The annual holiday season is in high gear the world over and people are crisscrossing the planet in search of the best vacation spots. If you are interested in a little R and R in the sun, by the beach all by yourself then the following tips on how to pack for a short vacation could be helpful. We all know the grief that comes with checking in luggage; the long wait at the carousel, customs officials sometimes ransacking your bag and oh, the best part; the luggage not arriving at your destination. As someone who has lost luggage at the airport, who has been issued a warning by Her Majesty the Queen for bringing in a tiny bottle of honey and enduring endless questions from customs officials over God knows what, I prefer to minimize my exposure to luggage drama whenever possible. For a brief holiday (5 or 6 days) in the sun and beach you can travel with a capsule wardrobe that will fit in a carry on hand luggage. 1. Pack light; literally your clothing choices should be light. Think, pure cottons, light weight jersey and nice floaty diaphanous wraps and kaftans (more on this later). 2. Keep clothing colors monochromatic. I know. You probably think that that is the antithesis of a sunny happy holiday but bear with me. With a monochromatic palette you have a better opportunity to mix and match thereby giving you a wide range of outfit combos. Your accessories can be used to introduce pops of coulour. 3. Your foot wear has to be practical, pretty and comfortable. High heels, in my opinion, have no place in a holiday by the beach. Think 1 pair of sparkly sandals, you MUST have a pair of rubber flip flops and a pair of low wedge black sandals. 4. You can make do with just one bag. This bag will take you from day, beach to night. The bag should be medium sized, colorful and maybe with a bit of sparkle and shine. 5. Believe it or not but with 1 watch, 2 pairs of earrings, 1 and 1 cocktail ring you will be set. Notice I didnt say anything about neck pieces? This is a personal prefer ce but sweat, sand and warm make my neck itchy so I wouldnt want a necklace to complicate matters. Plus if your clothes choices are ornate enough, you really wouldnt need excessive jewelry. 6. Speaking of clothes choices, you can make the same outfit you wear to the beach transition seamlessly to dinner wear. You just need to make the right choices. A nice light colored kaftan can work as a beach cover up when paired with flip flops. Add a full length camisole beneath, black sandals and you have a beautiful dinner outfit. The modern take on iro and buba (Yoruba traditional skirt and coordinating blouse) allows you to use the top and skirt creatively as pictured below and again when you put them together and switch up accessories you have a well pulled together dinner outfit. The emphasis on dinner wear only applies if you are staying at a hotel of resort and wish to go down to dine with the other residents. Sometimes its nice to make an effort in the evening after schlepping around all day in casual beach/swim wear. You will also need to have at least 2 Tee shirts and 4 tank tops. 7. Have a at least two wraps to keep you warm. Yes, I know I said pack light but temperatures can drop in the evenings and when you travel sometimes planes and airports can be cold hard places. One pashmina and a light wool poncho should be just fine. 8. What will a holiday in the sun be without sun glasses. I suggest two pairs in different styles, like Rayban way farers and another classic pair. Its great to have 2 pairs because you might lose one or break one. Besides whats wrong with having options? :-) Ensure that the lens provide UV ray protection. 9. To complete your bag be sure to have your sun block, cosmetics and toiletries (remember to keep these within airlines stipulated quantities so that they dont get confiscated at the airport). Dont forget swim wear and underwear (it helps if you can coordinate your underwear to your clothing that way if say your bra strap does a peek-a-boo underneath your tank it wont be too glaring). One final tip, do research on your chosen vacation location to find out the culture and acceptance level as regards dressing and body baring. You want to enjoy your holiday without offending the indigenes. A quick thank you to Seams and Carriage where I bought my iro and buba, @Peju Adeola Saiid and Banke for the gorgeous kaftan gift. @Ayomide Condotti of #Africholidays for putting together a great retreat for me. Enjoy your holiday and be safe.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 08:31:31 +0000