Travel Wardrobe: Tried and Tested

What to wear to Barcelona in early June?

Well, this is a destination I know very well, even if I say so myself. I usually spend a few days in Barcelona in early June, and I’ve been doing this for the past 13-14 years or so.

So, for once I knew exactly what to pack: something for hot weather, and something for the inevitable rain. I’ve been caught in the rain enough many times to be prepared for it now. It was certainly raining last year. And it was raining this time, too, on Sunday…

Not that I would let a bit of rain ruin my style… And yes, you’ve seen this dress before, a few times. It’s a nice dress, but more importantly, it travels well.

Outfit 1 details:

dress: Noom (old) / bag: Lancel (old) / cardigan:

Esprit (old) / shoes: Ugg / sunglasses: Prada

In fact, everything you see here is old. Or tried and tested, which is what a good travel wardrobe should be.

Seriously, this is not the time to test a new pair of shoes, or show off  a dress that needs to be accessorized with shoes you can’t walk in and a handbag that barely holds your lipstick…

No, when you have just a couple of days to spend in your destination, everything you pack should mix and match seamlessly. And of course, at the same time you should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and accommodate all sorts of activities. Hmm, sounds like a tall order…

Not really. You’re unlikely to do anything completely out of character, so your normal, everyday clothes will do just fine. And bringing a cardigan and an umbrella (as well as a few pairs of sunglasses) should be enough to prepare for fickle weather.

But if you’re travelling with cabin luggage only, everything better fit in your trolley. Don’t you just hate people who hog all the overhead locker space for their bags and parcels of varying sizes and shapes? I mean, if you can’t fit your stuff into one piece of cabin luggage, you should check it in! Sorry for the rant, I just hate it when people are so inconsiderate…

Anyway, as I was travelling Business Class, I could have brought another piece of cabin luggage. But I didn’t. If I travel light (i.e. without checking in a suitcase), I want to keep it simple, have my hands free and be able to carry my luggage myself with ease.

Right, digressing here a bit…

So, the first outfit was for a Sunday lunch at Mandarin Oriental. And the outfit below was for a day of shopping. As that usually means quite a lot walking, I opted for a comfortable pair of old tried and tested sandals and a long-sleeved linen shirt to protect my skin from the sun.

Outfit 2 details:

trousers: Oska (old) / linen shirt: Marks and Spencer (old) /

bag: Lancel (old) / shoes: Clarks (old) / sunglasses: Prada

And you’ve already seen this outfit: this is what I was wearing on Monday. It was also my travel outfit for the flight back home the same evening.

Outfit 3 details.

t-shirt: Zadig & Voltaire (old) / skirt: H&M / bag: Lancel (old) /

shoes: Clarks (old) / sunglasses: Dolce and Gabbana (old)

What do you think makes a good travel wardrobe?

Tiina

Linking up with:

Not Dead Yet Style, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, High Latitude Style, The Pleated Poppy, Style Elixir, A Labour of Life, Doused in Pink, Curly Crafty Mom, Fashion Should Be Fun, Rachel the Hat, Sincerely Jenna Marie, More Pieces of Me, Color and Grace, The Wardrobe Stylist, Not Dressed As Lamb, Style Nudge, Coco et La Vie en Rose,  Living on Cloud Nine, A Well Styled Life, Elegance and Mommyhood. Posh Classy Mom, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Shelbee on the Edge Over 50 Feeling 40 A Pocketful of Polka Dots Style Splash, The Fashionista Momma, Tina’s Pink Friday, Fake Fabulous. Lazy daisy Jones, Vanity and Me, Sheela Writes, Jodie’s Touch of Style, Glass of Glam, Mummabstylish