Holiday edit: Beach and pool essentials

Now I have a tendency to want to go a bit overboard when it comes to planning holiday clothes and accessories. Although I’m aware that it’s kind of an unecessary expense, shopping for new bits and pieces is what I really love about the preparations for going away.

I always find it easiest to browse online for some inspiration and then usually I’ll hit the shops to have a look at what is about. Then I can start to really work out what I need opposed to what I want and this is usually the hardest part for me.

Here are a some of my tops picks for keeping you feeling stylish in the sun…

It does go without saying that some things have to be bought new in my opinion and one of those is swimwear. As it’s the one piece of clothing that you are pretty much guaranteed to be spending most of your time in, you not onIy want to be comfortable but you want to feel your best in what you have chosen. I find that swimsuits are the most practical in the water with kids (when there might be slides involved) but I always have a bikini to take on holiday too.

A kaftan is also something that I get lots of use out of everyday, not only for covering up when you’re not by the pool but also for keeping the sun off my shoulders. Which brings me to the importance of wearing a hat to provide some much needed shade for your head and of course sunglasses because it’s always so bright for me and I squint a lot!

If you’ve got a beach towel, then you will need a bag to put it in, along with all the other paraphenalia you will undoubtedly be taking when you have kids to think about as well. If you don’t have them to think about…then it’s a book and suncream and off you go.

I do love a general tropical theme as you may have gathered and I love blue and greens particularly. Throw in some fruit and some jewels and I’m pretty much all ready for the summer…