Packing for a trip can be a minefield if you’re looking to get the most out of your wardrobe. Whether it’s a two-day city break or a week in the sun, you’ll often find yourself fretting over a suitcase, muttering ‘I know I don’t need this all, but I have no idea what to pack.’
If you need a helping hand, we decided to take some inspiration from London Fashion Week trends, and look at the perfect holiday wardrobe. Hold tight - your suitcase is about to get a lot more organised.
On the list:
A sarong. Lightweight, easily foldable and can be stuffed in a case or a handbag without wrinkling, a sarong is your ultimate travel friend. We recommend something in a light colour to reflect the sun’s heat, but you can pick a sarong in any colour - black can look glam, but it can look a little funereal.
Where to get them: Seafolly and Debenhams sell lovely sarongs, but they’re a little pricy. Take your chances with eBay or Amazon at a push. You can also normally buy them abroad, but check the quality.
A wide-brimmed hat. This will keep the sun off your face, head and neck when you’re on the beach or out and about, and you can always wrap a sarong or a light scarf around it to make sure your shoulders aren’t exposed.
Where to get them: River Island, ASOS and Miss Selfridge do a great range of hats - Hippie Chic hats are tres chic, but they start at around £30.
Large sunglasses. You’d be surprised at how many brand offer excellent UVB protection; the Daily Mail recently ran a study comparing expensive glasses and their less pricey counterparts. Here’s the science behind it - dark lenses cause the pupil to dilate. If your lenses don’t offer UV protection, the dilated eye can actually let in more harmful rays even though it blocks more of the visible spectrum light; effectively causing sunburn in the eyes.
Where to get them: Primark do a great range of sunnies for under £2, but they may be a little flimsy. Boots, New Look and River Island do slightly more expensive sunglasses; for high-end poolside glamour, try Tiffany’s Cat Eye sunglasses. Meow.
Decent flip flops. Notice how we used the word ‘decent’; we’re not talking about flimsy rubber things that’ll collapse after you walk ten feet. You want something which won’t rub, and will support your foot while showing off your pedicure to its best advantage.
Where to get them: FitFlops do a great range of sandals; their Superjelly collection features bright colours and neons which are suitably eye-catching. If you’re planning on hiking or doing a huge amount of walking, try Keen Footwear or The North Face; otherwise, for those on a budget, try Zara or ASOS. Kurt Geiger, obviously, if you’re feeling flush.
What you don’t need:
- Jeans. You may wear them for the flight out, and you may suffer for the end result and wear them on the way home, but if you’re going somewhere warm, you will probably not wear them. Don’t forget that although the temperature cools in the evening in warm countries, it’s still mild.
- Super-high heels. As with the jeans, you won’t wear them as they’ll be too high to walk in. Plus, they won’t go with anything you have brought.
- A leather jacket. Make sure all of your coats, if you have the luck to have space for more than one, are lightweight.
- Anything in PVC or wet-look materials. Unless you are set on frequenting clubs of a liberal nature, please leave all your wipe-clean clothes at home. You will roast within them if you attempt to wear them at any point.