6 trends to tick off your summer holiday bucket list

At the time of writing, the outlook for the August bank holiday is favourable. Mercury, bless her heart, has made a promise to stand her ground in the 20 degrees-plus zone until the weekend is out while the precipitation risk hovers at an unthreatening two per cent.

Thrilling, right? But before you get yourself whipped up into a frenzy — see shopping for Carnival-ready micro shorts and more BBQ meat than the English rugby team can handle (I imagine) — can I suggest you exercise a little caution.

Caution exercised? Good: let the frenzy begin because my friends, what lies before you is the greatest week of your life. The last-chance saloon of a summer that has already gone down in history, it’s a time to throw caution to the wind and go wild.

A “mufti” week for those determined to squeeze the last tasty drops out of the summer — and the ​Aperol bottle — this is your chance to have “one for the road” on a Tuesday, to go to an outdoor cinema sesh on a Thursday and to splash an entire month’s pay cheque on the pair of pearl-embellished pool slides you plan to wear on Saturday night and then never again.

With the last-dash mentality comes an opportunity to indulge yourself in the faddish fashion trends you’ve avoided all summer. Frankly, it’s now or never. Here’s your bucket list.

Swimsuit + shorts

Those smoking hot days of July meant you went a bit wild on the swimwear shopping front but since August hasn’t quite lived up to expectation, you’ve now got a drawer full of the stuff. Indulge the exhibitionist within by teaming the snazziest suit you bought with a pair of denim cut-offs. Et voila: you’re carnival ready.

A denim two-piece

A whole load of weeks have passed since Dani Dyer stole our hearts — and our sanity — in that denim orange twopiece. Why not arrange a shock recoupling of your own by treating yourself to your very own version? The tangoed look is not the sort of thing you normally go for but who cares: it’s the end of the world as we know it.

Cycling shorts

You’ve noticed them from afar, think them very attractive and now, as the sun dips over the yardarm for the last time in a long while, you find

yourself unable to resist their charm. Team your cyling shorts with an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of heavy-duty trainers for a look that screams “I love you 2018”.

The bumbag

Whether you opt for one from Hunter, Fendi or Balenciaga, or stick to one that’s stashed in the loft, this is the time to indulge the bumbag wearer within. Undoubtedly, there’s one in all of us. For the complete American tourist meets Russian youth-clubber look, team with vinyl anorak and attitude.

The wafty kaftan

For anyone not harbouring a giant wine belly and a determination to dress like every other thirtysomething on their Instagram feed, this summer’s kaftan may still be an alien concept. Now is the time to indulge your intrigue. Opt for authentic embroidery — the high street knock-offs are an annoying postal return waiting to happen — and team with pom-pom trim sandals. Summer lives.

Peekaboo panelling

Your summer angst officially began when 17 school kids boarded the 97 bus behind you sporting little more than bashed-up Vans and dresses with peekaboo panels — but why should they have all the fun? The 25-and-overs can show a bit of skin too. If framing your fat bits isn’t your thing, seek out jersey dresses and fitted tops that are cut away at the lower back or above the midriff. T’wit t’woo.