Travelling Light: Girlosophy Packing Tips

It can be fun and useful to bedazzle your bag in some way to make it stand out when you are picking it up from the carousel at the airport. You can take the easy option of tying coloured ribbons to the handle (avoid red, everyone seems to pick red!) or go crazy and spray patterns on your bag with fluoro paint (like I did when I went on my first trip). Obviously, don’t do this if the bag is borrowed!

Next is figuring the best way to fit everything in. To roll or to fold? The question is as old as time itself, and the answer is both! Some items cry out to be rolled, and some others never recover from it! The general rule is that natural fibres tend to crease more and synthetic blends will be better rolled. Put all your undies, swimmers and socks together in an inside pocket, or in a little separate bag.

And now down to business; this is how the girls here at Girlo actually approach the packing task. There are few things to remember when packing your bag, the first is, LESS IS MORE, especially when it comes to clothes.

If you are quite likely to buy some more clothes while you are away, leave room for them! The next tip is to mix and match your clothes around colours and pieces that aren’t too hectic, and that you know you feel good in. We recommend; black, white, blue denim, khaki, and a touch of red or orange, all colours that can be worn together.

Don’t bother packing things that you hardly ever wear at home – this won’t change whilst you are away on a trip!

For a moderate to long trip, ie. a month or more, we suggest you try and pack these items...

SHOES

1 pair each of these depending on the season you are heading too:

• Thongs/Flip-flops (for the beach and shower hygiene purposes)
• Trainers (for jogging, walking and sightseeing)
• Sandals (to go with everything day and night)
• Hiking boots (if you are trekking obviously!)
• Flat boots (leather boots are great for travelling in, and good for dressing up or down.)
• Ballet Flats (plain black ones are great, elegant and light to pack!)

Don’t bother packing things that you hardly ever wear at home – this won’t change while you are away!

CLOTHING

Judge quantity and requirement on the length of your trip and climate:

• T-shirts (light, fast drying, and great for layering with singlets)
• Tracksuit bottoms (for a comfy option in the hotel and going to bed).
• Hoodies (Cotton, long sleeved, great for the plane)
• Jeans/ Trousers (1 pair of each (or 2 of jeans)).
• Skirt / Skirt (1 or 2 of both, for day wear or also night applicable for going out.)
• Sweater / Cardigan (1 or 2 in lightweight wool, cotton or lycra blend in a dark colour that you can wear when it’s a little dirty)
• Denim Jacket – (Goes with everything)
• Dress (choose wisely! Something simple, day or night applicable, not to revealing and easy to clean.)

ACCESSORIES

Optional and varying, depending on the climate:

• Hat (Highly recommended! Canvas and lightweight is best)
• Beanie / Scarf (Keeps you cosy and hides bad hair!)
• Swimmers (Great to have some on hand)
• Cotton socks (A must!)
• Beach Towel
• Waterproof watch
• Small Calculator (For currency conversion)