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Tuesday 16 October 2018

Could Do Better Travel Capsule


Hello dear, before I kick off I ask that you please bear with me as I continue to struggle with the challenges of technology falling apart around me, or just falling (that's a story I need to hold back on until I feel brave enough to fess up to it!).  Suffice to say, right now my photos are few and my one-finger typing on a small keyboard not ideal.




Ok,so I've just returned from a short break away in the UK.
I did my pre-trip planning according to the book.
- I started monitoring my destination weather a week before my trip.
- I  identified the number of days and nights I'd be away, what I would be doing and what sort of outfits I needed to pack.
And on one brilliantly sunny day I put together a travel capsule.  You can find my 7-piece-travel-capsule. HERE - pretty darned perfect, even if I do say so myself!

And then it all went pear-shaped.
 The destination forecast worsened as D-day approached and my capsule confidence started waning commensurately.
On the day of packing it rained.  A lot.  And it was blowy. 

So what happened?  The weather was in the driving seat when I packed.
I went off to the airport with a suitcase filled with taupes and greys - dreary weather colours and so far removed from my original bright ultraviolet.  In fact the only blast of brightness left was the suitcase itself.

I travelled in taupe, black and dark grey (incl. a down coat!)



when my travel outfit inspo on those sunnier days had been this.



A light jacket over a white tee and blue jeans.




Here's my travel capsule,



Pretty sombre eh?
This is the danger that comes from packing on a dreary day.



This was pretty much my uniform for most of the break


I expect I could fool myself into thinking I was keeping it close to some inspos in my Pinterest folder.




I also packed a black vest top which created


something similar to this.  You'll have to trust me on this in the absence of any pictorial evidence (oh sooo embarrassing ...).


An outfit I CAN show is - 


Black jeans, taupe jumper and a scarf (perhaps this scarf was the cheeriest I got with my packing, on reflection!)


But in all honesty, I think I was making the best out of what I'd found myself unpacking in the hotel room.



Don't get me wrong, I like taupes and greys and blacks, but my intended case would have been just the cheery start I needed to the mostly gloomy days we had during our city break.

On a positive note (for there are some!) I liked this combo,


black jeans, taupe cardi and silk cami.



Similar to what the trendier young ladies are posting on Pinterest.


And my taupe vest,


just about seen here


worn with the cardi created a twinset similar to the above inspo (pause whilst I yet again cringe  with embarrassment at my catastrophic photo event!)







Moving swiftly on, an observation I made is that when I'm touristing I seem to walk around like a bag lady, with scarves flying, hair swirling untidily if not anchored to my head.  And my bags always look like they're tethered to me.  Is this what touristing really looks like and the scruffier side of outdoor life just never gets shown on social media?







So back to my travel capsule and yes, perhaps I could have packed better.  A bit cheerier.  Indeed,  when I posted a few OOTD shots whilst on holiday, one of my new mates on Instagram (You can find me HERE) asked "But where's the colour?!"

Yes, I could should have packed colour and yes, I certainly could have packed less.



Here's what I didn't wear: 
1 pr of flatties (I wore these boots day and evening)
This longish floral shirt, Leoprint blouse, long jersey and chiffon edged tunic and floaty silk scarf (I tended to just change a vest or cardi at night).




What have I learned?
- Pack for YOU, not the weather you see out of your window.
- Brighter colours DO work in gloomy weather.
- Just pack for slight changes to the daytime outfit for evening.
- Repeat-wear, repeat-wear, repeat-wear - NO-ONE notices or cares if you wear the same pieces multiple times.




So I feel that if my fashion teacher were reading this post (and oh how I wish I'd had one!) she would note that I'd learned something from this pack and she would at the very least have written underneath this essay a "Could do better".  But I hope I wouldn't have opened my exercise book to a "See me!" written firmly in red pen!


A la perchoine,
Mary


Come back soon to see if I managed to retrieve my lost holiday snaps!



