Holiday days approved? Check. Flight booked? Check. Now you need to get on top of the vacation wardrobe to-dos. Cross swimwear, cover-ups, sunglasses and a hat off your list – just step this way to make sure they’re the cool kind.
NEW WAVE: SWIMWEAR
There’s a definite retro current running through this summer’s swimwear, and every style is asking to be added to your favorites. Which will you choose?
Channel a 70s pool party vibe with the glittery Eleanor Metallic Halter Neck Swimsuit, which looks especially great if you pull it on with cut-offs and cowboy boots. Talking of the 70s, get a free-spirited boho feel from the Gorah bikini top and bottoms, with its paisley print and crochet ladder detailing. Leopard print never fails to add some rock ’n’roll, and the knotted shape of the Emma bikini is also giving an 80s throwback feel. For more animal print, check out the Cody Adjustable Snake Print Swimsuit, which has a body-con construction that you can tie any way you like. Looking for something a little cleaner? Then channel the 90s and the pared-back lines of the Correl One Shoulder Asymmetric Swimsuit, Kayla One Shoulder Bikini and classic Erica String Bikini in black.
GO MONOCHROME: SKIRTS AND SHORTS
The joy of a black and white palette for summer? One, there’s nothing better for showing off a tan, and two, it’s easy to mix and match once you’re there. Don’t save white for the last night: bleached-out skirts and shorts look great all week. Take off in the elasticated (so flight friendly) Ewelina Crochet Trim Shorts, and pair with the matching tank or sweatshirt: it’s athletic, it’s fresh, it’s tenniscore. (This pair also come in black, which are even more versatile. Pack both?) The Eva maxi has a free-flowing shape that is begging to be taken to a Caribbean island, or matched with a neat tank for summer city breaks. If you’ve been wearing the western trend at home, why not take it to the beach, too, by incorporating cut-offs in your case? If you haven’t got white cut-offs in your wardrobe, then our Astrid Frayed pair are looking to change that – so clean. Or you could rip up the vacation rulebook and pack the Heidi distressed cut-offs with raw hems and silver trims. Or the pull-on Casandra skirt with its side splits and full, draped shape is a perfect day-to-night piece, if you’re wanting to max out the luggage allowance. Both will look fab with a bikini top for cocktails around the pool, or you can add a nice top for dinner.
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TAKE COVER: KIMONOS AND SUN DRESSES
Have you got a beach cover-up on your packing list? If not, it might be time to change that. Pool or beach side, it’s all about an easy breezy dress or kimono, which adds style points, modesty (if you like) and practicality.
Style wise, you’ve got a couple of choices. Opt for a kimono-style open cover-up, that is easy to shrug on and off. Look into the Clarissa Logo Print Ruana Scarf, which is a logo fan’s take on the boho cover-up. Embroidered or broderie anglaise versions will add a pretty edge to your vacation wardrobe: see the Carina Embroidered Kimono with its delicate embroidery and lightweight construction. Then there’s the dresses: you could choose to top a string bikini with a slinky shoestring-strap dress – how 90s? – and head straight out for drinks. Elsewhere, mesh or crochet dresses in maxi lengths offer peep-through factor, which is ideal. Look into adding the A Star Mesh Dress to your basket for full style points, or the Karma Crochet Slim Fit Maxi Dress.
THE EXTRAS
No outfit is complete without the accessories, and nor is any suitcase packed without the finishing touches. Straw and crochet bags add texture and look perfect for warmer weather. Sliders with bold buckles or clean logos are beach essentials, and go nowhere without your summer hat: choose from straw bucket hats and fedoras, or keep it cool in a baseball cap.
IN THE SHADE: SUNGLASSES
There’s no real rules when it comes to which sunglasses to choose – anything goes, as long as you feel good in them. But if you are looking for a way to narrow down your choices, look to your face shape. Have a classic oval face? Then you can basically choose what you like, so why not opt for something a little more directional, like the Calypso (check out the so-fun pink) or the fashion-forward slim cat-eye Trinity style? Those who consider their faces more rounded might want to balance things out with an angular shaped set of shades, like the Marla or Kitty – bonus, they give a really cool retro vibe. You can complement a more defined bone structure with a rounded shape, so look to the Joy: the tortoiseshell is classic while the shape is playful. Pick your pair.
Choose Your Pair
OVER IN MENSWEAR