First holiday abroad in years - what clothes should I take for a week?

[Jemster]

What clothes do you take for a week abroad? I haven't been for years & first time since dc. I've got their clothes sorted but hardly anything for me! Only a week until we go so need to get sorted over the weekend.

What sort of holiday are you going on? Camping or beach? Self catering or hotel? Will you have access to a washing machine? How old are your DC - are they still of an age when you're likely to get smears of banana/yogurt etc on you?

Make sure everything mixes and matches.

Id take
White linen trousers
A maxi dress
A cardi
A couple of vest tops
A light skirt
A light pair shorts
Large bag
Swimsuit/bikini
Spongy flipflops
Smarter flipflops/flat sandals
Bit of jewellry
Sunhat

I shamelessly place marking and watching as I'm going on my first ever holiday abroad and the same as you. I've packed for my dc but struggling with me and only a week to go aswell

Thanks it's a beach holiday in hotel. Youngest dc is 3. I would like a tankini but they seem so expensive, alot of money for a week.

Asda has some lovely tankinis - I saw a navy spotty one which I would have bought had I not just spent three times the amount on an identical one from next

If you're in a hotel, the important thing to realise (which I hadn't realised) is that all of your meals will be in public & so you need to be presentable. People will also dress up for dinner, not formally but a bit more glamorous...maxi dresses, sparkly sandals etc.
The things that you'll need are:

• a couple of outfits that can be worn for breakfast & for going sightseeing (depending on your style, top & skirt or shorts, short dress, linen trousers type things)

• swimwear plus a couple of beach dresses which you can throw on over the top when you need to go back to the hotel room or for lunch in the hotel
• evening outfits (as I said, maxi dresses or sparkly top & cropped trousers).
• jacket or cardigan for cool evenings.

If you're thinking of a tanking, just get a bikini. IMO, they are usually more flattering. Don't worry about the shape/size of your stomach, you will see all sorts. If there are any men in your group, check if they are allowed to wear shorts, trainers or vest tops in the evening. Most restaurants ban them. Let me know if you have any more questions. Having never done hotel & pool based holidays before having DC we have now done a range of Mark Warner, Thomson & First Choice as well as a couple of adult only 5* places & the above is based on my experience of those. Having said all of that, you're going to have brilliant time whatever you're wearing so don't worry about it.

I've done five all inclusive holidays in the past four years, and the dinner rules are more relaxed if it's say four star, kid friendly. The rules were footwear, and no swimming wear, ie you could wear a throw over cover up.

Food always seems to be serve yourself buffet and a bit of a scrum. Cape Verde was the worst Riu something- supposedly four star but really three. It was fair enough cos it was cheap enough. I'm off tomorrow to a child free one for ten days with my best mate, supposedly 4 star, but I don't know if it is so plan on lots of beach cover ups and nice dresses at night. My case is rather stuffed.

I would say for a week in a hotel, my packing would be:

2 x something to swim in - swimsuit/tankini/bikini
2x shorts
3 x t-shirts/vests (to be worn with shorts for either sightseeing and breakfast, or just throwing on over your swimwear if you want to look more covered up for lunch)
2-3 smarter evening outfits - so summer dresses, maxi dresses, skirt and tops. (not super posh, but just something other than sightseeing clothes for dinner)
1 pair of flip flops for the beach
1 pair of sparkly/smarter sandals for evening
1 pair of 'sight seeing' footwear - so trainers or comfy sandals you can walk a distance in - these would be my 'travelling footwear' rather than packed.
a beach bag
sun hat
beach cover up of some sort (kaftan or wrap)
a lightwieght cardie or pashmina (we have been caught out on European holidays when it's been a bit cooler than I thought in the evenings and I've wanted to sit out on the balcony once DCs were asleep)
a small clutch/big purse. (You don't want to feel you have to take your beach bag to dinner, or a big handbag, but depending on where your room is in relation to the restaurant, you might want to take a few bits with you).

oh and if you have long hair that normally has to be styled, I can never be arsed on holiday when it's hot, and by the end of a week with the beach/sea/pool, it's a mess, so pack hair pins/grips so you can put your hair up easily for the evenings.

Sainsburys and Tescos both have some good cheap summer basics in if you don't already have a summer wardrobe to get most of this from.

