Hailey Clauson Served Vintage Prep on the White Sand Beaches of Barbados

Her vibrant, no-fuss preppy swimwear style popped against the vibrant backdrop.

Hailey Clauson was photographed by Ben Watts in Barbados. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

For eight-time SI Swimsuit model Hailey Clauson, the brand set is familiar territory. She made her debut in the annual issue back in 2015, when she traveled to Hawai’i to pose for a stunning island swimwear feature.

Since then, the model has posed for seven more issues of the magazine—including the 2024 issue, which took her to Hollywood, Fla., for the 60th anniversary legends photo shoot. And while each and every one of her features has been just as great as the last, today we’re taking a look back at her 2022 trip with SI Swimsuit.

That year, she traveled to Barbados, where she was photographed by Ben Watts. For the trip, the brand styling team went all out. They had a vision, and they executed it perfectly. They approached the photo shoot with the idea of styling the models in what they described as a no-fuss take on preppy dressing.

The resulting outfits featured bold prints (think plaid, gingham and stripes) and playful accessories (like baseball caps, calf socks and gold jewelry). It was preppy, but with a touch of playful—and with a strain of vintage flare, too.

All of the brand models who touched down in Barbados—from Georgina Burke and Christen Harper to Marquita Pring and Clauson herself—bought into the aesthetic. Each and every one approached the colorful photo shoot with the playful attitude that the bright clothing and big accessories demanded. And the resulting photos are a testament to the good energy brought by both the styling and the models themselves.

Clauson’s outfits, in particular, featured a lot of the above: hats, stripes and gold jewelry. It likewise featured just about the most solidly preppy (and classic!) element we can imagine: a Ralph Lauren logo on a navy blue swimsuit. And all we have to say is, she absolutely rocked it.

Clauson felt similarly following the photo shoot. “It was an awesome day,” she said on set. “I think we got a lot of iconic shots.”

As we said before, Clauson has now been the subject of eight different SI Swimsuit features, each beautiful in its own right. But there was just something particularly special about her trip to Barbados. In part, it was the styling, which combined with the idyllic backdrop to make for some truly remarkable photos. Below are just a few of our favorite preppy photos from that 2022 trip to the Caribbean.

Hailey Clauson was photographed by Ben Watts in Barbados. Swimsuit by Polo Ralph Lauren. Earrings by Electric Picks. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Hailey Clauson was photographed by Ben Watts in Barbados. Swimsuit by Hunza G. Earrings by Electric Picks. Hat by Rowing Blazers x Sperry. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Hailey Clauson was photographed by Ben Watts in Barbados. Swimsuit by It’s Now Cool. Top by Rowing Blazers. Earrings by Electric Picks. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated