Holiday packing - please help me not take my entire summer wardrobe on holiday this year

[Lolypoly14]

I’m a terrible over packer. I start off with a plan and then lose my head and before I know it I’m carting all my summer clothes off for a week in Spain. I end up hating all my clothes and only wearing about 20% of what I’ve packed.

I’m going to Thailand next month. Should be 30 odd degrees. We’ve planned a mix of beach/pool chilling as well as day trips (bamboo rafting, boat trips to some of the islands, snorkelling, we’ll see some temples, day in Phuket, zip line, quad biking, etc).

What would you pack? I genuinely struggle with it and give it a stupid amount of head space.

It’s a bucket list holiday for us and I want to look back at photos of me looking all cool and put together - rather than sweaty and red faced.

I have got a small budget to buy some new stuff, so any suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks!

Plan what you will wear each day. Obviously something's can be worn more than once

There is a lot of info on the net from stylists on holiday clothes/capsule wardrobe for packing. It might be worth looking at. Also a lot of people have You tube info on holiday packing.

It is so easy to overthink this. The key is to ensure that, for example, separate tops and bottoms go together, that you are comfortable in both appearance and how it feels and that one nasty food “blob” won’t render it useless for the rest of the trip.

Thank you!

I start off well - I’ll lay out outfits that work well together and mix and match, and then I start to panic and chuck more in and before I know it, my entire summer wardrobe is in my suitcase.

My downfall is large luggage allowances. The larger the allowance, the more I lose my mind. I’ve got 30kgs plus hand luggage.

I’d like to do it with just hand luggage if possible. We’ve got connecting flights and I’m always a bit worried my luggage won’t make it on to the right flights.

I’m going to investigate YouTube for ideas. I need someone to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Assuming 2 week break…

For beach:
3 cover ups: sarongs are brilliant for giving multiple looks (if intending to wear as a skirt remember to include a couple of vest tops)
I also tend to rewear lighter evening clothes to the beach too eg slip dress or light linen trousers.
4 bikinis/swimsuits (I usually change before lunch to avoid sitting in wet swimwear)
Flip flops/Birkenstocks for schlepping around.
Hat and/or headscarf to protect your head and hair from the sun.

Sightseeing:
1 dress
1 shorts/skirt & top

Evening:
5 outfits max. I find dresses easier than separates (stops the “wtf shall I put with what” panic!) but nothing too flouncy/with too much fabric. The tiered styles favoured by UK high street brands are too sweaty for temps outside the UK. I live in a similar climate to the one you’re visiting. My evening go-to is almost always a loose slip dress or a strappy empire line dress. Cotton, silk or linen preferably. They always look understated and chic.

Footwear for evening: one good pair of tan, gold or silver leather flat sandals is all you need. Two at most.

Take accessories to change things up a little & think about a couple of different ways to wear your hair.

I read somewhere that you should pack half of your clothes in your travel partner’s bag and vice versa, betting that you both won’t lose your luggage so you will have clothes while the airline finds the missing bag.

@Overtheatlantic That’s a good idea. I always pack a bikini & one dress in my cabin bag for this reason. Worse case scenario, I have swimwear that fits & at least one nice dress for dinner.

“Worse case scenario” 😀.

I’m a big fan of one season Australia dresses. I wear them more than anything else when in a hot climate - the cotton is soft and lovely and thin. I also have two of their viscose dresses for evening. When you google them remember to put Uk in your search so you get uk suppliers. The 2025 dresses aren’t available yet, but some places have last years stock. Your search will also bring up other suppliers like Aspiga who also have a sale on with some of their summer dressss. Next also have summer dresses in stock now online - I’ve bought some good cheapies from there last year.

From looking at your intended activities it looks like you’ll need shorts and t shirts for your planned activity days. Then cover up type thin cotton dresses can be used for beach, sightseeing and evenings. Pack a thin cotton sarong and a foldable brimmed cotton hat (mine is from Next). Take walking sandals (eg Teva) and a pretty pair for evening. I find a small daypack (rucksack) essential to carry kit in for a day out. You’ll need beach shoes and lots of mossie repellant and factor 50+ suncream.

The hotel laundry service shouldn’t break the bank. You can only wear clothes once in Thailand ‘cause of the heat so you could plan on getting a capsule wardrobe washed! Don’t forget your suncream as only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun! Stay sun safe.

Other things … refillable water bottle, suncream, after sun, sun hat, mosquito repellent, fan, simple first aid kit.

The rest, 3 pairs of shorts or sun dresses, loose floaty tops (to hide all the sweat), loose trousers and long sleeved top for the temple, vest tops, light long loose shirts, swimming costume, rash vest, reef safe sunscreen. I really like the Decathlon snorkel face mask as you can see loads. If you wear glasses then decathlon do prescription inserts.

Pair of shorts, a skirt, a pair of linen trousers in neutral colours to suit your colouring e.g. Navy, black, Khaki, tan.

