According to various surveys, the British are the worst-dressed on holiday.  A little harsh perhaps but there is no doubt that the “Brit abroad” is not always lovely sight to behold! I suspect it’s because we’re not just accustomed to hot weather so our wardrobes aren’t geared up for it. With a little thought and effort though, there’s absolutely no reason we can’t be comfortable and look stylish in the sun.

Key Holiday Pieces

Swimwear

Treat yourself to a couple of good bikinis/ swimming costumes and cover-up pieces such as a sarong, shorts, beach dress etc. If you are well-endowed it’s particularly worthwhile investing in good quality swimwear so that you get the support you need – after all, the chances are that for a beach holiday, you will be wearing it for a considerable amount of time so it’s not that expensive when looked at on a cost-per-wear basis.

The Maxi dress

This is a great option as it can be dressed up with heels and accessories for the evening or dressed down with flats during the day. If you’re petite, keep it sleek and simple, avoiding big prints and volume.

The Sun Dress

A light-weight dress in a shape that works for you. A loose shift or tee shirt dress is a good option for most body shapes. Empire line will work particularly well  for those who carry weight around the middle. Again this can be dressed up or down with accessories.

Neutral Bottoms & Colourful Tops

White is an ideal colour choice for trousers/skirts/shorts because it teams well with so many other colours – from pastels through to brights and deeps. As an added bonus it will keep you that bit cooler too. If you’re not into white though, stone or khaki can also work well. Choose lightweight cotton or linen to keep you cool but do be sure to wear sleek “nude” underwear to avoid embarrassment. Kettlewell’s Lydia and Venus tops are 100% linen and come in a gorgeous range of colours.

Footwear

Shoes need to be comfortable and stylish. Whilst flip flops or slides are great for the beach or poolside, skirts and dresses will generally look best worn with sandals. Heels will add glamour for the evening; wedges are a good option for those who find heels a bit of a challenge.

Accessories

Take a selection of jewellery (statement earrings, bangles and necklaces) which, when worn with heels, will transform daywear to eveningwear.

Make-up Bag
Sunshine and heavy make-up are not a winning combination. My advice is to keep make-up as light and natural-looking as possible. You just need the basics:

• Blusher in the right tone for your skin (peachy if you’ve got “warm” colouring, pinky if you’re “cool”) gives a look of instant health. A crème blusher tends to look more natural in sunlight that a powder blush.
• Eye shadow has a habit of sliding off more easily in the heat so either skip it altogther or use an eye base. Colour Me Beautiful do an excellent combined eye and lip base for £14.98.
• Eye pencil – you only really need one. Smudge a little pencil in the outer corners for daytime or use with your shadows for more definition in the evening.
• Mascara – waterproof mascara is best in the heat and on the beach but you may want to consider having your eyelashes tinted. You can always boost your lashes in the evening with your mascara.
• Two lipsticks, one for daytime and one for evening, or exchange one for a lip gloss if you prefer.

Sun cream
I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to wear an effective broad spectrum sun cream offering UVA and UVB protection. So many of us spend a small fortune on cosmetics and “miracle” moisturisers in the hope they’ll make us look younger and yet we blithely fry our faces in the sun, which is absolutely the quickest route to wrinkles and age spots!  If you’d like a sunkissed golden glow, just fake it! A tinted moisturiser, a bit of bronzer or subtle fake tan will do the trick.

For more tips on what to wear on your holidays, why not attend my Capsule Holiday Wardrobe Workshop on Wednesday 22nd May? In it, I will show you how to pack for a fortnight’s holiday in cabin luggage.