Holiday Fashion

With the temperatures dropping down south and our glorious winter weather upon us, I've been having quite a few enquiries from southern clients as to what they should pack for a perfectly styled wardrobe while they are away. When assembling a holiday wardrobe for any destination it's a matter of planning and organisation. Make a list of your destinations and intended activities and pack only those clothes that fit your needs. Whether off to Europe, going on safari, or to a tropical island, the golden rule is "don't overpack".

Shopping for items at your destination can be a fun part of any holiday and puts you in the flavour of the place you are visiting. Each individual has different requirements and should obtain as much information about their itinerary as possible. Wardrobe styling must be as unique as the person requiring assistance - one client was quite unprepared after having booked a two weeks cruise around the Greek islands to find that there was at least four formal occasions and three semi-formal nights, all requiring gowns or cocktail dresses. Cruise holidays are a bit of an exception to the golden rule because your holiday is mostly being spent on board, so you need to have all the items that you need to complete and compliment your outfits.

A change of accessories can totally remodel the look of a classic black cocktail dress, but if attending all four formal occasions then four gowns will be required. Swimwear, shorts and sarongs are standard daywear for beach outings and smart casual wear teamed with good walking shoes essential for touring cosmopolitan cities along the way. It's very important to check with the cruise line that you're travelling with to determine what standard of dress is required to attend the various functions aboard, as different ships have different dress standards- some requesting tuxedos for men while for others, a dark suit being more than appropriate .
Always remember that it's your holiday and if your style is to dress down and you have no desire to attend formal occasions, choose a cruise that best suits you.

On my first ever trip to Europe I was guilty of breaking the golden rule -packing everything I thought I could possibly maybe need and more, only to find myself in beautiful Amsterdam surrounded with fashion (and tulips, of course), and limited only by the amount that I could carry, so one large suitcase had to be shipped home, at great expense, to enable me to get about without an entourage of porters. So having learned the hard way - packing light IS the way to go!

For all my gorgeous girls travelling south for a wintery holiday - beware, it's cold! A few wise purchases are imperative here - a coat is absolutely essential as is a fine wool jumper and boots. These three items will keep you warm and in good spirits as being cold is not a good look and being underdressed for the climate makes for impulsive choices, made in a hurry, because you just need another layer to put on. Check the current temperatures of where you are going so you can arrive prepared. I've seen many a tourist arrive in our fair city in a woolen suit, looking totally stressed, only to discover one of our excellent boutiques and emerge in shorts, t-shirt and reef sandals looking cool and relaxed and ready to enjoy their stay. So do your homework, be prepared, and look great, feel great, and really enjoy that holiday.