I made the rookie mistake of booking one check in bag to share with my boyfriend. Call it optimism or insanity… but it seemed very clever and economical until of course it actually came to packing! It did however force me to be very selective and space saving savvy. Usually I tip my whole summer wardrobe into the case and figure out outfits on arrival so aside from nearly forgetting flip flops and a bag altogether, I actually set off feeling rather organised.
When I’m stuck for space I always look for versatile pieces I can wear over and over again. I did a big online haul before this trip and mostly ordered dresses as I don’t like to waste precious time that could be spent at the beach or exploring because I’m frantically trying to decide what to wear. Dresses are always the easiest option to throw on and go. They also take up less space if they are minis like this one I purchased from Pretty Little Thing.
This halter shift dress is the perfect outfit for many situations; whether thrown over a bikini for a beach day, dressed up for an evening out or how I have styled it for a day in the city. We headed out early to check out a local market in one of the nearby towns. The temperature was already climbing steadily by 9 o’clock so I knew it was going to be a scorcher. The main pro of this dress is its light and airy which you really need when sightseeing or spending the day in the sun without any respite from the sea. I like to avoid sleeves in the midday heat to avoid any dodgy sweat patch scenarios, because no one wants to spend the day with their arms clamped down by their sides to hide it.
Back to space saving, I usually don’t pack a hat with me, instead I buy one while I’m away as they usually don’t last long if squished in a suitcase anyway. I picked up this fedora style woven hat from a local vendor in the market and have already gotten so much wear out of it. It’s important to keep your head covered to avoid sun stroke so I find buying a nice new hat makes me more inclined to always wear one.
I paired the dress with tan gladiator sandals from Primark that I bought last year. They always have an amazing selection of sandals, and they did an almost identical version this year that you can see here. My rose gold bag is also an old buy from Primark. I love a big bag to carry my camera, water and any bits I buy while out and about. My boyfriend is always teasing me that I’m like Mary Poppins with my bag, you never know what I’ll pull out of it, but its always good to have space for souvenirs!
Until next time…
