Holiday wardrobe

[blibblibs]

I'm looking for some help with a holiday wardrobe, the whole thing!
We're going on a 12 day holiday in August to tenerife and it's the first holiday we've had since DC and youngest is now 8 😁
I have nothing except a lovely new seafolly swimming costume. Oh and a midi pleated white skirt.
We're B&B so will be eating out each night but with 2 DC I don't imagine it will be anywhere to up market and the days will most likely be filled with beach and water parks with a bit of sightseeing thrown in so I'm hoping to keep it all pretty simple. But I don't really do summer dressing and my usual jeans and removal of jumper probably won't cut it!
A list of what I'm likely to need would be great and links too if you want 😁
I'm 5'2 size 12 and navy is my usual colour if choice (it goes with jeans!) with the odd bit of green or pink for a change.
Budget is about £300 for everything if that's doable?

Make a list of what you need - e.g my list would have sandals, flip flops, 2 pairs of shorts, 4 tops, 3 dresses, a tunic for the beach, denim jacket for cooler evenings.

Spend more on the dresses. Try gap, Uniqlo, hush?

Agree, make a list. My teenage DD plans outfits. I don’t go that far but I do lays things out to make sure I have the right amount of things. So,

T shirts
Linen shirts
Skirts
Shorts
Swimwear
Under wear

Etc.

Thanks so have been thinking

2 shorts
2 light trousers
6 tops
3 dresses
1 Beach cover up
1 cardigan

Already have a denim jacket so will travel in that.
Shoes are an issue, I live in superga at this time of year so will take those for shorts and trousers but other footwear is a problem. I don't do toes so something to go with dresses are going to be a struggle.

What else might I have missed?
How many swimming costumes would you take? Don't think one will be enough!

I dont do toes and have these in navy

Personally I wouldn't do linen anything as it creases so easy no matter how you pack it

Splurge on two really nice summer dress. I bought mine from j crew. Would wipe out your budget from there but needn’t be too expensive but definitely two dresses you really like and feel good in. Four years after I bought mine, I still get comments about lovely they are.
You won’t wear trousers on holiday. You just won’t. Replace one of the trousers with a midi pleated skirt.

Dorothy Perkins do really nice simple well made and reasonably priced shorts. Would recommend.

oh good heavens, one costume is definitely not enough! Three. Check out fat face and you should fin find a discount code

Would you “do” toes if you had a professional pedicure beforehand?

2 beach cover ups
You will get totally sick of one. Plus it will get dirty (sand, chlorine, sun cream, sticky ice cream fingers)

If you’re determined not to show your toes....

www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk/shoes-sandals-boots/sandals/palmaira-sandals/palmaira-leather-menorcan-summer-sandals_bloom.htm

Another angle from me, pick 3 colours (4 max) and then you know everything will go together in various outfit combinations including shoes, bags, beach cover ups etc.

My go to colours for summer are navy, white, red and a splash of yellow or green

You may wear trousers if it gets chilly!

How about maxi dresses? I find them super comfortable on holiday (although I know some MNetters aren’t fans). I like Warehouse for affordable jersey ones

Casual dresses and a denim jacket would totally work with white trainers if you really don’t want to wear sandals, but you’ll need flip flops or similar for during the day, no?

Would definitely throw in another swimsuit to bikini.

I also love a big scarf/pashmina for nights!

Recommend gap and banana republic for shorts that do both day and night. Cotton vest during day, silk in the evening!

Thank you all, very helpful.

I like the idea of picking 3 or 4 colours and working with that. I would probably pick navy, white, blush and something else but that seems a bit boring.

Toes are really really a no go, even the palmeria are no good as I tried the ones in next on and you could still see a bit of my weirdly bent ugly toes! I've seen the M&S ones in real life and there a bit too grown up for me, although I am an actual old grown up!
I quite like these and could keep the outfits plain
Also dresses, I tried on a few at the weekend and ended up buying this from warehouse but it's more a beach dress than anything else. I saw lots I liked but they really need to cover my knees (just another little hang up!) and they seemed few and far between so any help with that would be good.

I don’t think that sounds boring at all, it sounds great

I brought a few dresses from everything 5 pounds sleek and simple

You also need a beach cover up - either a wrap or a jersey dress look on h and m or ASOS

Shorts are also good on lots of sights look for the simple flared ones that look more like a skirt rather than tight

What about leggings? Easy to wear and will do for eating out with a long top

Tenerife in August, you're unlikely to even need a jacket, let alone leggings. I like loose, floaty things when it's really hot. Espadrilles with the ties round your legs that cover your toes are a good alternative to sandals.

As stokey says, Tenerife in August will be hot and unless you are going to a ‘posh’ hotel you are unlikely to need anything dressy. A lot of people will go out to eat during the evening in shorts or dresses which are more of a beach cover up.

If you don’t normally ‘do’ summer-wear I would disagree with the idea of spending on a couple of nice dresses and would recommend somewhere like primark for cheap and cheerful. If you don’t have problems with your thighs rubbing together I’d go for midi / maxi length dresses to cover your legs if you don’t like showing your knees and some thin, loose trousers.

For day time I would just not worry about your knees as everyone will be In shorts or tee shirt dresses. Next have some simple shortish sleeveless t shirt dresses which you can slip on over your swimming costume. If you aren’t comfortable in a bikini I like tankinis as this gives more coverage but still easy to go to the toilet if you have a cover up on.

Yes you definitely won't need trousers. I would go much heavier on the bikinis/beach dress/kaftans (I take dozens but I admit I'm ridiculous like that) and maybe a couple of smarter dresses for evening meals. Definitely at least two or three swimsuits/bikinis. H&M do nice cheap ones.

I really don't do summer clothes, hence the not very large budget. I would splash out on something I loved and thought I would wear at home too, but it's never really hot enough here to take the jeans off and if it is I have a few pairs of chinos for that.

I'd love some thin wide legged trousers which in theory should be easy to find just now but I'm struggling. Lots I saw in the shops were a heavy hang and a thin pair I bought in primark are rubbish, too long and the elasticated waist makes my arse look huge! I think I need 3/4 or 7/8 and they'll be ankle length on me.
So I need dress links, trouser links and an idea of what a beach cover up should be. Last time I went on holiday it was a wrap which was a complete pain.
And I need to go and try on shorts because I haven't owned a pair of them since school pe!

Sorry caramel I think you've answered lots of my questions already!
I'm going to go and check out next now (I usually avoid next so I'm not wearing their very obvious patterns!)

Try next for trousers

This site Coco Bay has some nice beach stuff and reasonable prices.

I'd go for kaftans rather than wraps. There are lots of long ones around as well as short.

Honestly I wouldn't take any trousers, unless really thin loose harem type ones. I was in Tenerife last Easter and it was in the 30s. Evenings a bit cooler but it was in April and even then still warm in the nighttime for just a dress and maybe a thin cardigan.

Have you looked at Zara for trousers? if you're insisting on them

That Coco Bay site is fabulous, I wish I could afford another seafolly swimsuit, they really do fit brilliantly.
Forgot about Zara, that's where my chinos are from. Although the 10s are bigger than the 12s so I think I might be best going to a store rather than my preferred online shopping.