Capsule travel wardrobe in shades of blue

This is the time of the year when many of us start panicking about what clothes we have (or don't have!) for our summer holiday.  If you are going on a beach holiday it is fairly straightforward: a selection of swimwear, cover-ups for going to and from the beach, sandals, sun hat, sun glasses, beach bag and suntan lotion, with a smarter outfit for the evenings and maybe a pair of heels.

However if you are planning a city break, or a trip to the UK like we are, the possible permutations are endless. Throw in the likelihood of the weather fluctuating from warm and sunny to cold and rainy (we are talking Scotland here!) and will one suitcase be enough?!

As we are going to a wedding at the beginning of our holiday, I am going to take a larger case that will go in the hold, as the dress, jacket and shoes that I will be wearing for the wedding would take up most of the space in my usual carry-on cabin bag. Apart from that, I am hoping that a capsule wardrobe will be enough.

Based on the clothes in my existing wardrobe, this is one of the capsule wardrobes that I am considering taking with me to Scotland. In my next post I will show an alternative capsule wardrobe based on other colours.

 

You will notice a lot of navy in this travel wardrobe: navy is my new "black"! Being optimistic I have included four lightweight tops as well as two with long sleeves. I will wear the blue linen trousers and a sleeveless top for travelling - as it is guaranteed to be warm in Spain next month - plus a pair of comfortable walking shoes. I will carry either the cardigan or my trench-coat (maybe both?) for when we land in Newcastle, having checked the forecast just before we board our flight!  I also plan to carry a large tote as my hand luggage, which may very well contain an umbrella (if not, I will definitely be packing one), plus my sun glasses and suntan lotion, though I may not need the last two items until we return to Spain.

As I like a pop of colour, and the navy and blue clothes shown are monochromatic, I will throw in these two bright scarves plus some colourful jewellery. The jacket that I will be packing for the wedding is white so, if I manage to keep it clean, I can also wear it over the navy and white polka-dot dress in the evenings, or with the navy skirt and a top for a smarter look during the day-time. Similarly, the low-heeled shoes that I will be wearing for the wedding can also be worn with the navy dress or skirt.

How do you pack for your holidays? Do you choose items that will mix and match for versatility, or do you just cram all your favourite items into your suitcase?