This holiday to Oman we’re going on, I’m sure you want to know more – it’s to a hotel we have been to before, called Zighy Bay. We last went two years ago, when it rained for the whole week. All of it. The locals were dashing about going “It’s a miracle! Rain!” while we just sobbed and looked at each other, dumbfounded. IT’S THE FUCKING DESERT.
Anyway we liked the hotel so much, despite the rain, we’re going back. Hoping for no rain.
I am doing my absolute best to be very restrained about buying new clothes as I think we all are, aren’t we? I felt like last year was this hideous new-clothes buying circus; now we’re all waking up with a terrible clothes hangover, with piles and piles of clothes that we probably won’t wear. I blame Stacey Dooley! (She’s got a point though.)
I have only bought one new bikini (below) because my other was looking a bit ratty and these sunglasses, (also below), which are a bit mad and 70s Slag Mum.
I haven’t bought a pair of expensive sunglasses for probably 15 years and I just felt like having a new pair. I will lose/sit on them within 24 hours of arriving in Oman, I promise.
Oh no wait hang on sorry I also got a new pair of sandals. Last year I got the most fantastic sandals from Accessorize and I wore them all summer – they were so brilliant because a) they covered up most of my foot, which I feel is the most flattering way to deal with my feet, which swell up in the heat b) they had thick straps, so nothing rubbed or dug in and c) they were backless so I just shoved my feet in and off we went, no fussing about with a buckle.
But those have now fallen to bits, so I have upgraded to these, above, from Ancient Greek, called “Thais”. You can buy Ancient Greek on Net a Porter, but they don’t have a very wide range of styles – so I went to the actual Ancient Greek site and got them.
There was a small problem with my order and the customer service lady was really good. I fear the Greeks even when they do good customer service! Actually I don’t, Greeks are lovely aren’t they? Except that thing where they always want to eat dinner at 10pm.
Oh no shit I also got a new black dress from Hush, because I really think it fits the bill of that great black summer dress I’m always saying you need.
Okay, this is no showstopper, but as I have said before in the summer a good solid black dress is your best friend. I like this one because it is nice and loose around the middle and you can wear proper underwear with it.
This is a dress for a nothingy hot summer Saturday that you can stick on with a hat and sandals or plain white trainers to take the kids to the park and it won’t get tangled in the buggy and you will just look completely together and chic even though you’re just wearing quite a black dress. OR it’s a good thing to wear when travelling.
When I wore this on Instagram it wasn’t very popular, but that is one of the (many) problems with Instagram – plain dresses, especially black, don’t do very well because they just don’t look as good in photos as colourful or patterned clothes do. But they are absolutely 100% a total, basic, building block of your summer wardrobe.
My kids really do need new stuff for holidays because they will insist on growing all the time. I hit Boden, of course – where else? Who were offering a very weird 12% discount.
Kitty now has this new swimsuit
And then two sets of swim pants only, which I suspect she will wear to tootle about on the beach with a shirt or t-shirt on over the top. From experience I know that Kitty likes most of all to beach comb, and is also prone to sunburn, so this combo will be practical for kneeling about in the sand but will also keep the sun off her shoulders. My top tip is if you’re buying holiday t-shirts for kids, get them a couple of sizes too big so they’re flappy and cool.
I also really like the look of Boden’s new surf bikini set, which just a bit more tasteful than sticking your 8yo in the sort of bikini I think it is okay to wear, but more breezy than a one-piece. (Starts massive row about appropriateness or not of bikinis on pre-teens.)
Sam for some reason insists on wearing a rash vest even when he’s just swimming in the pool. I don’t know why, it looks the most hellishly yuck thing to have on but there we go, I’m sure I’ve got plenty of strange habits too. I prefer these short-sleeved ones from John Lewis.
Speaking of sunburn, I discovered last year a sunscreen called Altruist, which is very good; it delivers a fine mist which is neither sticky nor irritating and provides excellent protection. We used it last summer and it was just great. They also donate to a charity for African children with albinism, which explains the name.
I have used special face SPF in the past but I’m convinced it’s made me break out (although I suspect pretty much everything of doing that – sunshine! Air! Oxygen! London water!) but all the same this holiday I am taking this stuff from Vichy, which is non-greasy and specially made for oily yet sensitive skin (mine).
