Living out of a backpack is not an ideal why to look and feel stylish. Keeping your clothes neat, your make- up organised and your hair products under wraps is no easy task. Packing the right clothes to begin with can enable you travel light and still look great.
Before you leave invest in staples pieces that can be layered, that way you can get a variety of different looks from the same clothes. The trick is to choose clothes that complement their colour scheme, although don’t stick to purely neutrals you will end up looking washed out and bland in all your photos! The key here is to mix and match your pieces to create new looks everyday instead of a band new outfit every day. One way to ensure your look isn’t bland is to bring a few brightly coloured accessories to bring out the neutral colours of your clothes. It makes it look like a whole new outfit. You can easily get some great accessories in markets, shops and souks so you would be adding a bit of culture to your summer wardrobe! Try not to bring any expensive jewellery with you, as I have lost count of the times I have lost things whilst travelling. All the moving packing and unpacking things are bound to get misplaced!
To give you more of an idea of what exact items to pack, I have created a top 8 list of staple clothing items.
1. Tank Top and tees
Tank tops and tees are the easiest way to change an outfit and can easily be ‘thrown on’. It is a great piece for the layered look I spoke about previously. Keep in plain colours to get more wear out of them.
2. Cardigan
As you will no doubt be in a variety of weather and social situations it is crucial to have a light cardigan at hand for those chilly evenings. If you are in a place where you have to cover your skin then a cardigan is a perfect choice. You will look tres chic!
3. Dresses
These are the best way for a travelling fashionista to look glamorous with little or no effort. They can be worn up or down simply save time when trying to think up a new chic way to look good! Pack an ‘all occasion’ dress, styles that fit this are: bandeau, halter neck swing and a maxi. Floral is a good choice as well as black and block colours. Remember that dresses can be jazzed up with accessories!
4. Slim fit/skinny jeans
The key here is the cut. If like me you aren’t graced with legs up to the heavens then slim fit would work best. The beauty of jeans is like dresses they can be worn up or down.
5. Shorts
Thigh skimming and slung low on the hips for hot climates. For city adventures then city shorts (skinny fit, fall just above the knee) are perfect as they can be great pieces to take you from day to night.
6. Swimsuit
It will be more than likely that you will encounter a beach, cove, spa, sauna, rock pool or evening a hostel pool so come prepared with a swimsuit. They can be easily stuffed in your luggage and can sometimes be a life saver when trying to catch a tan!
7. Essential Shoes
For those times when you want a civilised night out, a killer pair of heels is a must! After all isn’t travelling supposed to be fun? In my experience neutral (if you aren’t wearing a neutral outfit) or black heels are the most versatile. Flip flops are inexpensive and are an easy shoe to slip on every day, worn on the beach, spent walking in city streets these can prove to be a life saver! Although not strictly fashion, but a great pair of trainers will prove invaluable if you plan on seeing natural habitats, such as mountains, hilly grass pastures. You get the idea!
8. Key accessories
The 3 key accessories you can’t leave without are: Some fabulous sunglasses, a chic hobo bag to stuff all your belongings in (extra points for leather) and finally a versatile belt to add some zing to your traveller wardrobe!
So I hope this heavily edited list helps when making your shopping decisions and packing for your fashionable adventures. Enjoy and don’t forget to pout!