Your favourite and most practical holiday clothes

[QuizTeamAguilera]

I'm about to pack for a week in the sun and I intend to take very little this time.

What items of clothing do you take that are always really useful? I'm especially talking about things like cover-ups for the pool, that are easy to pull on and off and comfortable, non frumpy evening things.

I experiment with all sorts and conclude that little dresses seem the way to go for me because I hate my thighs therefore, ruling out short, shorts (which is all I can seem to find ATM).

I'm 50. size 10 and OK figure-wise, except for my wobbly thighs. Oh and I would like to look stylish but not like a teenager. Thanks for any ideas.

I have a couple of these dresses from H&M that are great for chucking on over a bikini/swimsuit at the pool and going for lunch.

dexter they look perfect. What's the sizing like? (I'm approx 5' 3) I know H&M can be a bit hit and miss sometimes!

Thanks for that

There are loads of those type of dresses in H&M, I like the T-shirt type ones. Can't link as I'm on my phone but they are about £7.99 too. I got one that was luminous orange... Much nicer in real life than it sounds and ended up wearing it one evening with a tan belt and sandals and some chunky jewellery, got loads of compliments.

Meant to say I'm 5ft2 and those dresses usually sit on or slightly above my knee.

I've got them in M. I'm 5'7" and a size 12, they come a few inches above my knees.

I like jersey dresses that can be worn out for dinner, but also for wandering around in the day. Also boyfriend shorts: make your thighs look slimmer, and perfect for the heat. Also like racer back tops as I think they're quite flattering.

I love boyfriend shorts too. often wear them well cut cotton tees for daytime, light dresses (maxis or otherwise) with flat sandals for evenings.

Has anyone got any links to boyfriend shorts please?

I was just about to ask for boyfriend shorts links.

Are they just like normal shorts but a bit longer in the leg?

Boyfriend shorts normally 2 pairs one dark one light in colour)
Saress I take two (different lengths)
I have one old maxi cotton full skirt I take
I also take a couple of pairs of cycling short and 1 pair of Lycra just below knee length shorts
2 tunic tops (1 with sleeves 1 without) both cotton
I pair paleltso (sp) trousers normally travel in them
A very light weight cotton waterfall cardi wear to travel
3 assorted vest tops must have wide strapes
1 cotton / linen mix shirt
1 pair of strappy healed mules
1 pair of flip flops
1 pair walking sandles
1 pair of trainers/ loafers (normally travel inthese tend to do active rural holidays)
1 big sarong (for covering shoulders if I go visiting churches etc)
1 light weight pashmina (tend to travel in this) great for late flights / late evenings coverup
1 swimming costume
1 tankini
2 bras
5 pants
2 pairs of socks
Pair of big sunglasses
2 bandana I'm not a beach hat kind of women
Assorted chunky jewellery
1 wide belt

That will seen me through a months holiday

Wash and wear I don't iron on holiday and I'm well practiced!

Thanks inneedofrain that's an extensive and well thought out list. I think I can ditch the need for socks and trainers as will be relaxing!

Sorry QuizTeamAguilera

Its become a well rehersed art form!

Obviously this is just what I take, if you are having a more chilled, relaxing beach type holiday with maybe the odd evening sat enjoying cocktails then you will probably not want a couple of my things, but would want a couple of other things!

Cycling shorts I take becuase they are so practical for me. I occassionally get sore thigs from too much sand / heat, so I like them as they give me a bit of protection.

The trainers and socks are not stylish but they are comfy and I do silly things like wondering round archelogical sites in the middle of the country side so they are both comfy and safe (for walking and for insects)

I have found that I can wear a saress with chucky jewlery, and either waterfall cardi or pashmina with healed sandles to a posh resturant, or with flipflops and big sunglasses to the beach (SO SO SO much easier for me than a sarong)

Boyfriend shorts and a vest with a cotton shirt over for wondering about town during the day, going down to the beach, catching a bus or driving in a hire car.

Maxi skirt, big wide belt, sandles / flip flops, vest top with or without shirt, cardi or pashima can do both the day in a posher town or the evening

What I have just done though is look up boyfriend shorts! The ones I have are so NOT like that, I have knee length chino style shorts they are very comfy but still smart enough to be able to wear out in the evening or during the day. Boyfriend shorts as they appear to be on nexk, gap etc, would NOT suit me

I think the trick with limited packing is to make sure that everthing you take can work together so that you can wear any combination dressed up / dressed down. Jewlery (cheap so you won´t worry about leaving it in the room) and Good sunglasses can really make a difference when dressing something up. Making sure that the colours and fabrics work is sensible to. ie I take about 4 or 5 colours in total but they all work with each other. Keep key peices plain and then add other colours with things like vest tops.

Have fun

inneedofrain I have just had to look what a saress is. What a revelation, I never knew such a thing existed - I want one! They look like my kind of holiday wear.

Ha another convert! So pleased you like them They are so so so practical and if like me you have never managed to learn the art of tieing a sarong to make you look like a Greek godess you will finally feel stylish on the beach! I look good in one but I look like a sack of suds in a sarong

Honestly the look like a normal sexy but modest evening dress (I am gifted in the boob department so I wear a multiway bra undermine in the evening) particularly with jewlery and heals evening a kitten heal makes them dressed up. But also look fab on the beach, in town etc. Depending on what colour you pick (I have classic black for the evening and a more sunny one for the day) They are so fogiving (I need a full pardon sometimes) and tollerant of bring screwed up in a beach bag, or soaked walking along the beach in romantic moonlight with your heals in your hands (Chance would be a find thing for me) I have had mine for years since they first came out and they are still going strong. I have thrown a load of abuse at them and they take it happily

Oh if you like those then you may like these (not holiday wear sorry but I have become addicted to them recently) I don´t live in jackets anymore