How to look "polished" while staying in hotels/on holiday

[askii]

How on earth do people manage to look polished when contending with bad hotel lighting/air con/hard water etc when staying in hotels or on holiday? I'm always envious of those who manage to look so effortless in these situations

I don’t get the not dressing up thing - where are you staying /eating dinner where you’d fit in wearing shorts and a t shirt? Surely summer dresses, sandals not trainers/sliders is pretty standard for a half decent restaurant?

even in the uk, on a hot day I would change out of shorts and t shirt if I was going out for dinner, unless it was to a basic (not “gastro”) pub.

if I’ve been at the beach / in the water, I’m going to have a shower before dinner.

I didn't wear shorts to go out in the evening but I saw people who did. It was the main town on a Greek island.

And DH wore T-shirts all the time albeit with jeans in the evening.

Ooh, I think op is right. I'm going on an all inclusive package holiday and I'll be dressing up in my high street summer clothes. I might even wear a colourful print. And my bmi is over 25. Will I bring shame on the nation?

Really letting the side down... according to this thread you must be extremely thin, wear linen and blend in with the locals..😂

Don't forget to look amazing but make no effort...

I make no effort and definitely don’t look amazing on holiday!
I totally embrace my wild natural curls rather than when I’m at home and I don’t take any makeup away with me. Absolutely love being on holiday for the DGAF I feel 😂
And I just wear my same ‘hot day’ clothes on holiday as I do at home so really no difference for me.

Wear what suits you & a smile.

If you are slim and tanned by all means embrace neutral colours. If like me you are short, pale & slightly chubby, they are probably best avoided.

If you have nothing more interesting to do on holiday than ironing, enjoy your linens. Otherwise take stuff that doesn't crease.

Don't worry about the light in your bathroom, choose outside restaurants & watch the sun set. The med gets dark earlier than the UK and candlelight is very flattering.

Wear your favourite dresses and jumpsuits with flip flops or flat leather sandals and have fun.

A flowing summer dress is generally the way that I would go.

I think what you wear to dress up for the evening in a hot seaside resort does need to be a bit different from what you might wear in the UK, because the light is brighter and the colours around you are different. Dark clothes and dark leather shoes or handbags won’t look quite right in a seaside resort. But they’re obviously fine if you’re on a city break.

Don’t overdress! Nice quality and well fitting basics you can dress up a bit for evening (linen trousers with a well fitting tshirt or fine knit vest, smart shorts and a loose shirt, floaty dress). Leather sandals, classic looking jewellery and sunglasses. Small straw bag or clutch for evening. An oversized shirt to wear over your swimsuit as a cover up). Make sure everything fits nicely, not too tight and not too much sunburned skin on show. Eyelashes / brows done before hols (I got LVL before my last big hol and looked so much more put together without makeup!) Mix your usual foundation with moisturiser for a lighter look & use your bronzer as eyeshadow, tinted balm for lips and cheeks. You’ll look fresh and pretty.

I wear shorts / tee in evenings! Smart linen shorts with a tshirt in a nice fabric, leather sandals and gold jewellery, I have always felt well enough out together for an aperitif and dinner. If it was a very formal restaurant I would put a dress on

Silver jewellery in my case. Gold doesn't go with my colouring.

@YorkNew At that rate, your holiday wardrobe pretty much is your regular wardrobe. The planet thanks you, by the way.

This! Those UK Hotel hairdryers attached to the bathroom wall are about as good as a Fairy flatulating on your scalp. They just leave me with floof.

In hot countries I make the most of that time between shaded pool and dinner in the room. I put a hair mask on, face pack, slather myself in a lovely moisturiser, sit on the balcony with a cold drink and let my hair dry naturally before straightening the ends and getting ready to go out. As I've got older it's become a favourite part of my holiday - self care and a bit of a pamper.

In the day I put some leave in conditioner on my hair and put it in a bun. I've noticed in a lot of hot counties that women always look sleek in the heat because they slick their hair into a nice neat high bun style. Saves having to worry about a sweaty scalp and frizz.

In the day I put some leave in conditioner on my hair and put it in a bun. I've noticed in a lot of hot counties that women always look sleek in the heat because they slick their hair into a nice neat high bun style. Saves having to worry about a sweaty scalp and frizz

Yes. I always wonder at the posters who have high maintenance hair. Why don't they just do what you do @Whatineed?

Since the menopause my hair is much thinner than it used to be , and I keep it short. I find it pretty easy to maintain on holiday these days.

I have an old photo of us on holiday in Fuerteventura many moons ago. DH 6 ft, tanned, crisp white t shirt, cool shades. Me 5'2 fat, ginger, sweaty and looking like a well stuffed baked potato. It hasn't really got any better except that he now looks 10 years older than me and I don't give a fuck any more🤣🤣

My key tip is earplugs! All hotels are improved by earplugs.

Our hotel wasn't at all noisy.

Rinse hair in bottled water after washing, moisturise body, tinted moisturiser, lip balm and no fucks to give about what others think.

Haha! Love this!

My hair is low maintenance, so I haven’t had issues with it on holiday. My skin is a problem, though. Sunscreen tends to give me perioral dermatitis, which is a nightmare to get rid of, so I look spotty, patchy and crusty. It feels very uncomfortable. No-one notices me anymore though, so I suppose it doesn’t really matter!

Pay attention to your bra straps
Make sure your clothes fit properly

That's about it really, there's a whole world out there to enjoy and if you want to wear jungle prints from New Look then bloody well do it!

My pre holiday routine includes-
Lash lift and dye,
Eyebrow wax and tint
Waxing legs bikini and underarms
Exfoliating every inch of my body.
Biab gel nails on hands and toes, nails fairly short (I hate having claws lol)
On holiday -
Linen/cotton loose midi/maxi dresses in neutral colours
Tan bag and coordinating sandles and same in black.
Good quality sunglasses
Simple Gold jewellery
For my hair I either have it in a low bun, or I use the colour wow extra strength dream coat to blowdry my hair.
Makeup consists of charlotte tilbury flawless filter to give a glow and a pinky cream blush - I use brown mascara as I have blue eyes and this just makes them pop without looking too hard.

I always take my own hairdryer on holiday along with Ghds, i can't deal with them awful hotel dryers!!!

That's about it really, apart from proper underwired bikinis during the day, I'd fall out of a triangle one

Sandals *

In a villa or in a basic b n b /pension

a lot of these hotels sound really package

If you were in a villa eating at home you can wear what you like. In a basic b and b dinner isn’t provided so you would be going out. If dinner is provided in a pension, I still wouldn’t go down in shorts and a t shirt.
It’s just manners not to wear shorts and a t shirt for dinner unless you are self catering.