Straw bag Bought in Portugal Beach Towel D&G Sunglasses Vintage Sandals c/o Ipanema
I had originally hoped to write a 'holiday packing' series around the time that I went to Barcelona, I thought it might be nice to talk about what I was taking away with me, especially to a festival abroad, but in the end I just ran out of time to shoot the images before I went. It would have probably helped if I'd managed to do so, as I ended up forgetting my shorts! Can you believe that? I got them out of my summer clothes stash, washed them and then left them drying! It was ok, though, as the weather wasn't as hot as I was hoping it would be, and so each evening I just wore skinny jeans, and I took two dresses so during the day I was ok.
Anyway, I though instead I'd talk about what I would pack in my beach bag for a day trip to the seaside. I think that this bag contents would work at home or abroad, growing up in Devon I had access to some incredible beaches and when the weather is right, the Devon or Cornwall coast is one of the loveliest places to be.
I picked up this straw bag in a market in the Algarve when Adrian and I visited last year. It's one of those really artisanal, leather handled totes that is so easy to chuck everything into, I use it a lot in the summer (and not just for the beach!) as it's a great size. First things first, you'll need a beach towel! This D&G one is really useful as it has a zipped pocket in the end! So good for putting essentials, like keys or a phone, in to protect them from getting lost or stolen; which can happen if you have an open top tote bag as most beach bags are.
I think another key item of importance to take is suncream, which I've run out of hence not being able to include it! It's a must however, especially at the beach when the breeze or cool water can make you misjudge how hot it is. The amount of times I've come back from a surf trip with a bright red face, despite slapping suncream on, re-application is essential if you are in and out of the water, or in it for any length of time. I would also include a really good moisturiser, which is perfect for keeping skin soft and smooth or as an aftersun. This spray one by Vaseline is really good as it's non-greasy and absorbs fast, nobody wants sandy legs! I really suffer as well with dry, chapped hands so I always carry a good handcream as my hands are irritated by saltwater, and the sand can be quite abrasive so this is also a great item to have in the beach bag.
Sunnies are a must, one of my trillion pairs of vintage ones do the job nicely and can be chucked in with no effort, as can a squashy straw hat which I can't be without in the sunshine to protect my hair and face from the sun. Likewise, something to read when relaxing, be it a book or a magazine, can be a lovely way to while away an hour or two.
Finally, a decent pair of sandals! I was sent these from Ipanema and they were the inspiration for this post, the geometric shapes on the toe strap and bronze tone have a really ancient greek/roman inspired feel to them and they are so soft and comfortable. All too often plastic flip flops can be hard and give you blisters but not so with these; they're lovely. They come in many different colours and styles, and you can shop them here! You can also get 15% off the collection with the code SUM14 so you can treat yourself!
What's your beach bag essential?
XO Amie
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