Hands up if you find packing for holidays stressful?! Booking flights, finding a dreamy Air BnB and researching peak Instagram opportunities are all the easy parts. Between annoying baggage allowances and the fear of under-packing, I always find it difficult to pack for a holiday. I always aim to pack light and only bring versatile essentials that can be worn and styled in different ways, yet I always end up panic packing and bringing everything but the kitchen sink. And somehow I still end up wishing I’d brought something that I left at home!
The key is to be disciplined; as with your day to day wardrobe, it is much easier to have a capsule holiday wardrobe. Pack only the essentials and make sure any spare cash is saved for mojitos and not excess baggage charges! Read on for my list of top holiday essentials to take the headache out of holiday packing.
Sunnies
Sunglasses top my list of holiday essentials because who wants the sun in their eyes? I must confess, I generally bring about 4-5 different pairs of sunglasses with me on a week long holiday. While that might sound excessive, they are the one item you will wear all day every day on your holibops. Holidays are a good time to experiment with fun styles and colour sunglasses too!
Stylish cover-ups
Whether you are having a beach day or strolling around a pretty Mediterranean town, stylish cover-ups are a must. Kimono’s, kaftan’s and poplin dresses are all great choices and will easily take you from beach to bar.
Maxi dress
Maxi dresses are a style staple in your holiday wardrobe. They are floaty and cool and work equally well for day at the beach or a night out for dinner and drinks. And the best part is you can still wear your maxi dress after the hols, layered over your jeans!
Swimsuit
When it comes to swimwear, this season I am all about the one-piece. Swimsuits once had a reputation as being a little mumsy but they have gone full circle and there are some gorgeous styles on offer. A swimsuit can also double up as a top if worn with denim cut-offs for some sun-downers.
Sandals
I remember the days of packing multiple pairs of heels to bring on holiday. Generally, they were never worn and if they were worn, they were wildly uncomfortable. These days it’s all about flats. Styles like embellished pool slides and strappy sandals can easily take you from beach to bar.
Straw Bag
Straw/ woven bags have always been a holiday staple but have taken the fashion world by storm this season. Coming in all shapes and sizes, the straw bag is your new IT bag and no longer looks out of place away from the beach.
Sun Hat
Not only are sun hats practical, keeping those ageing sun rays off your face, but they look cool too! I generally opt for a straw hat as it is lightweight and more breathable than other materials. From fedora’s to trilby’s and with embellishments like pom poms and ribbons, there’s lots of options.
Denim Cut-offs
A good pair of denim cut-offs are an absolute no brainer for holidays. However, it can be really difficult to get a pair that are just right i.e. not too tight and not too baggy, not too short and just the right amount of distressing. Not asking for much am I?? Nine Crows is a great place to pick up some vintage denim cut-offs to answer all your denim short desires.
Statement earrings
There is no easier way to dress up your look for night time than adding a pair of statement earrings. Of course if you are one of those girls who manages to look amazing while lounging at the pool (I am most definitely not one of those girls!), then you can throw on a pair with your swimsuit too! You can catch up on my edit of the best statement earrings here.
Happy packing! If there are any other staples you would add to the list let me know in the comments.
Stylishly yours,
Trish xx
The Savvy Sartorialist 