Packing panic? Easy, breezy style essentials for summer travel

It is so bloody hard to pack the perfect holiday suitcase, and so deeply satisfying when you get it right. One of the few moments when I really feel like a competent grownup who has everything under control, rather than someone who is winging it and dropping plates left, right and centre, is when I manage to pack a great case.

To not forget anything crucial, but also not overstuff to zip-busting point, gives me a sense of control in a world full of chaos, and gets my holiday off to a serene start. So, in anticipation of peak holiday season, my July edit is devoted to pieces that are worthy of your precious suitcase space. Includes: travel trousers (my current obsession), conversation-piece earrings (my perennial obsession) – and scroll to the bottom for the £85 swimsuit that will make you feel like a million dollars.

Travel in these trousers instead of tracksuit bottoms

Textured wide-leg trousers
£25.99 at Zara

I have written recently about the brilliance of trousers that are comfy enough to travel in, but also elegant enough for dinner, and this pair is a great option. A concealed elasticated waistband feels chill but looks sleek, the wide leg looks more modern than a track pant, and the textured neutral fabric elevates. You can wear these with a vest and sweatshirt to travel in, and then with a linen shirt and chunky jewellery for holiday nights.

Pack jewellery that makes you smile

Pomegranate earrings with jade accents
£123 at Wolf & Badger

Pomegranates, lemons, tomatoes: all giving summer, right? Wolf & Badger is a great hub for small independent brands, and my go-to for finding unusual jewellery pieces that have real personality. Pomegranates are good luck in many cultures, and to me, they speak of holidays: the red jade seeds inside these little gold pomegranates will sparkle in golden-hour light.

The perfect adjustable, packable, super-lightweight sandal

Genesis Sandal
£45 at Xero
From £53.62 at Amazon

Listen, I haven’t actually had a chance to try these out, but I’ve heard so many good reports (they were even in Vogue) that I wanted to share with you pronto. These sandals are designed for a barefoot feel, with a slim sole and minimal strapping that you adjust to fit. They weigh almost nothing, take up no space, and look really chic with a wide-leg trouser, like the Zara ones above. You can buy them in black or stone, but I’m quite into the raspberry for a pop of colour.

I know this doesn’t look useful, but hear me out!

Vinchi Cálido tulle dress
£306 at Celia B

You are going to think I’ve gone mad, including this in a capsule wardrobe. It is, after all, a trapeze-shaped dress with trumpet sleeves, with neon ruffles in pink, red and orange on a transparent tulle base, and also £306. Basic, it is not. But! Unbuttoned, this piece by Spanish slow-fashion designer Celia Bernardo is the best cover-up on any beach, anywhere, by a country mile. Buttoned up over a nude slip, it is a sensational evening gown. And shoulder robed over a plain bright dress, it is an outfit-maker that will have your back at weddings and parties for summers to come. Look, what I’m trying to say is, I’ve fallen in love with it, and the heart wants what it wants.

You can never have too many summer baskets

Raffia tote
£28 at John Lewis

I’m literally obsessed with them, and this is my latest must-have. The square shape and loose raffia are very Prada-coded, but the price tag – £28 – is most definitely not. Snap up without further ado.

I defy you not to love this swimsuit

Ruched-loop scallop-stripe swimsuit
£80 at John Lewis
£85 at Boden

The trouble with swimsuits is that usually you have to make a choice between the fun, exciting one that looks great on Instagram and the sensible, flattering one that has been designed with an actual, real body in mind. This one is a win-win. The rainbow-hued scallops are a California daydream, but the raised waist and central ruching have been well thought out to suit real-world bodies.

What’s hot – and what’s most definitely not – this week

Going up

Skinny-tie socialism | See Zohran Mamdani’s anti-establishment slim and tightly knotted rotation of ties.

Side hustles | In this economy, even Rick Owens is selling feet pics on OnlyFans.

The 10k step benchmark | Pre-work strolls and under-desk walking pads mean 20,000 steps is the new not-so-humble health brag.

Going down

Sweet sandwiches | Strawberries and cream on, um, white bread? M&S has added a £2.80 dessert sandwich to its summer lineup. Think we’ll stick with a ploughman’s.

Socialmaxxing | When you said yes to every summer invite that came your way in June only to realise now that your next free day is in September.

Butter boards | Tablescapers have moved on to carefully arranging cubes of feta and olives to resemble a checkerboard. A forced win?

We want to solve your wardrobe dilemmas. Send in your style question to fashionstatement@theguardian.com and we may answer it in a future edition of the newsletter.

• Last week’s newsletter reported that online retailer Zalando found that “39% of consumers find sustainable garments too expensive”, when the correct percentage is 41%.