Holiday packing like a minimalist

The only good thing about lugging bags around is your abs. There’s nothing like dragging a suitcase behind you to strengthen your core, try it! When I was doing lots more styling projects I was always lugging big suitcases around, admittedly you do get abs of steel, but the lug is part of the reason I stopped.

Even in my full-on charity shop obsessed hoarder days I still had a full aversion to lugging stuff around. I pack really light, because airports are bone dry enough without the added schlep of a ton of bags. I’ve gotten even more minimal nowadays, especially as nearly every holiday my bag comes pre-filled with a selection of chargers, cameras and my laptop. Maybe one day I can go on a fully off the grid holiday and fill my bag with dresses and shoes for each day? To have as many outfit changes as Jennifer Lawrence on Oscars night would be luxurious, but also feels like a headache.

If you like your clothes then you should feel comfortable wearing them everyday, right? I would never pack the skirt that is gorgeous but feels a bit tight after dinner, or the jeans that look awesome but bag out after three wears. I’m slowly getting rid of these kind of clothing gremlins from my day-to-day wardrobe, so forget about treating these ungrateful things to a holiday.

When I went to Hyeres recently I packed a pair of jeans, a grey tee, a black spaghetti vest (which drew some remarks from nosy locals) and a silky navy number into a tiny Victorinox suitcase. Oh and my cute Agent Provocateur bikini to get a bit of sun. It wasn’t crazy eclectic, but I had a pair of sandals to mix things up a bit.

On a more ~emotional~ level, it’s also a confidence thing. I used to want to dress for every mood, for every eventuality but that’s changing. I don’t feel like I missed out on showcasing all the other sides of my personality to these strangers, because I was happy with showing a united front. Sorry Whitney, I’m not every woman, I’m just me.