Some sort of crop wide leg - could be patterned.
A thin light cotton shirt.
Selection of vests and t shirts.
Beach dress/ cover up.
2 dresses for evenings. And a couple of tops which could dress up the skirt, linen trousers or crops.
2 bikinis.
A small bag that can be used for evenings or days.
One jumper or cardigan for the plane and cold air con in hotels.
Metalic sandals, flip flops, something sturdier for sightseeing - depending on what you have planned some sort of Teva sandal, trainers or a walking shoes.

Don't make the mistake I made and pack sleeveless tops and shorts. I underestimated how often visits to palaces and temples required knees and shoulders to be covered. Ended up rotating the same three t shirts and wearing the same trousers whilst carting around numerous unsuitable items of clothing.
Neutral t shirts is the way forward. One comfortable dress with short sleeves as it does get humid. Comfy sandals that you can take off easily.
Aircon can be chilly so a light layer you can shove in a bag is good too.
I'm a terrible packer, Ipack, unpack, repack and then panic pack. Still end up with so much unworn stuff. 20kg should be plenty and leaves enough capacity for shopping!

Seasalt Larissa shirts are great as a cover up.

@BobbyGentry 's list is very similar to mine. I'd add a long, light skirt.

This is what I packed for an 11 night beach holiday last year. It's the smallest amount ive ever managed to pack! Things that needed changing for next holiday are in capitals next to it. Our days consisted of loose trousers/ shorts and tee for breakfast, swimwear and sarong/ loose dress for a day by the pool and a wander at lunch, or a day out exploring, dress and cardigan for evening. I went in tan sandals and took black sandals with me, both comfy for walking.

Thank you!

I tried a load of stuff on last night and hated everything. I’ve put on some weight the last few years and I’m not loving it.

I think my problem is shorts. I have mostly longer shorts to try and hide my thighs but they look awful. I think I need some shorter shorts. Or just give up on shorts completely.

The temple visit is part of one of the boat trips so I’ve got some light, wide legged trousers I’m going chuck in a bag with a light weight shirt.

I bought this from Matalan the other day and love it. I look and feel great in it but I don’t know whether it will be too hot. www.matalan.co.uk/clothing/black-jersey-stripe-wide-leg-jumpsuit/15498747.html

I’d forgotten about hotel laundry - we have it for free

I really don’t know why I’m giving this so much head space, I don’t go for a month 🤦‍♀️

I like the jumpsuit.

Try looking for mom fit shorts, or shorts with pleats in- they work well for my solid thighs. I'll try to find links of what I bought last year. I don't worry about them being particularly long, I just consider a cut that has enough room for them.

I have these shorts in several colours/ patterns

Ooh, they’re nice. Thank you for the link. I’ll have to get a couple of pairs.

I definitely agree I need wider legged shorts rather than longer.

I think I also need slightly shorter tops, or at least tuck them in a bit. The weight I’ve gained is all in my tummy and thighs (thank you menopause!) and in my head longer shorts and tops should hide it, but it’s just accentuating it I think.

Honestly, I’m a 48 year old woman, I should have this shit figured out.

If you have free hotel laundry it’s a no brainer. Suggest 5 tops, 5 bottoms or sub a top and bottom for a dress.

Having 2 hold bags go missing on separate flights has made me a “carry on girl” so to speak. Better to have less and have it with you rather than have more in a black hole.

I managed for 3 weeks last year on the following and washed everything;

2 shorts: 1 denim 1 quick dry cotton
1 short playsuit
1 long jumpsuit
1 linen patterned trousers
1 linen lightweight long skirt
3 black vest tops (spaghetti straps/ thick strap)
1 white tshirt
2 lightweight silk tops
1 workout set
1 swimming costume
1 bikini
1 tan sandals
1 trainers
1 flip flops
1 cashmere wrap (essential and most used item!)
1 cap
1 sunhat
1 nightie
1 lightweight cotton dressing gown
Underwear x5

Assuming one week no access to a washing machine I take for that sort of holiday 2x bikini, cover up, flip flops or crocs, 1-2 loose trousers, shorts, 3-4 vest tops/t shirts, 2 shirts (sun protection and modesty if required), 2-3 dresses, underwear (enough for 1 per day and couple of extras), sandals then travel in trainers. Tend to travel in UK winter in a seasalt jersey dress with tights I take off before landing.

This comes to about 15kg

Do those who use hotel laundries find clothes come back OK? I never tumble dry clothes at home, it never seems to do them any favours - in particular , I struggle to get trouser leg lengths that are long enough anyway, tumble drying always seems to lose length. I always assume hotel laundries will tumble dry them, so never dare use them.

We go to Thailand every year, I now take -
5 shorts ( mid thigh and I'm old and out of shape)
2 beach dresses
5 bikinis
3 vests
4 nice casual dresses.
2 hats
pair of trainers
couple pairs of flip flops - even wear them on the evening
We get our washing done half way through holiday, it's always ready by the next morning and cost about a tenner for us both. No shrinkage and beautifully ironed!
Make sure you have knees and shoulders covered for temples.
I used to really over pack but then not wear most of it.