So size down in the Hush dress, what size did you get? Thanks
Yes I got an 8 and I’m more a 10 – def a size down x
My most favourite place….. have been 5 times, including throwing myself (& 3 children) off The Edge & paragliding to the bar (necessary). Clothes? I always pack masses & wear about 3 things. The lighting is so low & eco no one can see you anyway. No need for shoes. Have a fantastic time!
I’m with Sam on the rash vests. They are absolutely brilliant as they are Factor 50 (well most are) and they are dead comfy and you can shove one on your child and then not worry for the rest of the day. My girls wear them with bikini bottoms when swimming in the summer in outdoor pools. Don’t get excited, we only live in the Channel Islands but the kids are in the water from May – Oct pretty much every day so we are awash with rash vests. I’d recommend the surf brands such as Roxy or Animal, but Decathalon if you have one near has tons for about £5 each so well worth it.
My boy and girl both love a rash vest, I think they’re great too. Saves a lot of sun burn anxiety.
I like the dress – I bought two loose black dresses last year because of your suggestion on the Spike of their usefulness, a Gap midi one and a Bardot cover up from M&S, and wore them loads – ah yes just THE THING. Felt like a slob, looked liked Audrey Hepburn (in a Funhouse mirror anyway) 10/10 would wear again.
Great, thanks, their sizing can be so varied.
Hi Esther, I couldn’t help but peek at the room rates (I’m sure I’m not the only one). Are we really talking £4-5k per night for a family with two kids? Yikes!
With you on the bikini on young girls thing. My 11 year old is miffed that I’ve only ever let her wear tankinis. The one above seems like a good compromise. But girls bikinis that look like grown women’s underwear? No.
No we are not talking that much, I think you are looking at the Royal Suite or something. It’s not cheap though…
I thought the dress looked really nice on IG! Quick tip re face sunscreen, if you’re interested: I have similar issues with sunscreens breaking me out, until I found one called Heliocare gel oil-free (it’s an spf50 so quite good for Oman I suspect) – it’s about £27 or so. Not that cheap but DEFINITELY lives up to its “non comedogenic” label. Only one I’ve tried that genuinely doesn’t cause me any breakouts.
Second heliocare!
I thought the dress was perfect for Oman, and I also thought it looked way better on you than the model – justsayin’. Have a great holiday x
BTW I thought you looked great in the jumpsuit – probs not for the Omani sun though – but I know what you mean, they can be a bit awkward & difficult to wear…. have you sent it back?
I thought your black dress looked ace on Insta! V wafty chic, esp with your gold necklaces. Made me want it myself although at 5’2″ sadly that midi style just stumpifies me – for me it’s knee length or (fashion) death
Can I ask about the bikini? What kind of support do you reckon the top has? Just for us with big boobs as it looks super! Thanks
ZERO support
Useful post, thanks! I loved the Alturist cream last year. Didn’t realise they also made a spray. Game changer!
I love the dress, but also really liked the jumpsuit. Would you say that that was true to size, or does that come up big, too?
Hi! They come up about a size too big, so size down with confidence x
I have gone wild in hush (I carefully clicked the link via the spike first!!!) so many new clothes. And they are almost all nice – except the denim jacket which makes me look as though I wish I wasn’t a woman.
I am a hush convert.
Wading in on the rash vests comments – living on the equator (yes! poor us. [Actually it’s way too hot ALL the time]) my kids live in rash vests. Long sleeved. If they get too hot I tell em to go into the water, which means they don’t bother me, and they’re knackered come bedtime. Also means that it cuts down substantially on sunscreen application, which is a total pain. Which leads me to sunscreen.
My lot scream about sting-y eyes with most sun creams – I assume most kids do? I find the sun-block sticks – la roche posay does a good one – are best for shutting them up.
Also – don’t forget a proper face-shielding hat. (I’m so middle aged.) San Diego hats do great (albeit quite ugly, but still great) wrap-around visors which roll into nothing so you’re less likely to lose it, let you wear a pony-tail and a hat at the same time, and means you don’t sweat to death from Hot Head. The straw coloured one (I think it’s called coffee? ) is the least Japanese tourist-y one, tho the black one and the navy-and-white one are decent too.
Living in Australia means pretty much every kid on the beach, until they are old enough to properly fight you about it and win, is in a rashie. I think the Sun Police might come if you let them out bare chested and cart you off to the a prison on Melanoma Island. I have an eight year old daughter though, which means we are entering the age of bikini arguments. The surf one here looks like a great one to start with. But I’ll still make her wear a long-sleeve rashie over it, no matter how much eye-rolling I have to endure.