Pack It Up & Move It On.

By Sanchia xxx

"The only situation when deciding what to wear becomes a waste of time is when you're on HOLIDAY."

That's been my mantra for pretty much the last 18 years – putting together a holiday wardrobe annoys me so much that over the years I've got it down to a pretty fine art, so I thought I'd do a post about capsule wardrobes and packing for your summer holidays, and hopefully we can give each other some hints and tips. :)

Packin' up ma suitcase for a week in Florida, USA!

Right then, first things first. When I'm deciding on which clothes to take, I think about:

• climate/ freakish weather tendencies of where you're going (seems like an obvious one, but when I packed for the glorious sunshine of Florida I did not account for tropical thunderstorms. I know, I'm stupid. :P But hopefully by writing this down, someone somewhere can take something positive from my idiocy!)
• how long you're staying/ possibility of washing clothes while you're there (less clothes required = more room for shopping, YES!)
• any events or occasions you'll be attending (that might require a formal dress/ heels/ fancy dress costume/ etc.)
• how much luggage you're prepared or allowed to take (and how much space you have to leave in your suitcase for other things)
• what kind of shoes you'll need (my family are into long-distance walking city breaks) for day AND night (beaten-up brogues in a posh restaurant? Methinks not ...)
• the local dress code (e.g. the Spanish city-types are always classy and well-dressed. All. The. Time. Which totally threw me in Barcelona! But obviously don't smother your own style just to fit in, because then you'll just feel horrible.)

I'd say the basic key is layers (if you're going from a cold to hot climate or vice versa then knee socks, scarves and cropped tops or cardigans will be your best friends at the airport), and anything with mix & match potential. Beware the potential for tanning marks: for Florida I made sure I wore a different kind of top each day – spaghetti strap, thick vest-top type strap, bandeau, sleeves – and I'm tan-line free! Also, only take pieces you love – if you wouldn't wear it here, you're certainly not going to be comfortable in it away from home. Don't skimp on jewellery, accessories and shoes, as they can completely transform an outfit, especially if you're relying on the day-to-night thing, and don't forget at least one kinda smart sort of evening dress type thingy (I took my maxi dress and DEAR HEAVENS I have no idea how I ever managed without it).

... aaaaand here are some pictures of what I wore while I was in sunny Florida:

So to sum up, for holiday packing my three basic rules are:

1. Practicality over everything else for the day.

2. Something less practical for the evening.

3. Mixing and matching layers will solve all your problems.

If you've got any more advice on capsule wardrobes or a clothes-related holiday anecdote to share, you can leave a comment below, e-mail us (see the sidebar for the address), or tweet me @wakeorsleep.

Happy holidaying, stylish friends!

Love Sanchia xxx