Pack like a pro Say goodbye to creased clothes, countless beauty products and excess baggage charges – four well-travelled women share their packing tips and style secrets for a happy holiday words Katrina Rendall PhotograPhs Suki Dhanda
Holiday style
Tamara Heber-Percy, left, 40,
is co-founder of boutique hotel booking service Mr and Mrs Smith (mrandmrssmith.com). Her onceor twice-monthly trips range from a couple of days in Europe to longer visits to the company’s Melbourne or New York offices, as well as to Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Luggage For long-haul trips I like Samsonite cases. They’re durable, practical and you can fit loads in them. Otherwise, I take a Mulberry leather over-the-shoulder bag. Beauty must-haves My Elemis face cream goes everywhere with me, and I can’t be without a tube of Dr Lipp lip balm – it saves me on the driest of plane journeys and stays on forever. I also put some La Prairie Essence Caviar Eye Complex on before my sleeping mask for long flights – it definitely reduces the appearance of dark circles by the time I arrive. It all goes in my sturdy Anya Hindmarch make-up case. Holiday wardrobe I always take a Lily and Lionel scarf with me because I love the patterns and they’re so versatile. They dress up an evening outfit, or can be worn as a sarong during the day. I also take two pairs of sunglasses – if I lost my only pair I’d be bereft! Packing my aquamarine kaftan, which I bought at an Ibizan market, always gives me a little rush of holiday excitement. Travel outfit Layers are key, as you never know if the plane will be hot or cold, so I wear a vest, shirt and cardigan with skinny jeans and my pull-on Kurt Geiger boots.
Tamara’s packing Tips
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I always weigh my luggage with scales at home to check it’s within the airline’s limit. Buying suncream when I get there saves carrying it in my suitcase. I put an extra layer of clothing in my hand luggage for the children in case of accidents.
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On-the-go gadget A four-way extension cable solves the problem of trying to get to hard-to-reach plug sockets in the hotel room, and avoids fights over who gets to charge their phone first. In my hand luggage An iPad, sweets for take-off and landing and, for my two children, I take crayons, sticker books, snacks and baby wipes. Holiday reading Thinking, Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman and It’s So Easy (And Other Lies) by Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan.
‘I gO fOr LIgHT
cotton and silk fabrics, BuT avOId linen as IT crumples TOO easILy’
Carol Cork, 40, is managing director
and co-founder of PrivateFly (privatefly.com), a private jet charter company. She frequently goes on short business trips to Europe as well as several family holidays a year to places like Hong Kong, India and Australia. Luggage I have a suede and leather holdall that my husband bought me in Argentina – it’s wonderfully soft and reminds me of Mary Poppins' bag, as I can fit an amazing amount in it. I also have a silver Tumi wheeled case for business trips, which is light and sturdy. Beauty must-haves I love Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream and have used it for years as a multitude of things – lip gloss, cheek highlighter, hand cream, even as an emergency shoe polish! Occasionally I’m tempted into buying new designer mascaras, but always come back to Max Factor Masterpiece Waterproof Mascara, as it gives great definition and is excellent value. My ultimate summer fragrance is Clarins Eau Dynamisante – it just smells like holidays.
Holiday wardrobe Jigsaw sells great camisoles in lovely colours and trims, and I always take several of them on holiday to wear under sheer blouses or dresses. I have a floral dress from Whistles that I can wear at the beach or out for dinner, and I always pack one pair of fabulous statement shoes. I go for light cotton and silk fabrics, but avoid linen as it crumples too easily. Travel outfit I wear skinny jeans – with some stretch – in a bright shade, with a shirt, a light blazer and some plimsolls. On-the-go gadget I’m never without my iPad mini – I use it as a camera, to check my emails and to read books – it’s lighter than a paperback. In my hand luggage A toothbrush, tissues, Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream and my iPad mini. Holiday reading The Great Gatsby, as I’ve never read it. I probably shouldn’t read something work-related on holiday, but Lean In by Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg sounds fascinating.
CAROL’S pACking tipS
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I roll my clothes to reduce creasing, and stuff small items such as underwear inside shoes and around the edges of the holdall or case to make the most of the space. Buy lightweight luggage. It sounds obvious, but it makes a big difference when it comes to weight allowance. I stick to one colour palette when packing my clothes, so that I can mix and match separates in different ways.
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