It’s pretty cold in the UK now, so we’re dreaming of jetting off to sunnier climes to catch a bit of winter sun. For those who are lucky enough to be escaping for some winter sun soon, or live in hot climates year-round, we have put together our top 10 winter sun must-haves. From our key pieces of the latest swimwear collections to our favourite poolside read, we want to make sure that you don’t forget any of the travel essentials when you hit the beach in the next few weeks.
1 – The Watercult Bikini - Watercult is a new brand to Simply Beach this year and we already love everything we’ve had in from the collection. But if we had to choose just one bikini for this top ten it would have to be the Modern Eye Retro in Black and White Jungle. The gorgeous mix of stripes and tropical print is the perfect combination of stylish and eye-catching. It also comes in a swimsuit version if a bikini isn’t your thing.
2 – The Heidi Klein Swimsuit - Heidi Klein is one of our go-to brands for chic styles that suit all tastes. Our top pick right now is the Tanzania U Bar One Piece in ‘Snake’, which has just arrived on our website. It’s the perfect swimsuit to stand out in at the beach, or at the pool. We love the striking monochrome snake print, and the plunging neckline to give that little hint of skin.
3 – The Melissa Odabash Dress - The Rachel dress in black is one of our favourite beachwear pieces this season. It’s the perfect sundress to take you straight from the pool to dinner because it is made from such a lightweight and luxurious soft fabric, meaning it can keep you cool in the day, but is chic enough to wear all the way through to the evening. The gold toned detailing at the neckline, centre split and plunging neckline also adds to the glamour of this dress. If you fancy more of a Grecian Goddess look then it also comes in a stunning cream shade.
4 – The ViX Bag - When you head down to the beach you want to make sure you’ve got all your essentials with you for a completely relaxing day. A classic beach bag like this striped ViX offering is great for fitting your towel, magazines and suncreams in whilst still looking stylish. The monochrome colour means this bag will look on trend year after year, no matter where you’re jetting off to.
5 – The Poolside Read – Gone Girl - Probably one of the most talked about books of the year, and it’s one you have to read to understand the hype. With the movie recently released you may have already seen Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike portray the Gillian Flynn story, but the book is just so good that you need to read that too. If you haven’t seen the movie then you’re in for a treat, this book is a real thrill ride with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.
6 – The Seafolly Sunnies - We all know we need to protect our eyes in the sun, so it’s best to do it in the most stylish way possible. Our favourites at the moment are these Seafolly Seychelles Sunglasses in Black, the chic round cat eye shape is really in right now, which means you’ll be on trend and keeping your eyes safe. Perfect!
7 – The Suncream – Institut Esthederm Adaptasun Tanning Body Lotion Strong Sun - Institut Esthederm is one of our favourite sun cream brands because of its unique Adaptasun qualities that stimulate each individual’s natural defences, allowing it to synthesise the amount of melanin it needs to filter harmful UV rays and free radicals. So in essence it works in different ways for different individuals in order to ensure the protection from the sun in at its highest. So make sure you pop some of this clever sun cream in your suitcase!
8 – The Seafolly Towel - Everyone needs a towel on holiday, so why not go for a bright and bold one to make sure you know which sunbed is yours when heading back from the pool. The Seafolly Soundwave Ziggy Towel in Seychelles is one of our favourites this season.
9 – The Hair Heat Protectant - One of the key things we all forget to protect from the sun is our hair. UV rays and chlorine can badly damage your hair so it’s always a good idea to spray on some heat protectant before you head out into the sun, and throughout the day. Our spray of choice at the moment is Soltan Head and Scalp Spray SPF30.
10 – The Gottex Hat - And finally if you want to protect your hair and eyes from the sun even more, as well as looking extremely chic, then a wide brimmed hat is essential to your winter sun packing. Our top pick of the moment is the Gottex Audrey Hat. Named after one of the most elegant woman in history, this hat is the perfect accessory to turn heads at the pool.
So there we have it, our top 10 picks for your winter sun packing list this season. We wish we were coming too!