Style Guide July 2009

Smart Holiday Packing

Ever packed more than you need? I used to take my whole wardrobe to go on holiday. We all do it, don’t we? We pack our clothes for every possible occasion and circumstance, day wear, beach wear, cocktails, night wear, dancing, sightseeing. Finally, we have trouble squeezing them all into our suitcase.

My friend spent over £700.00 on her holiday shopping. Have you heard of matching lingerie with each outfit? This is one example where we can reduce cost and space. I believe my friend needed that holiday after all that stress.

Or are you a late packer and end up washing your laundry on the 11th hour? Then dry your clothes in the tumble dryer or even on the radiator, turning the house into Barbados 35 degrees heat in order to dry the rest of your clothes.

Actually we don’t need to take our whole house with us. So what is the secret to holiday packing? Answer: - Capsulate keys garments rather than everything in your wardrobe, better known as ‘capsule wardrobe’. A capsule wardrobe is a minimal selection of garments that provides maximum outfit choices. This is usually created for a specific occasion e.g. packing for a holiday or packing for a business meeting. The aim is to help you eliminate carrying those unnecessary items, through correct selection of clothing and accessories you will find you can dress for each day and look different.

In July’s Styling Secrets I will show you a simple check list you can follow called my ‘Holiday Commandments’.