Travelling Tamed!
My son is in his GCSE year, so like many people who are taking or have family members taking exams, I’m keen to get something booked to de-stress after we go through this exam period. Our family has a bit of a problem though as we can’t decide where to go! Finding somewhere that ticks the boxes for all 4 of us with varying interests is proving a challenge so its still a ‘work in progress’ at the moment
Last month we headed over to Alicante for a Tortue photoshoot in the sunshine. Its not somewhere I have ever been before and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much but wow – it was a beautiful place and felt more like Monaco to me.
We wanted to get some great footage of our clothes on location so I asked Clare Palmer who is a personal travel consultant with Not Just Travel for some advice on where to go.
Alicante Marina is a vibrant area for walking around to look at the boats with lots of eateries and bars. There is also an ocean boat race museum there and it looked like they were setting up a huge stage for a music festival happening soon too!
Our Mariniere themed pieces were perfect for this area – relaxed stripey tops with long or short sleeve options, jeans and a relaxed denim 2 piece outfit was perfect for mooching about admiring the boats and sitting in the sunshine at one of the many café bars watching the world go by.
When it comes to packing for unpredictable weather, you really can’t beat a Breton Striped Top. It’s a perfect piece worn on its own or layered under knitwear or a jacket. This timeless long sleeved style features classic navy stripes with a round neckline and distinctive little decorative buttons on one shoulder to elevate the look a little from everyday. Being 100% cotton its breathable and comfortable too.
This Cream and Brown Striped T Shirt is a trendy twist on the classic Breton style top. A thicker jersey material ensures durability and the round neckline is an easy to wear style. The sleeves are folded and finish on the shoulder with a delicate shoulder pad inside. Don’t worry – we’ve not gone back to the 80’s power dressing looks!!! These little pads are great for giving you structure to your complete outfit especially if you have sloping shoulders. When you pop a knit over the top your silhouette is just tweaked that little bit giving you a bit more presence and posture – it also looks great worn under a plain white shirt worn “shacket style” too!
A Sleeveless Denim Vest is a great option if you are a person who is always very hot!! Not only does it make a statement, our version has a flattering v neckline and darting which creates a tailored silhouette that just skims the body beautifully. Tara is wearing it in Alicante with matching wide leg fluid denim jeans but this vest also looks great worn over a slip dress, with a crisp white shirt or with a lightweight knit too. Its also very handy for slipping over swimwear with your scarf worn as a sarong when you want to cover up a little bit.
Just across the road from the marina is the Explanada de Espana – an iconic mosaic tiled promenade shaded by palm trees perfect to shelter from the high heat of the day or for walking and enjoying street music and entertainers too. There was an incredible performance artist there who used a huge weighted hoop to move beautifully to a very Zen tune – very acrobatic like something from Cirque du Soleil and totally mesmerising!
When the sun starts to set, quite often the wind can start to creep up and it can get a bit chilly so layers are definitely going to be your friend helping you to regulate your own body temperature.
If you don’t want the bulk of a sleeve, opting for a Sleeveless Jacket can help keep your core body warmth. This Sleeveless Canvas Jacket in Latte helps you layer with intention. Having a more tailored feel than the average denim style jacket there are also little visual details such as cutouts to create visual interest. The slim pockets add definition without adding bulk. I like to add a jumper worn over the shoulders “scarf style” over the top rather than wearing the jumper beneath the jacket. Being 100% cotton its an easy wear easy wash piece for when your ice cream cone melts and catches you out!
Nothing screams “sunny day” more than a pair of white jeans!!! Our version is a more chalky shade of white that suits people with a wide range of colour palettes. Sometimes it can be tricky to find a pair of white jeans that don’t show the inner linings of the pockets (a particular bug bear of mine!!) but these Chalk Jeans are the solution!!
Not only do they have button fastenings at the front, funky detailed stitching on one of the rear pockets adds a little design edge to elevate the look and feel of your jeans just that little bit more. Cut with a straight leg that skims without clinging, they pair effortlessly with everything from oversized knitwear to fitted tailors blazers for casual chic sophistication – not just with your striped top and flip flops on a sunny day (or trainers on a rainy day) on holiday but for a smarter casual style back home too.
Between the Marina and the Explanada is Playa del Postiguet which is the main city beach with an amazing walkway of cubed tiles that seem as though they are 3 dimensional. Lots of bars, cafes, eateries and little pop up shops here – great for sitting in the sun and people watching if you are not a fan of sitting on the sand. There are lots of smaller beaches with promenade walkways stretching the coastline just outside the main town of Alicante which are perfect if you want a slightly quieter location to potter about on.
Personally I am not usually a fan of a jumpsuit due to the faff when it comes to needing the bathroom but having said that, this Jumpsuit in Midnight Blue has won me over!
