Vacation and Resort Outfits
Pack things that do two jobs
One idea survives every kind of trip: every piece should earn its place in the bag by working in more than one setting. A linen maxi that’s beach by day and dinner by night once you swap the jewelry. A crochet set that layers over swim and stands on its own for lunch. The fastest way to overpack and still feel like you have nothing to wear is buying for single moments.
By kind of trip
- Resort. Swimsuit and coverup at the low end, a silk maxi and heels for a resort dinner at the high end. Pack at least one genuinely dressed-up dinner option. Having none is the classic resort miss.
- City break. Polished casual, not tourist athleisure. White trainers are fine for sightseeing now. Tailored trousers, a printed blouse, and a block heel is the formula. Paris runs minimal and neutral; the Mediterranean runs flowy and bold.
- Beach. Same thinking as a pool day, where the coverup is part of the outfit rather than an afterthought.
What’s current
Crochet is the piece of the season, over swim, as a dress, as a set. The resort palette splits two ways and both work: quiet neutrals like sand, salt white, and sea glass, or bright tropical coral, turquoise, and sunshine yellow. Silhouettes are relaxed and built to move.
The trap
For city trips, it’s the cargo-shorts-and-athletic-shoes tourist look. It reads exactly the way it sounds, and a lot of European restaurants and churches quietly expect better. Polished casual is the same comfort without the tell.