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10 April 2013

WEEKEND AWAY: TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

 
 
A weekend trip away to a different city can often be the best kind of secret escape from our busy lives. However, deciding what to pack may be somewhat of an arduous mission, even more so than packing for a two week vacation. Instead of the usual throwing contents of your whole closet into several suitcases, being practical for a weekend trip is a must. Read on to see what my personal essentials are and ideas on what items should take priority in your luggage!

 


1. MANGO METALLIC BOUCLÉ JACKET £44.99 A blazer or jacket that has the capability to transition from day wear to evening wear is great to take with you. Bouclé jackets, such as the one from Mango above, are chic, sophisticated and easy to style with many pieces. Wear with a pair of jeans and simple blouse during the day, throw over a dress in the evening and you are good to go!

2. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG KENLEY CHAINS SCARF £180 Scarves are an easy accessory to work with which don't get worn often enough. They can make simple outfits that bit more interesting. Better yet, they can be that 'pop of colour' to your ensemble.

3. ASPINAL OF LONDON BOSTON BAG £495 Travel in style. Weekenders or travel bags are, in my opinion, worth splurging a bit of money on as they'll be used over and over again. Not only is the travel bag from Aspinal of London a classic timeless piece, it also lends a hand to the idea of being 'practical'.

4. TRAVALO ATOMIZER SPRAY £11.99 Travalos are a clever little invention. They are so lightweight and offer an alternative to carrying around a whole perfume bottle. Each spray can hold 5ml of your favourite perfume. If you wanted to, you could buy two or three and fill them each with a different fragrance.

5. IPAD MINI £269 Need I explain the countless benefits of having an iPad or any other tablet device with you? No, but I will say that having Google maps, a camera, the Kindle app and music was more than enough to make me grateful for my iPad during my break to Paris.

6. CÉLINE AUDREY SUNGLASSES £200 Whether or not the weather forecast predicts rain or clouds prior to going, take your sunglasses. I was expecting the worst of worst weather before going to Paris. There was meant to be rain for the whole weekend but turns out miracles do happen. I was thankful I had brought my sunglasses as sunshine and clear blue skies graced Paris during my stay.

7. CLINIQUE CHUBBY STICK £16 I love lip products that both moisturise and add a wash of colour over my lips. Clinique chubby sticks are amazing and I swear by them. They are moisturising lip colour balms that come in a wide range of different shades. Perfect for when the colder weather is harsher on my skin and also when I'm having a 'minimal makeup' day but want a touch of colour.

8. DIPTYQUE CYPRÈS MINI CANDLE £20 Travel candles, such as the ones from Diptyque, are a great way of making your hotel room more homely with an added touch of luxury and of course, leaves it smelling divine.

9. SMYTHSON PANAMA NOTEBOOK £45 Notebooks come in handy for writing down ideas and information....addresses, phone numbers, shops you want to go to, recommendations of restaurants you should dine at, phrases in the local language, notes and sketches of places you've visited etc.

10. LULU FROST DEMETER TIE BACK NECKLACE £235 Nothing says glamour like a beautiful piece of jewellery. Classic, elegant and simply stunning, a statement necklace like the emerald one seen above will effectively force many onlookers to eat their hearts out. A piece like this will instantly state expensive sophistication to your evening attire. Lulu Frost's collection is beyond heaven to me. When I say I want every piece, I literally want every single piece.

11. STUBBS & WOOTTON BESPOKE SMOKING SLIPPERS £310 Comfortable and chic. Could you ask for a better combination? These bespoke smoking slippers loved by people like Olivia Palermo, Kanye West and Tinie Tempah are ideal for city trips which may involve a lot of strolling, providing both style and comfortability.