Capsule Wardrobe: Packing Light for a City Breaks

From Germany’s quaint Christmas markets to the winter romance of Paris, there is just something so magical about taking a city break at this time of year! Luckily, thanks to low-cost airline deals, you can easily get away for couple of days without breaking the bank.

Luggage

To save even more money on your city break, forget taking a large suitcase in favour of discount cabin luggage. Most airlines allow a generous 10kg hand luggage entitlement – and there are a number of leading luggage brands that offer cheap suitcases available in convenient hand luggage sizes such as Carlton luggage and Delsey luggage.

Clothes

Now here is where it gets tricky, you have so many favourite outfits but won’t be able to squeeze them all into your hand luggage bag – so it is time to be brutal with your outfit choices. Here are a few tips to help you compile the perfect capsule wardrobe…

Keep colours dark 

Ideal for the winter months, keeping your clothes in a similar colour palette will help you mix and match pieces while the dark colours are ideal for wearing in the day or for dressing up at night. A good idea is to choose dark skinny jeans as they are perfect for wearing when you are sightseeing and for when you are going out for dinner in the evening – team them with a chunky jumper in the day and a chic blouse at night. 

Choose Statement accessories

To help dress up your items, make sure you pack some statement accessories – an oversized jewelled necklace will add extra glamour to your evening outfit while a printed scarf is perfect for keeping you snug in the day and will look just as good worn with jeans and a tee for a laid-back evening look. 

Pack one ‘dressy’ outfit

It is always a good idea to pack one dress just in case you end up going to a formal restaurant or bar. A good idea is to pack a black dress which can be dressed down with a scarf or a blazer jacket should you choose to wear it again on your trip. 

Shoes

Once your clothes have taken up most of the space in your suitcase, there may not be much room left over for shoes. On city breaks it is a good idea to take a pair of comfy shoes with you (you will be doing plenty of walking about when you go sightseeing!), you should also pack a pair of heels or dressy flat shoes should you end up going out for a meal or drinks. To save space, wear your comfy shoes on the flight and pack the other pair of shoes. 

Toiletries & Makeup 

Airline rules mean that you can only take a certain amount of liquids – so if you are packing toiletries, why not save money by decanting your current shampoo, conditioner and shower gel into travel sized bottles. Most liquid foundations are within the liquid amount restrictions – just remember to display any liquids in a clear bag when going through airport security!