Credit: non-me photos - Pinterest







19 comments:

  1. Hope you had fun! You chose just the right capsule collection Hun. Jacqui Mummabstylish

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    1. Well, Jacqui, it was a warm capsule and it did work for the activities. Maybe colour can wait for Christmas ... And there it is, my first uttering of the C word!!!
      Have a super week ahead, x.

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  2. Aw Mary. Didn't we have some C**p weather? I actually love what you have worn for your visit. But I get what you mean and when it doesn't go to plan xx

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    1. Oh you got the weather in one word, Laurie! Drizzle x EVERY day. Though Saturday was glorious eh? People were in SHORTS at Beaulieu! It's finally clearing so I wish you sunny photo shoots for the week ahead, x.

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  3. Packing for travel is the WORSE! When I'm restricted to hand luggage I usually find I haven't brought enough. I think you did very well given the changing weather. Love the black jeans, taupe cardi and silk cami combo, and you can't go wrong with a leo scarf.

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    1. Thanks, Gail, I think my scarves saved those outfits! I so love the cami and cardi look too, it brings a bit of elegant edgy to the wardrobe. Wishing you a glorious week ahead and love your Insta photo today, my dear! Hugs, x.

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  4. I think you did fine Mary. I suppose always pack one bright that will work with everything could be the message, regardless of weather. However, I don't so will learn from you.

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    1. Thanks, AM and yes, that's probably the insurance piece, the one to cheer up the mood on a dull day, that's the way forward. Hugs, wishing you a light-filled week, x.

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  5. Hi Bag Lady,
    HaHa I have said that so many times when traveling. No matter how much preparation and packing I do, I always say I feel like some kind of pack mule walking around with things hanging all over me. I just don't think it is possible to look super chic and be comfortable as a tourist. Your list of things you learned is spot-on. All great advice. And if I were your fashion teacher I would give you a B+. Only because I love color and don't think you should dress to match gray weather. And I think you looked great! But of course you did not post the bad photos ;-) Nicely done. Keep up the good work.
    http://over50under20.com

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    1. Oh Susan, thank you for my grade. I like B+, I like pack-mule! Perfect description of how we feel, isn't it a torture being a bag lady? (Don't know if it has the same connotation over there). And the photos aren't bad, they're just not retrievable 😢😱😨! Hugs, wishing you a colourful week, x.

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  6. Did I spy a royal blue suitcase? I did, I did and so lovely in leopards and cardis my precious Mary! You did great my friend! xxoo

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    1. Thanks, Andrea. And yes, you spotted my one pop of colour! It was a bit cumbersome to take around as my colour pop though, so I relied on my scarves to do that job! Hugs, go out and spread the pumpkin spice joy, x!

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  7. I think you packed wonderfully. I always add some color because I'm addicted to color, but it's fun to remix the way you did!!
    XOXO
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    1. Thanks so much, Jodie. If colour's your thing then I don't think you could have lasted long with my suitcase! Hugs, keep on spreading the colour love, x.

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  8. Ah well, what you packed is really how I usually dress color (or neutral shade) wise. And that you grabbed all that at the last minute and it all worked is very good and looks very sophisticated,I think.

    Don't get me wrong, I like my color-my favorite thing to teach was color theory but I tend to use just small bits of it anymore.
    xox
    Terri

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    1. Thanks, it was rather hastily put together when I saw the forecast was just getting worse. It was the tale end of some hurricane good storm.
      I think you and I like a good canvas to start with, Terri ! Then colour can be added, the dosage dependent on our mood.
      Wishing you a super weekend, hugs x.

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  9. What a shame about the weather but I hope you enjoyed yourself all the same!

    I like what you showed us in the photos but I need colour in my life.....

    Have a great weekend.
    xxx

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    1. Oh thanks Vronni, I know that you are one very colourful lady and you look vibrant in your colours. Sometimes I think I do best in neutrals. Fortunately we managed to dodge a lot of the downpours and me and my cousins had a great time in the Southampton area.
      Wishing you a huggly weekend, x.

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