Barbados Holiday Wardrobe

I’ve never been one to travel light but going to the same place more than once certainly helps to avoid over packing too much. Over half term we went to Barbados, a place that is very special to us as we got married there, in fact this was my fifth trip there (and the husband’s 15th!) so I knew what to expect weather wise…hot hot hot! The temperature doesn’t fluctuate much throughout the year so light and loose clothing, flat shoes and beach wear is basically all you need. I tend to take the same things with me on every beach holiday, which is practical and thrifty. However, I’d got to the point where I needed to add a few new items to my Barbados holiday wardrobe. Luckily I managed to freshen it up without breaking the bank.

I’d got to the point where I needed to add a few new items to my Barbados holiday wardrobe

I was browsing the Debenhams website for bikinis when I saw these tribal print trousers on sale and thought they’d make a nice alternative to skirts. The pattern is perfect for holidays and the fabric is soft and light, they are so comfortable. The flat nude sandals go with everything so they are holiday wardrobe essentials. Barbados is very laid back so I don’t bother with heels – flats are much more practical, especially after a few rum punches!

This cream lace skirt and beaded vest is one of my favourite holiday outfits; the M&S skirt is made from a crinkle effect fabric so it travels well, and the vest is very light and stretchy. Again I wore my nude flat sandals and leather cream bag, which is also a holiday staple as it’s both roomy and goes with everything.

Simple maxi dresses are great to throw on over a bikini to take you from beach to bar if you don’t have time to get changed. I just added a pair of drop earrings and I was good to go and catch the sunset at the beach bar. I’m never without my straw hat during the day to keep the sun off my face and a pair of big shades to protect my eyes.

The £5 dress

This cotton sun dress was a real bargain; I bought it at an M&S outlet for about £5 a few months ago. It has a Côte d’Azur boat theme print which is perfect for holidays. As we were doing a lot of walking that day, which included a trip to the beach, I wore my red and white stripe Fitflops. I love Fitflops because I’m very flat footed and the thick, moulded sole makes walking much more comfortable. This photo was taken on the lookout point at Welchman Hall Gully – the exact spot where we got married back in 2010. It was lovely to go back there again.

One of the new items of swimwear I bought from Debenhams was this watermelon print bikini by Freya. I was instantly drawn to the tropical print, which gave my husband the perfect opportunity to say “Nice melons!” on more than one occasion! Men, eh?!

This frill bikini is one I’ve had for a while now but I love the frill detail, which makes it feel less skimpy. It’s by Floozie Frost French – a range stocked by Debenhams, who have a fabulous range of swimwear for curvy ladies. I don’t mind admitting that I had serious doubts about posting a bikini photo (especially after relaxing the carbs intake the moment the plane took off!) but after seeing Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb post some beautiful holiday photos I was emboldened to just go for it. It’ll be quite a while before I get to spend a week basically living in a bikini again so I may as well savour the memory!

What are your tips for holiday packing? Are you a disciplined packer or do you always take too much stuff? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, I hope you have a lovely day!

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