What to Wear: Beach Holiday Edition

What to wear on holiday can be as big a question as where to go – forget to pack the right shoes or swimwear, and you could be out of pocket as much as the cost of your flights! Once you’ve booked your all-inclusive sunshine holiday, everything is taken care of but your wardrobe. Here are our tips for what to wear on a beach holiday this summer, whether you’re relaxing in a deck chair or tearing up the dance floor:

beach swimwear

Vintage Chic

Retro swimwear is always in style – a classic black swimming costume, oversized sunglasses and a great manicure will have people whispering and wondering if you’re so-or-so off the telly. Alternatively, go for the playful fifties look that’s all the rage with a high-waisted floral bikini, coral lipstick and a crown of flowers to channel Lana del Rey’s retro style. Throw on a flowy midi skirt as a cover-up and you’ll be on every street style photographer’s radar.

Native American Cool

American southwest-inspired style ticks all the boxes for perfect summer fashion: bright colours, geometric patterns and retro cool. Think woven and leather accessories, beat-up denim, embroidery, patterns, floaty tops and silver jewellery. Pair a neon print bikini with an easy cotton dress (go for a dress rather than a purpose-made cover-up, to do double-duty and save space in your luggage), vintage sunnies and embellished sandals for a look that will take you from the beach to a café bar for a glass of rosé while the sun sets.  Pick a glam enough dress and throw on some bling to show the Benidorm nightlife what you’ve got.

Sheer Style

Sheer layers are everywhere this year, and with good reason – they are practical for all weather. Throw a sheer midi dress over your swimwear for a beach cover-up, then toss it over a minidress to head to dinner (and when you get to the club, lose the sheer layer and put it in your handbag). If the temperature drops a little bit in the evening, slip on a leather jacket and a thicker skirt underneath for a bit of warmth. Same goes for tops – a sheer long-sleeve top is just enough to keep you from covered in the hot Spanish sun, but still lets the breeze in to cool you down.

Guys

Guys have it easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a few great summer menswear tips. Take your shorts a little shorter this year to channel classic Bond, and buy them in a single colour rather than a typical board-shorts pattern – that is, unless you’re going for the full-on Versace look, in which case go as fluro-tropical as you can stand. Don’t forget your retro sunglasses, and bring a bomber jacket or baseball jacket for those cooler nights.