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Have I mentioned that I'm off on our travels again? Despite the hiccup of being dropped off at the wrong hotel in the middle of the night last year, we've decided to risk another package holiday. Although we'd much rather travel independently, the price for a flight, coach transfer to the hotel (a two hour drive from the airport) and a week's accomodation in a small Greek owned business was an amazing £238 and seemed far too good to miss.
Being a package holiday, the cost also includes a generous luggage allowance of a 20kg check-in bag, 10kg of carry-on baggage plus a small personal item. That's over 60% of my bodyweight! To me, part of the fun of planning a trip is agonising over all the fabulous clothes I own and whittling them down to squeeze into my cabin bag which I can carry all on my own and stow into the overhead locker with ease. Doing away with check-in bags means we can check-in online, go straight through security and be enjoying a pre-flight beer in Wetherspoons whilst the rest of the passengers are still queuing at the check-in desk downstairs.
My trusty little wheelie cabin bag weighs in at a total of 6kg.
So what am I taking?
1. A vintage embroidered velvet waistcoat
2. A fold-up panama hat
3.Love Binetti cotton kaftan
4. Vintage Greek tote bag
5. Naked Generation maxi dress
6.Anokhi maxi dress
7. Teva flatforms
8. Devotion Twins Greek cotton woven tunic
9. Kulu, Australia bikini
10. Vintage fringed leather bag
11.Gado Gado, Ibiza cowboy boots
12. Pom-Pom trimmed basket
13.Vintage Diesel denim jacket
14. All About Aud recycled sari silk wrap top
15. Haris Cotton woven co-ord
16. Vintage tooled leather belt
17.Selection of silver pendants
18. Tassel earrings
19. Rajasthani silver earrings
20. Silver rings
21. 2 x pairs of sunglasses
22. Fimo snake earrings
23. 3 x tribal bangles
Make-up: Eyeshadow, 2 x brushes, bronzer (found in a charity shop last week!), eyebrow pencil, eye liner, mascara, blusher, lipstick, pencil sharpener, tweezers, eyelash curlers, magnifying mirror.
Toiletries: Decanted once a day suncream, facial sun cream, Lush shampoo and conditioner bars, hair serum, moisturiser, tooth brush, toothpaste, interdentals, soap, make-up remover wipes (plastic-free obvs!), razor, bamboo cotton buds.
Hair stuff: Tangle Teezer, hair stick, hair bands, vintage hair slide.
Also taking (but not pictured): varifocals, Pestects bracelets, one pair of knickers and one pair of socks, my Kobo Ereader, phone, camera, travel towel, silk wrap and a shower cap.
I'm travelling in the Anokhi dress & velvet waistcoat (just peeking out) with my Diesel jacket, Gabo Gabo cowboy boots, the scarf I picked up in a charity shop last week, the Greek tote bag, knickers, socks and my tassel earrings (the rest of the jewellery goes on when I've passed through security).
How do I choose what to pack?
I check the weather apps daily, study average temperature charts and hunt down live webcams of the place we're visiting so I've got a good idea of what the weather's going to be like. Currently it's warm during the day but cools down after sunset so I've packed two dresses with sleeves, two strappy dresses I can layer up with a waistcoat or the sari wrap top and a co-ord, all of which can be worn with my denim jacket if needs be.
A seven night trip means a minimum of twelve outfits so by taking five dresses each will be worn at least twice. I could have got away with taking four but couldn't resist the blue and white co-ord even if it might be a bit too Summery for May.
Last year, the holidaymakers we met at our hotel in Halkidiki couldn't believe how I could get all my belongings in a little carry-on. It turns out that most of the women I spoke to had a thing for shoes (several had packed a different pair for every night they were there!) Since I discovered Tevas they are the only footwear I pack, they're stylish, waterproof and so comfy to walk in it eliminates the need for trainers. I travel in my cowboy boots as it's not exactly sandal weather here in the UK and I'll probably wear them at night if it's chilly.
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Before I make my final selection I try everything on. I'll often wear things around the house for an hour or two to ensure they're comfy and don't require any adjustments - trailing hems get taken up, slippy shoulder straps get shortened and anything that needs a underskirt or creases easily gets ousted. I prefer to plan my outfits in advance rather mindlessly chuck the things I like into my bag so, once it's made the grade, I'll lie each dress on the bed with the jewellery and bag I intend to wear with it. Oh yes, and when I'm trying my clothes on I never wear makeup or jewellery or do anything with my hair. If something makes me feel good when I'm looking like the Wreck of the Hesperus, with a tan, my jewellery and some shocking pink lipstick, it's going to make me feel like an absolute goddess.
And it might sound a bit geeky but I always photograph what I'm taking and create a Pinterest board for each trip. Hopefully one day I'll have photos of everything I own so I won't have to drag everything out of my wardrobe every time I go away, I can just look at photos!
I absolutely loved the soft muted tones of this Love Binetti cotton kaftan I snaffled from Vinted for £8 (it's by an Argentinian designer and originally retailed for around £800!)
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Devotion Twins is an Athens-based designer label which champions traditionally woven Greek textiles. You'll find it in those high end chi-chi Greek boutiques that cater for the wealthy European jet set. I managed to find this Oxia shirt dress online, it had been reduced from £250 to £30. I've kept the label for posterity!
Haris Cotton is a high end Athenian clothing brand found in cities all over Greece and, like Devotion Twins, specialises in hand woven traditional textiles. You'll often find me in one of their boutiques fondling their textiles and wishing I was rich enough to afford one of their dresses. I spotted this co-ord on Vinted and as it had been listed for six months the seller kindly accepted my cheeky £20 offer.
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A couple of old favourites. This Naked Generation dress was an eBay find a few years ago. You may remember me wearing it to visit Knossos (the tote bag I'm taking with me is a 1970s souvenir from there.) The chazza shopped denim jacket and recycled sari wrap top (bought from All About Audrey back in 2018) should keep the chill off after sunset.
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I bought this beautiful block printed dress from the Chowpatti Beach branch of Anokhi when we last visited Mumbai in 2020, a reissue of a 1970s dress from their archives. It works as well layered up as it does unadorned.
In case you're wondering, I've rolled up all my clothes and put them inside my pom pom basket which I've then packed inside my cabin bag - this should reduce any risk of creasing. I could have carried the basket and stowed it beneath the seat in front but the wearing the little woven tote bag across my body is lot less of a faff.
I'm not off just yet, I'll be back in a couple of days to report back on a day of adventure in Birmingham!
