Come and tell me your fail safe holiday dressing staples

[senoritachiquita]

Generally I don't think I dress badly ( in winter!) but as soon as hot weather comes I'm completely baffled. My holiday wardrobe is usually put together at last minute from random cheap finds in new look and the like. This was ok in my 20s but is getting increasingly untenable after 2 kids. Every year I look at how bad I look in the pics and end up ditching the stuff I bought. I've had some success in buying better quality stuff less frequently for work and have a half decent work wardrobe now. I wouldn't mind spending a bit of money on summer things if I knew They would be good investments. But have no idea where to start really and what would be good essentials to have. I am a typical apple shape and a bit of a short arse.

So tell me, what could you not live without when it comes to summer dressing? (I should also mention that I don't do ironing especially on holiday... So none of this crisp white linen shirt malarkey!)

I've recently discovered that shorts/ vests etc don't really work for me. I cope better (and look better) on a sunny holiday wearing cotton dresses.

I've amassed a good stash of them now, from shops and from eBay. I have dresses from Mark's, Fat Face, the Gap, Levis, Hilfiger and others.

I've even found a few in charity shops. Ideal for holidays,look great with birkenstocks, easy to pack,and cool and swishy to wear.

I love 'em.

Mm that is interesting. I love wearing dresses at work, more so than separates cos I'm too lazy to think about what matches
Cotton dresses sometimes problematic for me to get to fit over large boobs but I haven't tried all the shops you mentioned so will have a look.

Where are you going?

I take a pair of shorts, several t-shirts/vests, a maxi dress and 2 sun dresses. I think my shorts don't fit anymore, so I'll take a skirt this time.
No crazy colours, I know it's holiday, but still.
So, I am going away in a few weeks, this is what I am taking
vest
tshirt

dress

this for travelling, i have last year's model-very similar.
I have an ancient cashmere jumper that I take with me.
I need new sandals, but I'll be taking
these with me

Two swimming costumes and that's literally it.
HTH.

Love the yellow sandals!
We are going to Spain - or maybe s of France.
Maxi dresses are good, I have struggled to get the bodices to fit in the past but yours looks like it would.

Mind, that jersey maxi dress is quite 'heavy', it's perfect for british summer, travelling and going out in the evenings, but I wouldn't wear it in the day, you'll boil!

Personally wouldnt wear a maxi dress to travel in either. Im thinking capri shorts and a tee..but then we are travelling by car.

I have loads of vest style light weight black maxi dress and I layer over slouchy linen and slub t-shirts when I want a casual look with long silver necklaces/scarf and fake converse (New Look and Next) or Birkenstocks. I like a Breton too.

When I want a slightly dressier look I might wear a metallic slouchy vest/ or trapeze top that falls off the shoulder and some silver thong flats with loads of silver bangles.

I would say decide on a palette of colours that go together and keep it simple.

This year I have bought light blue, blue grey and soft white with silver accessories. Have started a thread on a couple of tops that work for apples.

I found a really nice pair of metallic linen low-top (fake converse) shoes from Next which go with everything and aren't bling-y. Will link.

I live in dresses all summer on holiday, mainly jersey ones from the White company that I've amassed over about five years. Sadly, they've only got a few jersey ones in this year. They require little or no ironing.
I've found a couple of dresses I love at Boden ( the blackberry dress is really flattering, can be thrown on. I have it in three colours).
I supplement this wardrobe with dresses from Monsoon, phase eight And classy linen trousers

here

Thanks everyone
I love those shoes kissie. Do you have a link to the type of metallic top you mentioned?
Only I used to have a gorgeous white company maxi dress but it never fit properly on top. But I may revisit white company based on all these recommendations, it is the type of quality I'm after I think.

Oly not only!, blooming ipad

Also wondering if this play suit would be a nice basic, from baukjen www.baukjen.com/uk/shop/baukjen/dresses/athan-playsuit-caviar-black.htm

Hello! The lack of jersey this season at white company is disappointing! And the prices are silly. But I love the quality. I have bough the Jersey overlap dress and plan to wear it with a belt. It's quite generous sizing. Hope that helps.

Ps love the play suit. I don't have the legs for it but wish I did. West with fab jewellery and thing sandals

this is one of my casual finds.

I have it in the grey and blue. I also bought the t-shirt in the grey from this range- which I linked to on the other thread.

Going to link to metallic one now. Sorry about the Next heaviness - I find they cut for my shape and do great plain basics so buy a lot of my stuff from there.

Re the maxi dress. I bought about ten from Simply Be because they are so flattering and I didn't want to run out. They are the equivalent to jeans in my wardrobe. I would say they are as good a quality as some dresses I have had from the White Company but only work for layering. I bought a size 14 as I like them streamlined and am a size 14-16 to give you an idea.

Next linen t-shirts are excellent to create that White Company minimalist look. They skim and don't need ironing either and I buy them every year as they have proved such a staple. They feel nice and floaty too.

Thong not thing
Bloody iPhone

Kissy, where do you get the maxi dresses from?
The Me & Em one that Kia linked to is nice but cant really justify that much on a dress when I need other things as well.

thong sandals. I had to go up a size as they seem to size small but they are very comfortable for the money, are leather and extremely versatile.

maxi

A couple of good pairs of shorts and jeans, a few cotton tops that are not skintight, and a few vests and sweatshirts (one long), a pair of leggings, one slip-on dress and a jumpsuit, and two bikinis. If a cold Northern European destination, a cotton and a merino sweater and a cropped trench or an army jacket. Espadrilles, Hasbeens, Havaianas, trainers. A cross-body bag. All in simple colors: denim blues, soft whites, khakis, some gray, navy and watermelon red.

metallic vest. Go up a size so it looks slouchier.

these New Look converse inspired shoes are extremely comfortable and easy to kick off and bung on due to the lack of laces. They are a gorgeous colour too.

this t-shirt works in grey. It has a nice open neckline so reduces the apple/boxy look a lot of t-shirts give and is a very light fabric so it drapes. It looks nicer in reality- more muted.

Maxi dresses, maxi skirts, vests, little cardis, tshirts and a denim jacket - done

I usually go for a mixture of khaki, browns, golds and whites because you can really easily create a week or twos worth of different outfits from about 10 bits of clothing. Just chuck in some gold sandals and jewellery and you're sorted.

Thanks everyone for some brilliant tips. Khaki looks bad on me (winter complexion) but def like the idea of metallics and whites, neutral clothes then I can have fun with accessories. My usual cold weather favourite colours of bright red, pink etc look very unfortunate with any red face/sunburn so these ideas are great.