(I'd also suggest if you do paint your toenails, make it not too dark a colour as beaches can chip the colour, and so a lighter colour it's less obvious if you've done "running repairs" before dinner - oh and pack the nail polish!)

Some great advice already.

I just wanted to add that as you're with the DCs you'll be spending a lot of time in and out of the pool and what I find very helpful as I'm a bit conscious of hanging out in my bikini/ swimsuit is having a couple of nice throw overs so you can just pull them on and you're dressed enough to go for lunch or walk around. Something like this, which I have in black from last season : www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-pom-pom-kaftan/p1895421?colour=Soft%20Aqua. I also have a nice blue and white striped long t shirt dress from Asda so they are available less expensively.

We're off to Canada for 3 weeks this summer and whilst I am so excited, I'm in a quandary about my holiday wardrobe as it will be a total mixture of hiking, meals out, days at the beach etc. and I don't know what the weather will be like !

H&M have very nice cover-ups
www.hm.com/gb/product/96426?article=96426-J
I am going to Greece and have three, as rookie says they are very handy to have! H&M also have lots of nice and reasonable jersey dresses which are easy to wear and can be dressed up for evening with sandals / jewellery etc.

Lots of yes' s to the above! I've not long got back from 10 days in the Algarve and felt it was my best packing of clothes year yet - Im usually guilty of taking clothing that doesn't seem to work in the heat. So I took 2 tankinis (Sainsburys & Matalan), 2bikinis, two pair of patterned jersey trousers (Next..so comfy), various vest tops, loose tshirt dresses for day time (less faff than sarongs etc), shorts, tshirts, few patterned tunic dresses for the evenings. Oh and M&S are doing lovely linen blend tops that are 12.99 in lots of colours, I got the almost neon pink one which sounds odd but looked fab against a tan and so many people commented on it! Aside from that I would say gold sandals, some bright nail varnish (I went for coral) and tons of fun jewellery.
Have a brilliant time

Hellswelshy- sounds like my kind of holiday wardrobe, where did you get your printed tunics from?? And which next jersey to users did you get? Thanks

Got my tunic dresses from Fatface outlet store (not sure if you have a discount outlet nearby but they were really worth it for holiday bits). The Next trousers were about 25 quid, I got the green and navy pattern and the navy and white - quite a few choices though. I cannot emphasise how comfy and versatile they are!

Hellswelly could you possibly link to the M&S linen blend tops - they sound fab. I bought a nice linen top from John Lewis but at £35 I can't afford to get more in different colours.

I'm going in holiday in a week and am packing a jersey or cotton dress for every day (very young kids so I'll need a change every day), wide leg linens trousers plus 2/3 smart tips for evenings, a couple of cardis, 2 maxi dresses, two pairs of flip flops, one pair of glitter sandals, swimwear and two cover ups

Yes hellswelly I would also like the link to the M&S linen blend tops pleeeease!

m.marksandspencer.com/mt/www.marksandspencer.com/petite-short-sleeve-easy-to-iron-t-shirt-with-linen/p/p22375340

Hope that works! It doesnt seem much but I think they are really nice tops, ive got the cobalt blue and the neon pink. They wash well too!

They're identical to the gap ones Hellswelshy but much nicer colours.

Yes the colours are very summery and if like me you need simplicity in your wardrobe, they work with lots of different items. And for the price well worth it

I tend to take:

2 x swimwear
2 Beach cover up tops - 3/4 sleeve and loose fit
large oversize t shirt as additional cover up if at pool ( I burn easily)
1 or 2 pairs of shorts
1 or 2 skirts
A couple of evening type dresses (I don't do maxi)
A couple of cover up type dresses (that can also be used a long skirt)
A few vest tops (usually about 5)
1 pair of loose comfortable trousers
2 pairs of sandals
A cardigan or lightweight jacket
A sun hat
Prescription sunglasses
9 pairs of knickers
2 bras
2 pairs of socks
1 pair of lightweight pj's

I make sure everything is in colours that can be mixed and matched

I travel in trainers, jeans and a nice but comfortable top and I can wash and wear these again if I need to.

Wow my list is long compared to some of the others posts and that's me finally learned to cut back on what I pack.