The Secret Sauce To Holiday Packing? Pack Less...

More time to chill and less washing to do on your return. What's not to love?

Last week we went to Mallorca, where I ate my body weight in jamón and did perhaps the best packing I’ve ever done for a trip away. Concise, curated, and I felt like I nailed my ‘summer mood’ completely. If you want to see the full itinerary and every outfit that I wore you can check out my last post, but here I’m going to dig into the packing list…

Here’s what I packed as my 10 core items:

• 2 x dresses (one from Bondi Born*, a heavier maxi dress that served as my one-and-done evening look and a more daytime linen number from Faithfull The Brand*).

• 3 x tops (a black sleeveless linen vest from Faithfull The Brand*, a long-line tank from Toteme* (for which I also packed the matching bottoms) and a silky brown shirt from Faithfull The Brand*).

• 1 x swimsuit (Hunza G* of course - I find this racerback style really hoiks everything up)

• 1 x bag (this number from Dragon Diffusion*, which was surprisingly roomy).

• 1 x shorts (I’ve had these shorts for a while; they are from AGOLDE and are *just* the right length).

• 1 x trousers (again from Toteme* to go with the matching top - great for travel and early morning breakfast buffets)

• 1 x sandals (these from St Agni* are simple and strappy and don’t leave my feet in ruins).

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The only other clothing items I packed in my bag were:

• Pyjamas, workout gear and underwear

• A straw hat

• My flip-flops for the pool

• A cashmere crew neck jumper for the flight

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This list saw me through three nights and four days away. If I were going away for a week, I think I would have added two more tops—maybe a T-shirt and a linen shirt—and another bottom-half option—perhaps a midi-length flowy skirt or a pair of wide-leg silk trousers.

Dig into the ins and outs of every outfit here.

…and here’s how it broke down into seven outfits (eight if you include me wearing my swimsuit by the pool, and nine if you include my travel outfit home - the cream linen set with my additional jumper tied around my waist). I found combinations that worked for everything from a wander around the local town in the heat to a chilled morning at the hotel. There was *always* something to wear.

Whilst I loved every item that accompanied me on this trip, these three components felt crucial…

THE BAG THAT GOES WITH EVERYTHING…

Dragon Diffusion Bag*

I don’t tend to overpack on the bag front, but I usually take two - one big raffia tote on the plane and for the beach, and then a smaller rope-textured bag for evenings. But this bag did it all. Roomy enough for a hand luggage situation but small enough to take to dinner. A Dragon Diffusion bag had been something that I’d been eyeing for ages, so the NET-A-PORTER partnership gave me a great excuse to finally purchase one, and you know what? I am so, so impressed. And if you’re wondering, you can pop it under your shoulder, too. It truly is SUCH a good bag. I happily threw it on with every outfit.

THE CHIC BUT COMFY TROUSERS…

Toteme Linen-Blend Trousers*

These were again a new addition to my wardrobe and are now one of those pieces that I’m mentally pairing with every top I have in my wardrobe to create a whole host of new summer outfits. If you’re like me and you’re more of a trouser-lover than a short-lover, then for holiday dressing, a pair of thin and breathable trousers is a non-negotiable in your holiday wardrobe. Although my gut reaction was to go for the black version, I’m pleased I stuck with white because it added a lightness to my holiday looks and when I wore it with the matching top?! Well, I felt like a million dollars.

THE LINEN TOP THAT FEELS DIFFERENT

Faithfull The Brand Linen Top*

If you’re a regular reader of these parts, then you will already know how obsessed I am with this top. A boat-neck linen tank with splits up either side, it feels like something that can be made to look pretty formal (like when I wore it over my black maxi dress to create the look of separates) or really chill (like above when I paired it with denim shorts). There’s a reason I found a way to wear it every day we were there! It’s not quite a tunic or a tank, but I think the key is in the length, the neckline and the darts around the waist that give it some shape.

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A few additional notes:

• I managed to downsize my skincare routine into tiny little bottles and tubs, but it would have been handy to have done the same with a little vial of washing liquid. The only thing I did need to wash was my black linen top which I wore every single day! So in the end I gave the armholes a quick rinse in the sink with some hand soap. It worked and as it was so thin was ready for action the next morning. It might not necessarily be something you need to do, but it’s just good practice to have on hand just incase.

• I should have packed a Tide Pen*!! If you’re packing white, some kind of stain remover pen is a must. You can buy them now in the U.K - I’ve just bought a multipack so I sprinkle them into my bags and always have one on me.

• Don’t skimp on packing one or two long sleeve items. Even if you’re heading somewhere very hot there’s a high chance that you’ll need a long sleeve top for early mornings or late nights, extreme AC or the journey there and back. I used my shirt every day we were there and my jumper for travel days.

When it comes to travel, I’m a firm believer in less is more. Each time I needed an outfit when I was away, the decision making process took all of about 30 seconds. Less time selecting = more time sat on a sun lounger reading a good book. In fact I felt quite overwhelmed by my full wardrobe when I came back (but more on that in my next post!). If you enjoy reading me waffling on about personal style, then please make sure you subscribe. You can do that here. THANK YOU!

Anna x