HOW TO PACK FOR A WEEKEND AWAY: A WEEKEND CAPSULE WARDROBE

I love weekend trips! They're always such a great way to take a break and enjoy somewhere new. 

What I don't love is travel stress. Things to pack, things not to forget, phones to charge...the whole lot.

About a month ago Giorgio and I went to see his dad for the weekend. This was one of the times I was really grateful for my capsule wardrobe - packing made easy, right? I wanted to be able to create various outfits - for a nice dinner in a fancy restaurant and also for a day of exploring Cambridge, where we went on that Saturday for a day trip. And also for 4 hours in the car both ways. 

In the spirit of minimalism, I wanted to take as little as possible, but enough that I could make my looks versatile and not same-y. I'm that person that always takes way too much clothes on holiday, thinking - this might come in handy. Last year I basically didn't use half of my suitcase. Granted, I always travel with hand luggage only and I definitely don't have a bag just for shoes. But there's always room for improvement, so I challenged myself to only take what I knew I'd use. 

When it's just a few days away, it's really no problem to take a few minutes and plan out your outfits to avoid overpacking. Think about the occasions you need to dress for. Think about the weather (check the forecast!).

So here's what I took with me:

TROOPA BOOTS - comfortable to walk in, will withstand weather and go with everything.

CHECKED JEGGINGS - great for travel, elastic.

LEATHER JACKET - warm, stylish, no need to say more.

WARM LONG CARDIGAN - for warmth, of course. It was 7° out there.

A VERY PRETTY OPEN SLEEVE DRESS - for that fancy dinner.

SILK SHIRT - can be paired with anything and elevate an outfit.

SALUT T-SHIRT - casual and travel top.(Not pictured, a brown cross-body handbag into which I fit my whole weekend wardrobe.)

Outfits needed: Friday travel outfit, Saturday exploring outfit, Saturday evening outfit, Sunday relax and travel outfit.

After my successful "packing for a weekend away" test, I've got a foolproof way to pack for most weekend places on the Earth. A rule of two, a recipe, of sorts, that I share below, should you find yourself in need of a little inspiration :)

WHAT TO PACK FOR A MINI GETAWAY

THE RULE OF 2

2 bottoms - something comfortable and something that can go from day to night. If you have a bottom that checks all these boxes then all the better! Depending on your style, your 2 could be: trousers + skirt | trousers + dress | skirt + dress | trousers + trousers. 

2 tops - a dressier and a casual one should do the trick. 

2 layering pieces - a leather jacket, a jean jacket, a blazer, a cardigan, a sweater, a kimono. You name it, just as long as they fit on top of each other for added warmth. 

1-2 pairs of shoes - seriously, you're only going away for a few days and not to fashion week, (I'm assuming), so there's no need for four different pairs. Try to keep it at 1 but if you don't have shoes that are versatile enough or you're planning a Saturday hike, then of course, take appropriate footwear.

Are you planning on going anywhere any time soon? Or have you taken a weekend trip lately? What did you take with you?

I'm going away for the May Bank holiday weekend so I'll get to exercise this recipe again (and make another mini weekend capsule for you, too).

And because it always helps to see the different looks you can create with a mini weekend capsule, tomorrow I'll be sharing my Cambridge outfit and then on Monday I'll show you the Sunday look. (To make it a bit more confusing :))

Have a great weekend!

*Update! A couple outfits: