What’s In My Beach Bag? + Win A Trip To Miami

Sun. Sand. Surf. Repeat. Come summertime, there’s nothing I love more than taking a relaxing beach holiday. The wind in my hair and the sun slowly toasting my skin to a cinnamon glow as I sip on a cold beverage, flip through a magazine and hear the sound of the waves wash my worries away is one of my favourite guilty pleasures.

.

However, that being said, the experience wouldn’t be nearly as relaxing if I didn’t have the comfort of knowing my beach time essentials were packed safely within reach in my swim bag, serving as my home away from home. Here are the products I simply can’t not carry to a day a the beach (Oh, and take note, because you could win yourself your very own beach holiday to sexy, sunny MIAMI soon! Scroll to the bottom of the post for details!):

Sunblock

Remember kids, a few moments of pleasure isn’t worth a lifetime of pain. And by that I mean soaking in the sun without sun protection leads to redness, angry burns and looking orange for the rest of your trip. Not chic. I usually pick a sunblock between SPF 30 and 50 to be on the safe side.

.

Swimsuit

Because you can’t swim in your sundress. Well, I can’t anyway. I’ve been gravitating towards little floral maillots and high waisted bikinis on my curvier frame, but if you got it, flaunt it in a teeny weeny bikini. You’ve earned it!

.

Sunglasses

Not only do they look impossibly chic, but they protect your eyes from the sun and from showing the world signs of your eminent holiday hangover. I am completely in love with the entire Crystal Colours collection by Vogue Eyewear this season and can’t wait to get my hands on a pair!

.

Beach Towel

Don’t rely on your hotel to provide you with a towel to wear down to the beach. Most of them allow it to their own hotel pool, but taking it off site to the beach tends to be an issue. Make sure you carry your own to lie on, cover yourself up to beat the post-swim chill, serve as a cover-up if necessary or even a makeshift changing area if push comes to shove.

.

Swimsuit Cover up

While skin show is the name of the game on the beach, walking through the town afterward in your swimsuit / bikini isn’t the best idea. You’d be better off throwing on a chic kaftan or the season’s favourite crochet cover-up for a little peek-a-boo skin play even off the shore.

.

Flip Flops

Not only can some public beaches be dirty, I’ve learned the hard way this summer that they can be ridiculously hot and uncomfortable to walk on if it is a pebble beach. Avoid setting your feet ablaze by carrying some flip flips even if the beach is only a stone’s throw away from your hotel.

.

Magazine

If you’re working on a healthy tan, chances are you’ll be out there for a while. Keep boredom at bay and catch up on the latest trends and celebrity gossip by always having a magazine handy. This is also particularly helpful if your boyfriend / husband likes to ‘zone out’ on the beach with his iPod like mine does. *ahem*

.

Chilled beverage

Be it water, lemonade, iced tea, a soda or a cocktail you made using ingredients from the mini bar and smuggled into a mineral water bottle (save the judgement, we’ve all done it!) make sure you have a little something to keep you hydrated and keep your sugar levels up when you’re lying out in the sun and probably drying up on the outside and in. You’ll thank me later.

.

Phone

For listening to the summer playlist you spent all night creating the night before your flight, for making modern-day memories via selfies and Instagramming your cocktails and hot dog legs. (And then spending the rest of your beach time thinking up appropriate hash tags).

.

Money

Because life’s a beach (ha!) if you haven’t carried any money to treat yourself to an ice cream.

.

Pouch / Makeup case

To stash smaller objects / valuables like your phone, money, hotel key and makeup so they don’t get lost among the larger items and sink to the bottom of the bag.

.

Hat

Keep the sun out of your eyes and headaches at bay by donning a chic oversized sunhat. Like I always say, “Go Samantha Jones or go home”.

.

And finally, for the moment you’ve been listening to me ramble on for – your chance to win your very own all-expense paid beach vacation in glorious, sunny MIAMI, baby!

.

* This post has been sponsored by Vogue Eyewear, however, all opinions are entirely my own. Read more about how I keep my integrity while partnering with brands by scrolling down to the ‘You Must Probably Know’ section on this page.