have been all over. It’s relaxed and effortlessly cool and, perhaps most importantly, feels like you’re wearing pajamas without looking like it. This season, however, I can already see Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood, being into this glittery crochet top. Speaking of, the cropped tank has a pair of matching shorts (more on those below), but I styled it with the silky set instead that lets the crochet fabric really shine.
When I asked Bovaird about the H&M pieces she’d pack for a trip to Thailand, she mentioned this crochet top as her pick along with the Straw Bucket Hat and Pompom Leather Sandals. “I’d skip Thailand and go to Cambodia and Laos instead,” she admits, adding that she’d mix her H&M pieces with a pair of elephant pants from the local market. “I’m reclaiming my backpacker glory days.”
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Resort Shirt
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Knee-Length Shorts
H&M x The White Lotus
Glittery Crochet-Look Top
Balloon-Sleeved Blouse + Glittery Crochet-Look Shorts + Short Beaded Necklace
Pictured: Balloon Sleeved Blouse ($55), Glittery Crochet-Look Shorts ($45), and Short Beaded Necklace ($45)
My review: The ’70s called, and I definitely picked up! Micro shorts are a trend that’s been picking up steam for a few seasons now, and these crochet shorts just became my preferred way to tap into the trend. I was a little intimidated by them at first but ended up having fun styling them with this billowy blouse tucked in for a contrast in proportions. The texture of the shorts really popped in this neutral tone, which I accented with this rust-hued beaded statement necklace and, of course, the straw bag that really does go with everything.
H&M x The White Lotus
Balloon-Sleeved Blouse
H&M x The White Lotus
Glittery Crochet-Look Shorts
H&M x The White Lotus
Short Beaded Necklace
Patterned Cotton Scarf
Pictured: Oversized Patterned Shirt ($55), Patterned Cotton Scarf ($55), Seashell-Pendant Necklace ($45), and Straw Shopper ($90)
My review: What’s a vacation wardrobe without a tropical print? Not one at all, if you ask me. And the hero print of the collection comes in the form of a large-scale leaf print in black and Kelly green that lives on three pieces: an oversize shirt, flare-hem pants, and an airy cotton scarf that can be worn in one of an endless ways (a halter dress, a pareo, a hair scarf, wrapped around the handle of bag, just to name a few). Here, I wore it as a skirt with the matching Oversized Patterned Shirt tucked in but could have easily ditched the shirt and just worn it atop a swimsuit for an easy beach look.
Pictured: Patterned Cotton Scarf ($55), Seashell-Pendant Necklace ($45), and Straw Bucket Hat ($55)
Here, I remixed the scarf by crisscrossing the two ends and tying them around my neck. The result is an adorable halter dress that works for the beach and beyond. To further just how versatile these pieces are, I fastened the pendant necklace around my waist as more of a chain belt. The key to a strong vacation wardrobe is to pack items that can be worn multiple ways to maximize space in your suitcase, and these pieces just might be the only essentials I’ll ever need.
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Cotton Scarf
Oversized Patterned Shirt + Patterned Flare Pants
Pictured: Oversized Patterned Shirt ($55), Patterned Ruffle-Trimmed Pants ($55), and Patterned Cotton Scarf ($55)
My review: I’ll admit that I went a little outside of my comfort zone here, but I wanted to show just how approachable even these louder prints can be. Yes, even when worn from head to toe. The green-and-black print features on this pair of ruffle-hem pants that make it a matching set with the button-down shirt. I won’t lie; it’s definitely a look with a capital L, but it brings the level of drama that’s appropriate for a stint at The White Lotus. My favorite detail here, though, has to be the scarf that I styled in my hair that gives off peak resort energy. If it were up to me, I’d style Sarah Catherine Hook’s character, Piper, in this set.
H&M x The White Lotus
Oversized Patterned Shirt
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Ruffle-Trimmed Pants
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H&M x The White Lotus
Ruffled Kaftan Dress
H&M x The White Lotus
Crocheted Shirt
H&M x The White Lotus
Crocheted Pants
H&M x The White Lotus
Pompom Leather Sandals
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Kaftan Dress
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Halterneck Swimsuit
H&M x The White Lotus
Long-Sleeved Ruffled Dress
H&M x The White Lotus
Narrow Silk Scarf
H&M x The White Lotus
Patterned Chiffon Dress
H&M x The White Lotus
Ruffled Chiffon Strappy Dress
H&M x The White Lotus
Aviator-Style Sunglasses
H&M x The White Lotus
Tropical Heat Eau de Toilette
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