Capsule holiday wardrobe.

[Cantonet]

I know this has been done to death please advise me.
I'm packing a holiday capsule to fit into a 10kg carry on bag.
What do you take?
Is it 2 of everything?
So...
2 dresses.
2 Trousers,
2 Sets Swimwear
2 shirts
2 shorts?
A few tops?
A Skirt?
2 cover ups?
Is that about right?
I seem to have a number of dresses & crochet items as extras. They're not going to get worn in the UK so this is my only chance for wear 🤔

Mallorca villa & of 1 week duration.
I'm trying to fight the urge to pack all my summer wardrobe....

If it's just a usual beach holiday I'd cut it right down and half most things

1 dress
1 trousers
1 shorts
1 skirt
6 tops
2 swimwear as I presume this is what you'll be in the most
1 cover up
1 outfit to travel in

Wear the same thing going and coming home, it's only a 3 hr flight.

I can't see how that's enough for a week!

Do you wear the same clothes all day. I wear one outfit for breakfast...then swim wear, then another outfit for dinner.

Personally I like to dress up at night on holiday, do my hair etc, so I always take a hold bag, and if outfits and options are important to you it's not too late to consider adding one on.

It is relevant what kind of holiday it is, e.g. hiking with DH and a hen do with glamorous friends will require very different outfits. I think you need at least 3 sets of swimwear. Do you need trousers? Two pairs? I'd ditch them and two tops and take extra dresses instead. Maybe a denim/leather jacket for evenings if it gets chilly. I'm not sure where you got the two of everything rule but it doesn't make sense to me.

It's a relaxed family holiday where I'm planning on predominantly reading & sitting in the hot tub by day, eating out & going out for drinks in the evening. So pretty much casual dining.

I'm going back in August with my sister's to celebrate my 60th properly ... which will mean Michelin star restaurants & wine tastings. So perhaps there will be a little more need to dress up then.

We are taking one hold bag between all of us but my dd's will probably have a cosmetic haul in there.

I've ordered some new things & I'm currently trying them on, but returning most. But I have managed to find 2 good swimsuits.

I’d take
2 dresses
1 pr shorts
1 baggy cotton shirt to double as a cover up
3 t shirts
1 pr trousers that I’d also wear on the plane
2 swimming costumes
You can hand wash at the villa and clothes will dry overnight

Agree you don't need a new outfit every day! Surely you can wear things more than once. But think @BuggeryBumFlaps has it about right.
I'm going for 18 days, no laundry on site but there is one in the village.
One dress
Two pairs trousers (I don't do shorts)
Four tank tops
Couple lightweight shirts to wear over
One lightweight lose kimono jacket that I'll also travel in
Two/three maxi kaftans - it's a Spanish beach area so could wear anywhere - the village, the beach, a restaurant.
One pair sandals (which I'll be wearing).
One swimsuit.
Couple oversized T-shirts to sleep in.
So that's five/six outfits that I will repeat a few times.

One dress for 18 days! 😮

Im taking two per day...one for breakfast, one for dinner 😂

I can't rewear stuff...I'm really clumsy so usually spill something on myself plus with sweating and suncream...

for that kind of holiday I’d go for 2x swimwear, 2x swim cover up, 1x shorts, 2 tops & 5 dresses

casual flip flops, sparkly flip flops & travel in trainers

8 tops
4 shorts
1 dress
Beach shoes
2 sandals
2 swimsuits
Sun hat
Baseball cap
Minimal toiletries/make up

And on the plane
1 trousers
1 sweatshirt
Trainers

Me too 😂
I've narrowed it down to about 20 items.
The trouble is the crochet pieces are so heavy but I'm determined to wear them. The predominant colour is Ecru.
So Ecru linen shorts/ trousers/ crochet skirt/ knitted waistcoat/ crochet camisole/ vest tops/ linen shirt. Then olive green highlights & some Mediterranean blue.

Don't forget undies/bras/nights.
Also, I use packing cubes now as they help me squeeze more in.

I made notes after my summer holiday last year and these were my findings:

2 pairs of shorts (I wished I’d had a third)

4 vest tops

2 very light weight cotton shirts to wear open over the vests (wished I’d had a 3rd)

2 shirred sleeveless sundresses with 2 linen shirts to wear over them

3 nice dresses for evenings

sandals / trainers / flip flops

tankini

bikini

sarong

So for this year I’m taking pretty much the same but buying one more pair of shorts and one more cotton shirt

Oh and I washed a couple of the vests and dried them on the balcony to wear again

@nowtygaffer how do you use packing cubes? I've seen them in Primark in different sizes. Which sizes are best?

@Remuslupins thanks for that. It definitely sounds more similar to my packing. It's my sister's house, so we luckily have a washing machine there.

Yes, I'm very much planning on wearing my kaftans in the evening, as I now have a couple of lovely feeling cotton Hanro ultralight slips to wear underneath. I've also shortened last year's kaftans to just above ankle length as maxi length at 5 ft 3 was not a good look.

It depends if you are a 'sweater' or not. Unfortunately, I hit the tinest bit of heat and I am dripping. Therefore I do need a fresh outfit every day and also for the evening. Also bearing in mind suncream/aftersun/bug spray etc that you might use.

I envy those women who waft about on hot holidays looking absolutely lovely and glowing whereas I look like I've just run a marathon!

If you are not cursed like me then the lighter the better I'd say but maybe bare in mind the above and what the temp is going to be when you go.

Just realised you haven't included shoes in your list- how many will you be taking/need and will they fit in hand luggage?

I have 4 cubes the same size of amazon. Sort of A4 size. I pack undies, swimwear nighties etc in 1, then tops /shorts in another. Then shoes in 1, then dresses.
I've just helped my son pack for his interailing trip so he's done outfits for 3 days, ie undies socks, 2 pair shorts, 3 t shirts in each one. So I would say how use them depends on what sort of holiday you are having.

I will be taking a spare pair of wedge flipflops, as i live in them & will wear a pair traveling. A pair of gold sandals & maybe some espadrilles depending on whether there's any room left.

Oh I am a terrible packer
I always have 23 kilos in the hold & use every Kilo!
Good luck with your 10k!

I would just take a suitcase in the hold.

It's too stressful otherwise!

Me too @Chickydoo.
I always pack too much that's why I asked this question 😄 But there are some really minimalist packers on here.
I'm having a lovely time sorting out my outfits & permutations on the Whering app. I'm not sure it's especially helpful to taking less though.

Having access to a washing machine changes everything tbf. I'd probably take 3 plain tops (whites/beige), a pair of shorts, a skirt, 3 dresses for evenings, and 3 dresses for daytime (which I'd either wash and rewear, or I'd rewear the dresses I wore for dinner to the pool). Plus a week's worth of underwear and 3 bikinis.