14-05-2025
Packing secrets that fashion editors always rely on to look good on holiday
Holidays are wonderful; packing for them, less so. Unless you are one of those people who can simply throw a few pieces together and always look fabulous, then deciding what to pop in your suitcase feels like a serious challenge.
Get it wrong and you could end up in all kinds of annoying scenarios: feeling underdressed when all your friends have packed all-out glam outfits. Spending your holiday absolutely freezing because you didn't check the temperature and only packed shorts and T-shirts. Or totally misreading the vibe and packing a load of party dresses when in fact you just want to chill out in tent-like garments.
Of course, holidays are mainly about relaxing and having fun, but it does help to feel you're looking good too. So here the team at You magazine share their tips for packing well and putting together great holiday outfits, without tonnes of effort.
Sophie Dearden-Howell, fashion director
'I always try my outfits on as I pack them. It's a little time consuming at the packing point but will save you time and energy on your on your outfits at home and then when you are on holiday there is no thinking or 'styling' yourself as it's all been done already. You are also more willing to style things you haven't styled together before if you give yourself an hour to play with it at home.'
Rosie Green, associate editor (beauty)
'My holiday dressing hack isn't revolutionary but it has served me well – invest in great dresses! If they fit well and the fabric is travel-friendly you need nothing else but a pair of strappy sandals and a cardigan. Wear them to the beach, wear them to dinner, wear them shopping. They are so versatile.'
Sophie Hines, lifestyle and digital editor
'If you are a bit of a clothes hoarder like me, then packing for holidays can feel quite overwhelming. That's until I hit on the hack of 'pack within a palette'. Whenever I'm going away, I pick three colours - two more neutral shades and one bright – and only pack pieces within this palette. So, for example I could choose black, beige and red, or navy, white and orange, and use this as a guideline to choose what I'm going to take. The massive benefit is that it means all the pieces can generally be mixed or matched together, and it also narrows down the overwhelm of looking at your entire wardobe and thinking 'what on earth am I going to take with me?''
Jessica Carroll, fashion stylist
'My top tip is to invest in some tarnish-free chunky gold jewellery. Hey Harper and make great pieces for quite an affordable price. It means you don't have to worry about taking it off if you go in the pool, or when you apply suncream. Layer up with some chunky hoops, some bangles, or a necklace stack - they look great alongside a black swimsuit in the day or a floaty summer dress in the evening and you instantly feel put together.'
Charlotte Vossen, deputy digital editor
'My holiday wardrobe mainly consists of linen: loose trousers, oversized shirts, midi dresses – you name it and I've packed it. The only downside? No matter how neatly I've folded the items, they always come out of my suitcase looking like a crumpled-looking mess, which is why I travel with a clothes steamer. This one from Philips (£ 36.99, John Lewis) is my favourite as it's light, compact and foldable – and comes with a handy pouch to store it in.'
Hope Palmer, fashion assistant
'The amount of times I've ended up with too many clothes, none of which look good together is ridiculous. Now I lean towards bringing almost exclusively white clothes, bar my swimwear, as I know a white top will go with a white trouser or shorts or skirt, and you can't go wrong with a white dress on holiday. Another plus of the full white is that you look a lot more tanned than you actually are!'
