My key takeaway is that you don’t need three times as many clothes if you are away for three weeks. Pack for one week and repeat three times!

linen-blouse-pink

Linen Shirt: NRBY, White Trousers: Zara, Trainers: Sole Bliss, Sunglasses: Rayban, Hat: Bought in France a long time ago, Earrings: Sahara London

I have been staying in a rental villa fully equipped with a washing machine and with weather so hot that everything dries in an instant. Added to which I have donned my swimsuit first thing and worn it until I showered for the evening meal. I brought with me about five pairs of summer trousers and around ten different tops to mix and match for variety. I also packed a grey and white linen Sahara button through mid-calf dress (which I wear with trousers) and a new NRBY ‘robe’ which has proved useful for a cover-up over my swimsuit when necessary. I find footwear both problematic and bulky so I restricted myself to white Sole Bliss slip-on trainers which I wore to travel in, and a pair of navy Gabor strappy sandals which I have worn once.

linen-blouse-blue

Linen Shirt: NRBY, Navy Trousers: Zara, Sandals: Gabor, Sunglasses: Rayban, Hat: Bought in France a long time ago, Earrings: Sahara London

I was alone here for my first week, so I had no need whatsoever to dress up. Then my daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons joined me for my second week when we ate out in restaurants a few times, and for my final week a very dear Irish friend flew to join me from Dublin. I was very impressed that she managed with a small carry-on bag in order to avoid the dreaded queues to check-in a bag at the airport and, with her example of ‘capsule wardrobe packing’ in mind I have been rethinking my approach.

silk-top-pink

Silk Blouse: NRBY, White Trousers: Zara, Trainers: Sole Bliss, Handbag: Mulberry, Hat: Bought in France a long time ago, Earrings: Sahara London

Alongside her swimsuits for all day, every day, my friend has brought three cool, loose linen dresses (two white, one pale blue) which she jazzes up with some great jewellery when we go to a restaurant in the evening. I prefer trousers and tops but now realise that I could have brought just two pairs of trousers - both from Zara, with elasticated waists and therefore super comfortable, in white and navy. Before I came away I treated myself to two new NRBY linen tops in pale blue and pink which are cool for daytime wear if I need to shop for food. I also brought two dressier silk NRBY tops which I could have alternated for evening wear. So, instead of five pairs of trousers and ten tops I could easily have managed with two pairs of trousers and four tops! 

silk-blouse-blue

Silk Blouse: NRBY, Navy Trousers: Zara, Sandals: Gabor, Sunglasses: Rayban, Earrings: Sahara London

It’s not just clothes that take up space when packing. Many of you ask for travel sizes of your Look Fabulous Forever makeup and skincare. I have explained that this isn’t cost-effective for us because the cost of production (buying containers and having them filled) is the same whatever size they are. Obviously fill-cost would be slightly lower but we’d have to sell these smaller travel sizes at a loss. Big companies can order many thousands at a time to get economies of scale, which we just cannot do. Please believe me that we have looked at this and not yet found a way to make it viable. My solution therefore is to decant all my cleansers, creams, shampoo and conditioner into small plastic jars and squeezy bottles that I buy very cheaply from Superdrug. I also tend to bring smaller compacts of LFF blusher and concealer and one trios eye shadow compact which gives me a pale, mid and darker tone shadow to play around with. On holiday I simplify my makeup to Beauty Balm, bronzer, blusher, eyeshadow, mascara and lipstick which all fits into a small makeup bag which I pack alongside our brilliant brush roll to keep all my brushes tidy and safely away from my clothes.

robe

Swimsuit & Hat: Bought in France a long time ago, Robe: NRBY, Sunglasses: Rayban

Travelling has few pleasures these days. It feels a bit like being on a conveyor belt in a people processing factory. And that’s if your plane actually takes-off! My daughter’s flight was cancelled by Easyjet just two days before their departure home and I was holding my breath until mine was confirmed. The process of waiting in endless queues to check-in a bag and the difficulty that I now have to manage a large suitcase when travelling alone, have finally convinced me that ‘less is more’ when it comes to packing. I would love to return to Lerici next year but I will arrive with far fewer clothes. The essentials are a sunhat, sunglasses and a swimsuit with a soft feather pillow on which to rest my weary head. Then I’ll bring a small capsule wardrobe of adaptable tops and bottoms which I can mix and match. Simple, practical and stylish - job done!

Tricia x

Upcoming Event Information:

Upcoming Event Information:

Tuesday 26th July

teatime-with-lorne

Teatime with Tricia - Lorne Blyth, Flavours Holidays

Flavours Holidays is a specialist ATOL bonded tour operator – offering quality cooking, painting, Pilates, language and photography holidays in Italy since 1998. Set in idyllic and unspoilt regions of Italy, guests have the opportunity to learn from local chefs and passionate, experienced tutors

Day:  Tuesday 26th July

Time: 4pm 

Link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88950922859?pwd=eWo3Vkp2QWVvZ3NvY2ZQQzI1Z3BuUT09

Meeting ID (if needed): 889 5092 2859

Password (if needed): LOOKFAB