Holiday A-Z

2 Sleeps and counting.  Portugal, here I come!  Two whole weeks of lounging, dining, tanning, playing, chatting........... ahhhh bliss.  This is my one holiday a year and I'm going to make it count.  For anyone else lucky enough to be jetting off on a break, here is my A-Z of heavenly holidaying.

A - Aeroplane

I am an aeroplane ADDICT.  I love airports, I love pilots, I love people watching, I love duty free, I love a plane blanket and I LOVE going to WH Smith pre-flight and stocking up on magazines and books.  

My dream plane blanket would be this cashmere treat from Brora, a snip at £389!  

In the meantime, I will have to make do with my HUGE beloved snow leopard print blanket found on the FLOOR in a Marks and Spencer sales frenzy.  

B - Big bag

The bigger the better.  Something fabulous to lug all your flight and beach essentials around in.  

This year I'll be taking this amazing tan oversized tote from Sacha London.

(I'm a lucky girl, it's not available 'till September!)  It's roomy, it's woven, it's got tassels, it's a no brainer.  

Visit www.sachalondon.co.uk come Autumn to purchase and in the meantime look 

at their handbags in Summery citrus shades.

C - Costumes

Swimming costumes, that is.  Back with a vengeance, the swimming costume is the thing to wear pool side.  I have a favourite from last year - pink leopard print (J.Lo esque) with a twisted strapless neckline but I'm also LUSTING over this Zimmerman beauty.  Grecian draping mixed with utility belt - perfection.

D - Dresses

Dresses are making up about 80% of my holiday wardrobe.  Easy to pack, breezy, effortless, perfect for day, ideal for nightfall.  Here are a just a few of my options.  

  

  

E - Eating out

One of my favourite thing about holidays.  The family together, eating, drinking, smoking, laughing.  My most anticipated night out?  A magical discovery last year - Gourmet Natural.  It's an Argentinian steak restaurant in a BREATHTAKING garden, where the impeccable staff start you off with a round of passion fruit mojito (which I quickly discovered are the elixir of sheer joy.)

F - Family

The best thing about my holiday - the fact that all 13 of us are together.  

Here's one of my favourite family snaps from last year - my niece Clemmie listening to Beyonce after a face painting session.  She looks like she's got a little halo.

G - Grooming

Pre holiday - mani, pedi, wax

Mid holiday - poolside DIY mani, poolside DIY facial

Post holiday - TAN MAINTENANCE!!! 

H - Holiday hair

The very best of hair.  Beachy waves, sun-given highlights, windswept plaits and an excuse to rock all your unworn hair accessories.  Silk scarves, corsages and ribbons are my favourites.

I - Ice cups

Glasses FULL of crushed ice - the ultimate chill out when the heat is causing you to melt.

J - Jungle Formula

Glamorous? No.  Essential? Absolutely.  

Insects love me, the little buggers.  This stuff is a god send.

K - Kaftans v Kimono

Usually it's all about the kaftan.  A glorious, floaty, chic kaftan flung over a bikini.  This year, however, I've got something else to toy with.  My GlamorousUK kimono, which looks wonderfully faded and vintage will look amazing teamed with swimwear, equally with an LBD for dinner.  But I've bought this Topshop kaftan too, just to create a little friendly competition.

 

GlamorousUK Kimono

Topshop Kaftan 

L - Lemon juice

This features heavily on my holidays.  A squeeze to give an ice cold water a kick, a generous glug over a fresh salad for the healthiest dressig.  Mother nature's very own bleach gives my hair golden highlights too (an age old trick, but it does work!)  Maybe if I submerged the tips in it and sat in the sun I could master a natural dip dye?!

M - Magazines
Yep, my name is Charlotte and I'm a magazine junkie.  My family always books the holiday to happen just DAYS before the September issues come out much to my continual despair.  So I desperately try and discipline myself not to open any in the month of August, something that in my line  of work is virtually impossible.  My record number is 15 last year...they really messed with my suitcase weight.

M (number two) - Madonna
Cheeky I know, but I had to have a sequel to my first M.  'Holiday' is always the first song I listen to on a plane aywhere and The Immaculate Collection, once the soundtrack of my upbringing thanks to 3 older sisters in the 80's, is always my holiday record of choice.

N - Nails

Coral on toes, MAYBE a neon pink.  Fingers are interchangeable - Barry M, Rimmel, Essie, Chanel.  Anything bright.  One of my favourite parts of my holiday? Giving my sisters and mum pedicure treats.

O - Olympic hell

That's right.  I've perfectly timed my escape from London chaos.
I feel really quite smug about it.

P - Pool fun
Swimming after breakfast, splashing after lunch, dipping toes and lilo sleeps ANY time.

Q - Quiet
Blissful, trouble free quiet.

R - Reading
I'm going to re-read some favourite classics and invest in some new ones.

S - Sun!
The missing person of the British Summer until this week.

T - Tan, tan, TAN
Delph is my fail safe sun lotion.  I swear it helped me tan better last year but its mega protective too.

U - Umbrella ban
Won't be needing that contraption for a fortnight.

V - Villas
I like the villas in Portugal.  It's like you're driving round the set of The O.C.

W - Wedges
Mine are from Office - simple, and go with everything.

X - X-hausting pool games (sorry!)
with my nieces and nephew.  The picture below documents the only 20 minutes when the girls stayed totally still and quiet.  From that moment on, we asked the pool man to come back every day.

Y - Yoga
I've got my pink mat, I've got the early morning sun, I am good to do for daily sessions.  Of course if the mat takes up too much room in my suitcase, it will be substituted for shoes.

Z - Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz 
Napping whenever you want.  The ultimate indulgence.

Happy holidays! x