How to Pack the Perfect Holiday Wardrobe: A Guide for Men and Women

One thing that can really hold us up at the airport is baggage checks. To prevent any delay going through security, ensure your checked bags don’t hold any restricted items and your cabin baggage contains liquid measuring no more than 100ml.  

A great trick to bear in mind is if it can pour, spread or trickle, it counts as a liquid and you cannot bring partially full containers unless it is food, such as honey, baby food or jam.  

Keeping all of your liquids in one easy-to-reach place or in a 1 litre zip lock bag makes for a smoother transition through security that’s stress-free. This is also best practise for your electronics – that means your hairdryer and hair straighteners too! 

If you’re off for a flight, weigh your suitcase to make sure you aren’t weighing over your weight allowance to avoid surprise fees at the airport. Regardless of whether you’re flying or not, it’s always best to test the weight of your luggage to determine if it's manageable for the trip ahead. 

If you’re off backpacking, you may want to invest in some packing cubes. Pack your things like tees, camis, trousers and shorts into these packing cubes to keep things neat and tidy – especially if you need a quick outfit change on-the-go. Packing cubes are also great storage to keep things separate, like used clothes or even a wash bag! 

Again, keep your heaviest items at the bottom, and the things you reach for most frequently in the top, with your packing cubes in the middle.  

This is key to the ease of your journey. Regardless of your type of bag or what mode of transportation you’re taking, it’s always ideal to keep a few essentials to hand.  

We always recommend something to hydrate and something to snack on, if possible. If you aren’t driving, then pack a book, some headphones, a crossword puzzle or even your knitting project (fun fact: you can take knitting needles on aeroplanes!) to enjoy the trip as much as you can. There’s nothing worse than a boring journey! 

For long haul flights, we recommend to also pack a power bank to charge your devices, a small wash bag and a change of clothes for overnight flights. If you want to go the extra mile, bring a hairbrush and apply some light makeup when you change outfits before you land so you can feel fresh getting off the plane. (If you feel great when you land, the jet lag never feels as bad. You can thank us later!) 

Lastly, if you’re leaving the country; obviously remember to bring your passport and travel documents! 

Holidays are for stepping out of your day-to-day wardrobe and usually involve an occasion to dress up for. With this in mind, we recommend having some experimental styles to try if you have the room, but be sure to pack your go-to items too so you can feel more yourself on your holiday.  

• Plain tees and camisoles: Plain tees, camisoles and graphic t-shirts are an essential to every wardrobe and take very little room in your suitcase – be sure to have plenty of these on hand so your statement holiday pieces can steal the spotlight.  
• Trusty Jeans: From your style saviour jeans to your go-to denim shorts, be sure to pack some classic denim in your suitcase. These style staples go with anything, so it's no surprise your trusty jeans and shorts need to be packed! 
• Swimwear: If your holiday is likely going to include some swimming or sunbathing activities, the swimwear piece you feel confident in is an absolute must. Find the swimwear styles you love (depending on how much swimming is involved) and prepare to bask in the sun. 
• Trainers and Pumps: Be sure to pack some comfortable flat shoes like trainers and pumps for a day seeing the sights – there’s nothing worse than having shoes that rub on a day of exploring new surroundings.
• Sunglasses and a Hat: Obviously the ultimate holiday accessories are hats and sunglasses. Make sure you don’t forget these – but if you do, there’s always sunglasses available at airports and service stations!
• A small bag: Small bags to hold your personal items are a must. Be sure you pack one of these to avoid dragging a large beach bag everywhere with you! 

Dresses are essential on holiday! For a week-long trip, we recommend taking at least four dresses in the following categories; two versatile dresses, one smart dress, and one party dress. Your versatile dresses are for day-to-day, your smart dress is reserved for the days you want to dress a little extra nice, and the evening dress is when you want to go all-out. 

For day dresses, think of sundresses and simple summer dresses in a mini or midi length for ultimate versatility. With your smart dress, choose a vintage inspired tea dress or a boho dress if you’re on the more free-spirited side of style, and choose a dramatic evening dress to really glam yourself up for a holiday night out! 

Opt for lightweight packable clothing items that take up minimal space, like crinkle cotton dresses, shirts and blouses that only need one shake out and can be worn. Crinkle-resistant fabrics are also ideal for travel, so make sure you’re capitalising on these for your holiday wardrobe! 

Mix-and-match clothing are total staples. These include your plain t-shirts, graphic tees, button up shirts, blouses, trousers and shorts. We want to go for a good mix of prints and plains so you can create as many outfits as possible. What we don’t want is too many prints competing with one another in one outfit. 

Your footwear is essential, so we recommend wearing your chunkiest shoes (usually your trainers or pumps) for the journey while packing a pair of sandals and your smart shoes and heels in your suitcase. These three items of footwear are the ones you’ll reach for most, so make sure they match the rest of your outfits! 

Fun in the sun usually involves a splash or two, so make sure your beach coverups, sunshine accessories and swimwear are all packed! We’re talking your hats, sarongs, beach bags and sunnies so you’re prepared for anything, from a day at the beach to lazy afternoons at the pool.  

Naturally the weather may not always be gorgeous depending on where you are, the forecast or even the time of day. Ensure you have packed some layering essentials such as a cardigan, lightweight sweater or shawls that can be easily added or removed depending on the temperature.