Other than paying for it, packing is the one real ball ache that comes with going on holiday. You can spend hours shoehorning half your wardrobe into your suitcase only to find absolutely nothing you want to wear on arrival.
So how do you ensure that you’re packing smart? One of the inevitable skills that a job in the fashion industry provides you with is packing a cool but condensed suitcase – four cities, one month, endless fashion shows calls for some serious culling. Here are our top tips:
1. PLAN OUTFITS
It may well take the spontaneity out of things, but there’s no point in packing your new favourite skirt if you don’t have a top to go with it. Planning outfits also mean less time in your hotel room with a towel on your head, getting gradually more irate about what to wear, and more time at the bar. It’ll also help you see that you probably don’t need to pack a different pair of shoes for each day you’re away. Or 3 pairs of pants per day. Why do we do that?
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…and start it at least a week before take-off. This includes everything from toiletries to anti-mozzie plugs, phone chargers to headphones. Basically everything that’s not clothing. Add things to the list as and when you use them during the day throughout the week prior. It’s surprisingly easy to forget how important a hairbrush is when you’re manic packing and the taxi is waiting outside.
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3. ROLL EVERYTHING
When you see magazine features on ‘how the fashion set pack’, everything is neatly folded. This looks delish on a page, but in reality will take up more space and will ensure everything is packed full of creases. In reality, we roll. By tightly rolling everything from your dresses to your drawers, you’ll not only create more space for yet more clothes, but you’ll also be free to forgo the iron on landing.
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4. PRIORITISE HARD-WORKING PIECES
A white shirt is the perfect example of a multi-wear item. Wear it undone as a beach cover-up during the day, or tucked into denim shorts in the evening. You can even layer it over a maxi dress if the evening breeze proves too much for a sole slip dress. We’re not suggesting you do all three – 30°C + armpits rarely welcome a repeat wear – but it will give you more options when you’re there.
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5. DRESSES DRESSS DRESSES
A whole outfit in one item, dresses are dream suitcase material. You can throw them over your swimwear if a day at the beach turns into dinner on the pier. You can dress them up if you’re going somewhere unexpectedly fancy. You can wear them on the return flight if your sunburnt stomach calls for as few waistbands as possible… in fact, we could do a whole hol in nothing but summer dresses.
