The temperatures are sweltering; the air conditioning is blasting to arctic levels. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to book a vacation and get out of here. This summer is taking team Vogue from the hilly streets of San Francisco to the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean. But before the only agenda for the day involves lazy lunches by the sea, there’s the little matter of the packing list—and if your own plans could use some organizing, why not use our editors’ vacation essentials as your guide?
Vogue Editors’ Top Vacation Essentials:
From versatile travel shoes to beauty must-haves and endless swimsuits, the contents of our suitcases translate to a wide array of travel plans. (And if all you need is some holiday outfit inspiration, you’ll find that here, too.) Here’s where our editors are headed this summer, plus, all the staples they’re bringing with them:
Chloe Malle, editor, Vogue.com
Every summer I go to the same place, my family’s home in the Southwest of France. This makes it easy to pack for because I know exactly what to expect and what to bring. This year an addition will be my Meta Ray-Ban sunglasses which I have become obsessed with for taking photos of my kids. I’ll also wear these perfect Gap Row-dupes as water shoes wading into Le Lot river.
Libby Page, executive director, shopping
This summer, I am traveling to Portugal for a Surf & Yoga retreat so I’ll need practical but chic (always!) pieces that can see me from day to night, surf to beach! I want swim that is protective and functional but not too technical, and relaxed bohemian pieces that still embrace my minimalistic aesthetic.
Talia Abbas, associate shopping director
It’s not summer for me unless I spend some portion of it uninterrupted by the beach, but instead of the annual pilgrimage home to Calabria, my partner and I have decided to switch things up this August: I’ll be trading in mozzarella for feta and the Tyrrhenian Sea for the Aegean. After many crowdsourced recommendations, we’ve settled on visiting the islands of Sifnos and Serifos. I’ll likely be in a swimsuit the majority of the day, so dinnertime will be for getting dressed up—silky pants, flip-flops, and easy tanks are what I have in mind, plus a few great accessories to complete the look. Less is more!
Liam Hess, senior lifestyle editor
I’m planning a trip to Corsica in September with some friends, and the sum total of my plans are to swim in the sea, catch up on my reading, and eat lots of grilled fish. In my dream world, I’d be taking the Loewe puzzle fold tote in raffia to schlep to and from the beach. It wouldn’t be a French seaside getaway without a jazzy Jacquemus shirt (I’m very into this poisson print) and I’ll be packing Darrow Farr’s Corsica-set thriller The Bombshell to lend to a friend—I read it earlier this year and it was part of the reason I was so desperate to visit this summer…
Elly Leavitt, lifestyle editor, shopping
I’m going back to Greece this August to see my parents in Athens before going to my best friend’s house in Skiathos—the uniform for which is essentially just swimwear, so I’m bringing all my go-tos from Etam and some linen trousers for the ferry. Lately I’ve been trying to trick myself into writing more in my free time by amassing a slightly mad amount of beautiful notebooks in the hope that they inspire productivity; this green marbled one is at the top of my list. (My one piece of advice for anyone visiting Greece in the summer: bring a handheld fan for the heat or you will suffer!)
Alexandra Ditch, associate producer
I am so excited to be traveling along the French Riviera this summer with my mom and sister—the ultimate girls trip! We’re planning to fly into Nice, and are hoping to stay at Hôtel du Couvent before jumping to a few other Airbnbs and hotels along the coast. We aren’t taking off until mid-August, but mentally, I’m already packing. I can’t wait to wear this Posse linen vest and capri leggings by Dôen. I’ll top off the look with my Sézane basket bag and nautical Anni Lu earrings.
Hannah Jackson, fashion writer
My college friends and I are linking up in San Francisco this summer to celebrate graduations, new jobs, and other various milestones. While we definitely won’t be walking the Golden Gate Bridge, I imagine we’ll still be getting our steps in, so I’ll be packing comfortable walking shoes (I’m thinking of pulling the trigger on a pair of Adidas Taekwondos) and my favorite La Roche-Posay tinted sunscreen. I love my trips to SF, but I’m also not-so-secretly trying to lure my friends out East, so perhaps a BonBon gift box will help show them what they’re missing. And, to keep me entertained on my six-hour flight home, I’ll bring a paperback—I’ve been on an Eve Babitz kick recently, so maybe I’ll finally dig into Black Swans.
Kiana Murden, senior beauty writer, shopping
I’m planning to stay local this summer. My friends are calling it a “NYC Summer”—prioritizing exploring the Big Apple in its best season, since we’re usually jetting off to Europe or the Caribbean. So until my proper vacation in September, I’ll be planning day trips upstate and weekend jaunts out East, always sure to pack my essentials: a good flip-flop, my Uniqlo white T-shirt, a scalp serum to keep my hair healthy, and my travel pill organizer in the hopes that I’ll actually take my daily supplements.
Fred Sahai, associate producer
This summer, I’m meeting my mom in Saint Paul de Vence, and stopping in Paris and Marseille beforehand. I know Paris gets really hot during this time so I’m really just packing light clothes. I’ll be bringing a lot of Réalisation Par dresses, because they’re so easy to throw on and always make me feel feminine and put-together. The Leila in the Aura print in particular is a summer staple of mine because the red polka-dot pattern requires minimal accessorizing and looks great with a tan. I’ll also be walking a ton, so my Repetto Camilles will be coming with me—they’re strangely comfortable for a heeled ballet shoe, and go with pretty much anything. For the beach, I’ve been eyeing a few basket bags and think I’m going to get this J.Crew one to lug around all my essentials. And of course, I’ll be bringing many Gimaguas bikinis, because they make my favorite swimwear.