Holidays used to mean lolling on a beach for a week or two. Now you can loll for an hour or two, a day or two, max, and then you want to start moving around a bit. Joining an exercise class in a foreign city makes you feel an instant local, and travelling in the kind of soft, stretchy clothing you wear to that class makes sense - as long, of course, as it is of the cover-up kind.
Adidas by Stella McCartney track pants
For those who want to relax but can't quite wind down unless they're sporting a status signifier. Cut extra-long and lean, in dark grey - no, sorry, anthracite - cotton jersey and with a skirt overlay to make the point that these aren't any old track pants. Slouchy bliss promised when lounging around your rented villa while you wait for your private yoga teacher to arrive. Costs £50 plus £20 p&p from Net-a-Porter (www.net-a-porter.com; 00 44 203 471 4510).
T by Alexander Wang hooded jersey sweatshirt
In light grey stretchy cotton with inside-out sleeves for a fashiony twist on a sporty classic, this is super-practical and extra comfortable to travel in and, once at your holiday destination, perfect to pull on over track pants or shorts for an exercise class or a walk on a breezy beach. In dust grey, £137.95 (Dh802) from Net-a-Porter.com (www.net-a-porter.com; 00 44 203 471 4570).
Orlebar Brown 'Fox' high-cut shorts
If you've got fabulous legs, a pert pair of shorts that will take you running, to a stretch class, and then, pulled on over a bikini bottom, for lunch at the beach restaurant definitely merit space in your case. Few labels cut shorts better than Orlebar Brown, and although this deliciously tailored pair fall into the only-if-you-dare category, they're part of a summer collection that includes equally sleek but more modest sporty styles. In red, black, green, navy, brown or orange. Available for Dh606 from Boutique1, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai (04 448 3400; www.boutique1.com) or by mail order from Orlebar Brown (www.orlebarbrown.com; 00 44 207 785 6941).
