Ready for take off

I’m off on holidays next week and you will find me either on a boat or lounging by a pool in Croatia, cocktail of course in hand.

I’m doing something crazy and I’m attempting to go on this holiday with just a carry-on bag as I am absolutely loath to pay for a bigger bag. It’s about 31 degrees in Zadar now so realistically I don’t need to pack anything heavy so I’m optimistic I can rise to the challenge.

Your airport outfit is crucial of course in helping with saving on space, so I’m always sure to wear the heaviest items when thinking about my travel style. A denim jacket, a cosy cardie or a cargo jacket are all failsafe cover ups that will go over any summer outfit and will add an extra layer if you need it at night plus you can be sure you’ll need it when stepping off the plane at Cork airport.

I’ll always wear the chunkier of my shoes for travel like trainers if I need them or a chunkier sandal. It’s also crucial to really edit down your shoes and I’ll only pack a day pair and then another dressier pair for evening. I’m absolutely rubbish when it comes to wearing heels and who can be dealing with an uncomfortable shoe especially in the heat, so I’ll just be packing a pair of gold braided flats that go with everything.

I also won’t have room for a day and night outfit every day but that’s totally fine because there will always be the days that you head out in the morning and then either don’t come back till after dinner or just return to your room for a freshen up and just change your accessories to give the look a more dressy feel.

I generally find I can’t wear much jewellery during the day in hot weather, so I’ll add a statement earring and change my shoes and I’m ready in an instant for dinner.

I’ve got a couple of great summer dresses that are light, don’t take up much room and can work for both day and night so I’ll certainly be adding those to my bag. They range from bright block colours to subtle neutrals so I never get bored, and I also will be packing some light separates that I can mix and match. I have a selection of linen shorts from H&M that are ideal for summer holiday and I’ll style them with white racer back vests and linen shirts. The look I want is laid back and comfortable while also looking chic and stylish and the linen shorts style ticks all these boxes.

I’ll pack one little crossbody bag that can be worn for both day and night and I’ll use it to store any extra jewellery bits while I’m travelling. I also really pare back my holiday jewellery and only bring a selection of items that can be worn with most of my looks.

Before I start packing, I make a list of all the possible outfits I could bring and then I try everything on and make sure the accessories I’ve brought can be worn with all the outfits. One thing I could not holiday without is my Kindle and it saves the bulk of packing numerous books. Then it’s time to get everything in the case and get into holiday mode.