I love the little collar with decorative ruffle detailing and the ¾ length puff sleeves that have gorgeous detailing on them. The fabric is floaty and comfortable and just feels divine! The elasticated waist means it is comfortable to wear and the wide leg style just drapes beautifully. Wear it by day with trainers dressed down style or by night with strappy heels and a statement necklace for a totally different feel too! Great to travel in as the fabric is so comfortable. It is just one of those pieces that makes you feel fab when you wear it and being navy it just goes with so many things and so many colours/patterns too!
Packing a versatile jacket is always a good option and if you only choose to pack one jacket for your trip then this is the one to take!
This Chalk Jacket looks pretty much like other denim or canvas jackets from the front (apart from the beautiful brushed gold statement “luxe” buttons), but it is the back of the jacket that is the real showstopper!! The decorative seams and embroidery adds an artisan design stitched in waves of latte shades almost leaf like in places. Very distinctive and understatingly making a statement…. If you know what I mean!!
The straight cut to this jacket gives a flattering comfortable fit in a modern classic and timeless appeal way all mixed up into one! It’s a generous fit so will easily slip over layers and knitwear without you feeling constrained.
The jacket looks great paired with a tailored trousers or dressed down with jeans. The chalk jeans in our collection pair effortlessly with it for a more monochrome look, or pair with the Juliette “Mom” Jeans in Latte to accentuate the stitching detail on the back of the jacket more visibly.
We are finding that these particular jeans are coming up small so suggest you go for a size bigger than your usual if you like a comfortable relaxed fit. Being a neutral tone, they will see you through many a scenario and can be easily dressed up or down to suit pairing with so many colours, prints and patterns too.
For an oversize look, go up two sizes to wear more baggy “street style” with a chunky leather belt or if you prefer a more skinny jean type of look then go for your usual size but be warned it will probably feel quite fugure hugging on the hips/waist if you do!
There were so many areas to explore in Alicante that 2 days meant we didn’t get everywhere but highlights that we did manage were wandering through the little meandering streets of the old town up to the Concatedral de San Nicolas which is a beautiful little understated cathedral in the heart of the city. Next time we may make it into the art museum or all the way up to the top of the hill to the medieval Castillo where I am told the views are incredible.
Just outside of Alicante were the salt plains with a lovely nature reserve that you can walk around to see the flamingos and other wild birds in their natural habitat too – the perfect “zen” with little platforms where you could take a yoga mat and just “be” with nature for a moment of calm.
With plenty of museums and other things to see and do, I definitely want to go back for a “proper” holiday there at some point.
Whether you are travelling at home or abroad, packing a capsule wardrobe is key to not overpacking (after all – that flight with a low cost airline may be cheap, but by the time you add on an extra hold bag you end up paying a lot more which I would rather be spending on my sunset cocktails on holiday instead!), but how do you choose what to take?
First point is to think about what you are probably going to be doing whilst you are there – if you are literally going for a lie on the beach do nothing holiday then your packing probably won’t be too traumatic, but if you are after a more active holiday and need a variety of things, then layers are going to be your friend, as are pieces that can switch between daytime and evening wear for you.
One method you may have heard of is the “Sudoko Method” of packing. This is where you pack 3 tops, 3 bottoms and 3 outer layers which you can mix and match to create at least 16 different outfits – easily plenty of choice for up to 2 weeks of holiday.
It helps to lay out your pieces on the floor in this order. Take a photograph and add a number to the photograph of each piece.
You can then check to make sure that you can mix and match your pieces before finally deciding on what gets packed into your luggage.
Your outfits can be chosen from the horizonal lines so:-
1,2,3
4,5,6
7,8,9
Or Vertical lines so:-
1,4,7
2,5,8
3,6,9
A diagonal line of 1,5,9
Or from “L” shapes so:-
4,7,8
1,2,5
2,3,6
5,8,9
4,5,8
5,2,3
2,5,6
5,6,9
4,1,5
There are so many more combinations, especially if you pack tops that are reversible with different necklines to the front and back which can give a completely different feel to your look!
Once you have nailed your clothes think about your accessories. Footwear for day time lounging, trainers for exploring, a strappy shoe for evening and a shoe that can be dressed up or down like a metallic wedge will help keep the weight down in your case.
Add a large scarf that can be worn in multiple ways sarong style, as a top, dress (or ….. as a scarf!), and choose lightweight jewellery accessories that can complete your look – something simple and something a bit more statement that compliments the pieces you have packed should get you through easily.
Here is my “Sudoku Packing” pic of what I took for a few days in Alicante.
For more inspiration head over to our Style Online Facebook Group where you can find a video of Amelia taking you through her Sudoku Packing pieces recently too! It’s a private group so if you are not already joined up please do ask and we can send you an invite.
Maybe Alicante is the solution to our family problem of where to go this year….. next problem is finding a week in the diary when we can all be off at the same time!!!
Enjoy the spring sunshine!
Angela x
