12 summer holiday essentials perfect for your next holiday

I'm not going to lie, I have the biggest case of wanderlust right now. The last travel piece I wrote was on Gran Canaria here and that combined with a Madeira Tourism event I attended last week has only intensified my desire to hop on a plane. But where should I go and write about next? (suggestions in the comments below please!)

One of the things I enjoy most about going abroad is planning my holiday wardrobe and how you can wear things you may not be able to back home. For instance, I wouldn't exactly go for lunch in London dressed in just a bikini. When I'm away, I'm a lot more care free about about how short my dress is, needing a bra, or how deep a plunge my swimsuit or dresses have. And you know what? It's liberating.

One of my go to places for stocking up on summer essentials is Forever 21. It's an affordable way of doing so (as you'll see from the prices I've quoted below) with some great fashion forward pieces. And just so you know, this feature is in no way sponsored by or in collaboration with Forever 21. I just wanted to share some of my favourite pieces I've seen on the site lately and also a discount code I found recently on Mail Online which offers 30% off any 5 items or more purchased from the site, rendering already affordable prices, even more affordable. Read on for the discount code and for my top summer picks

Foliage print maxi dress £35 £24.50

Satin floral maxi dress £52 £36.40

Seaform striped playsuit £15 £10.50

Striped beach playsuit £20 £14

Whenever I travel to a warm destination, I always like to pack a few maxi dresses. They are great for the evenings when the temperatures start to drop and I love wearing something a bit dressier for dinner. I fell in love with this satin floral maxi dress with its plunge front, open back and high cut slit. Admittedly it's a little on the pricier side for Forever 21, however with the 30% discount code, this was more my sort of price. The foliage print maxi dress is a little more day time I feel, and something I could visualise wearing back home too. 

Another one of my summer holiday essentials is a playsuit. How beautiful is the blue off the shoulder playsuit? It comes in other colours too (red, and black & white), but I was drawn to the brilliantly named "seafoam" version (as pictured). And again with the stripes (obsessed much?!), I adore this red and white striped pool cover up. Perfect for coming out of the pool and heading to the bar for a much needed cold drink.

Red bustier swimsuit £26 £18.20

Mint sunkissed swimsuit £20 £14

Grey striped cover up £35 £24.50

Red & white striped bikini £28 £19.60

Again with the red and white stripes (in fairness I wear my red and white striped breton top all the time!). In true Where's Wally / Where's Waldo style, no one would lose you on the beach in this red and white striped bikini. Further to the red and white pool cover-up (above), I was drawn to another striped cover up, but this time in the form of a longer grey and white one. Because grey. And whenever I travel I like to take a mixture of bikinis and all-in-one swimsuits with me so I'm ready for any occasion. I love the colour mint so this mint coloured swimsuit really spoke to me (plus mint looks incredible with a tan!). And how different is this structured red bustier swimsuit? It also comes in nude, but I personally love the red. It's a bit Baywatch, but with a difference.

Brown longline cardigan £22 £15.40

Planet graphic tee £10 £7

Red polka dot dress £18 £12.60

Red shirt dress £20 £14

I love the back of this red polka dot dress. It's a good day trip dress and something I'd happily wear back home post-holiday too. And the same goes for this red shirt dress. I adore a shirt dress (something that has been long imprinted in me since finding this berry shirt dress). And how amazing does the brown cover up look over a simple white tee and denim shorts? It adds a little something extra don't you think? And everyone who wants to visit every inch of this planet needs this cute "love your planet" tee in their lives. When I pack for a trip I always make sure I have some round neck tees and sensible shoes as I love going for hikes and long walks. Even if you don't use the 30% discount code, £10 for a t-shirt is not bad going!

I ordered a few of the above as well as a pair of sunglasses (down from £4.40 to a mere £3.15!), but these sunglasses have now sold out and I can't link to them sadly.

What are your favourite items?