my wife insists on buying us both new things every year for hols even though we only wear the stuff on holidays.. I do much to her annoyance stick some of my fav t-shirts in like queen which are years and years old.

I do buy new bits and pieces each year, especially shoes and sandals, but some of my day time clothes like shorts, strappy tshirts are years old, as they don't get used outside of holidays, or when I haven't got a tan.

Also I have had some of my swimsuits a few years I do buy new ones so add to things, but often can't bare to part with stuff I feel comfortable and or confident in. I'm sure I have one black and white sarong that is 25 years old

I have different sizes in my holiday wardrobe so depending on which size I need on holiday some are older than others especially the smallest size.
I bought 2 new bathing costumes last year and have recently bought some tunics and t shirts with sleeves as I hate walking around in vests with my big arms on display!
My dresses are a few years old but I am more comfortable with trousers and a top.
I am slumming it in Benidorm soon and it will be nice to get dressed up on an evening as in December I went to Sharm and despite being a 4 star hotel some of the guests made the cast of Shamelss look posh.

I'm just the same, Prawn, the same simple, sleeveless linen shift dresses go with me to Cuba time and time again. I made a couple of them specially for the first time I went in 2005 but there were a couple that I already had. They're still going strong and have needed altering a couple of times since then as I have lost weight but I love them and they are ideal for my trips to Santiago. I sometimes wonder whether it is me or the dresses that get recognised first on each return visit.

SM

I know what you mean SM, I always think that my clothes are recognised first if I have been to somewhere before!

Have to say, it is mostly my evening dresses that go time after time as they don't get worn much here! Must speak to 'Sir' about that! Lol !

I got laughed at for buying 4 new t shirts for my holiday the other day..... it was pointed out to me I must have around 50 t shirts now and I wear the same half dozen and never wear the rest!

we have a holiday wardrobe lol once we are back from holiday clothes are washed ironed and returned to the holiday wardrobe till next time we do buy a couple of bits and bobs but 9 times out of 10 we have brought the new things back still with the labels on the only thing you have to get is your underclothes you don't want to fall over after a couple of drinks and show holes in your pants not a pretty sight

I admit that I've just bought a couple of pairs of satin pyjamas - bit of a waste really as the only person likely to see them is the chamber maid.

I have a number of pairs of shorts and short sleeved shirts which only see the light of day when we go away -some of those must be 10-12 years old! (at least the ones which still fit!!)
The only things I usually buy every year or so,are cheapy trainers and flip flops.

Just realised that even the flip-flops are more than 10 yrs old! Coincidentally, Prawn, I bought them at Gatwick on my way to Tunisia for the first time. It was the first hotel-based holiday where I expected to be spending a lot of time around the pool just reading etc that I'd ever really taken. The friends I'd stayed overnight with before an early flight felt the need to remind me of the things that I had probably hadn't realised I needed - had packed the swimsuit but as they pointed out - was I planning to just walk down from my room wearing it and only it? So I bought a pair of black flip-flops and a black sarong at Accessorize in the departure lounge and because they only get used on holidays they still get packed in the case each time.

Of course the really daft thing is that I discovered that there was so much to see and do in Tunisia that I didn't actually spend that much time around the pool after all

SM

Hubby takes the same stuff year in year out. When we return home as soon as his clothes are washed he repacks his case and puts it in the loft

Apart from a couple of swimsuits and a sarong I don't have a holiday wardrobe. The clothes I take with me will be clothes I've been wearing the rest of the year.

I'd love to do the same, Judith, but unfortunately I don't get much call up here for the sort of clothes that I wear in Cuba. I do wear the linen dresses on a good day in the summer at home here - but usually with a cardigan over the top

SM

You and I both Judith. My only actual 'holiday' item is my straw hat, which goes in the bottom of the case, stuffed and packed round with undies etc.

I got a gorgeous summer maxi, Indian cotton, summer dress the other week out of the Mind shop.

It's purples and pinks in bands with a couple of rows of a moons and stars pattern. £4.75 & I love it. It'll be my 2nd dress, the other one I got last year for £8 from TKMaxx. (I'm not usually a dress wearer so don't have any normally).

So, I don't know how old the 'new' dress is

Now you are asking? I tend to stick to a lot of fav's that go every year no matter what. and i am guilty of adding to collection every year too, to my hubbys annoyance

Reading these replies has made me realise that I am not the only person who goes for what I feel comfortable wearing rather than this year's 'fashion'!

Feel much better now!

prawn wrote:

;) Reading these replies has made me realise that I am not the only person who goes for what I feel comfortable wearing rather than this year's 'fashion'!

Feel much better now!

I think nowadays, most people dress very casual on holidays (or so it appears to me).

The teenagers probably make sure they have the latest trend in clothes and accessories for their nights out, but I find the majority of holidaymakers dress more low key.

Sometimes too casual Glynis, there is something quite pleasant about walking into a decent restaurant at 8pm and seeing people have actually made an effort to dress up and put a bit of costume jewellery on and the blokes have actually bothered to get out of their beach clothes.

We seem to be eating in more and more independant restaurants rather than Hotel ones where people look like they have walked in straight off the beach.