Maxi dresses are versatile

Weekend and holiday wear

Maxi dresses are great for weekend wear or holidays in spring or summer. A maxi dress or skirt covers your legs but, at the same time, lets the breeze through. They are a good garment to wear for a sunny, hot climate, as your legs can get burnt as much as any other part of your body. Choose a natural material like cotton, viscose, or silk jersey.
Also, when travelling to Muslim countries, it's better to cover your legs and shoulders if you want to be left alone (mostly), and also be allowed into places of worship. You may also need to cover your head also, so carry a scarf with you. The same goes for most churches and cathedrals. If you don't want to comply with this policy, you will have to forgo that particular visit: church authorities are never flexible with women's attire.

Day to night

If the material of the maxi dress is some sort of jersey that doesn't wrinkle, that makes them very comfortable and great for travelling too. On the plane, they are very convenient, as they double as travel wrap when temperatures plummet during a flight or train trip. Versatility is key when planning your travelling wardrobe: any piece brought with you should help create at least two different outfits, and it should be possible to dress up or down some of those pieces for different occasions.You actually need very few items to go from day to night.

1. Retouch your basic makeup. Go for shine (gloss, even sparkly, on lips, eyes, or even body makeup) or a pop of colour on your lips. (Re-)Apply perfume.
2. Change your shoes and handbag. If you have been standing all day or walking, chances are you are too tired to use heels, so get hold of a great pair of glittery or metallic flats.
3. Add statement pieces. A sequined shrug or cardigan, a costume jewellery statement necklace, cuff bracelet or bangle, or earrings. All of the pieces have to build on the items that have been worn for the day.

You can read more on packing for a holiday following the label Travelling, and more on changing from day to night following Versatility - Day to night.

More on maxi dresses?

• How to wear maxi dresses according to your silhouette and height.
• How to shop for a maxi dress.
• How to style your maxi dress.  

What to pack for a 5-day city holiday: Night

This is the third and last in the series Packing for a 5-day city holiday.

Check the dress code

Many places have a dress code in big cities. In doubt, ask in advance or just be the best dressed in the place!

• 1 Evening skirt: think embellished (sequins...), lace, or glossy (silk, lamé).
• 1 Pair of high-heeled shoes or embellished flats if you don't wear heels. Think satin, metallics, and/or embellished.
• 1 Evening shawl, to cover your shoulders.
• 1 Evening clutch.
• Your perfume. My advice: fill up an atomizer to the trip so you don't have to take the whole bottle with you.
• Your favourite (costume) jewellery to mix and match.
• Basic makeup: 1 lipstick, 1 lipgloss (with SPF, lips get burned too!) in nude or your red,  Colours that wear well during the day and are easy to touch up (nude eyeshadow, natural blush...) and then glam up for a night out.

Theatre Night by Caroline Grant. If your feet can take it, you can wear heels to go out by night.

Dining out by Caroline Grant. Women in some big cities, like New York, dress to the hilt to go out at night, so bear it in mind.

MORE ABOUT PACKING FOR A 5-DAY HOLIDAY? 

• What to pack for a 5-day city holiday: Day, and
• How to pack for a 5-day city holiday 

You can also follow the label Travelling in style below or on the column to your right.

What to pack for a 5-day city holiday: Day

This is the second in the series of Packing for a 5-day city holiday.

A list of clothes and accessories:

• 1 Dress and 2 Skirts. If you are a trousers woman, just do 2 pairs of trousers, (one pair hemmed for heels, 2 for flats).
• 1 Pair of trousers (hemmed for flats).
• 5 T-shirts, one for each day.
• 2 Pairs of comfortable shoes. Never use a pair of shoes for the first time when travelling (madness), better stick to comfortable (yet stylish) leather sandals, 1" heel, soles padded, that go with everything you are taking with you. Even if they are comfortable, keep in mind that, if it is hot, your feet may swell, increasing the probability of blisters, so bring a different pair (straps in a different place, for instance). Espadrilles (reasonably flat) are a good option too. Don't forget your "band-aids" (Hartmann's are the absolute best).
• 1 Carry-all handbag. As important as the previous. It has to be light, because you will be carrying it for hours, but it has to have capacity to carry your essentials. A flexible construction works better than a rigid one, in case you need to stick into a locker. Pockets inside are a must: nerve-wracking searching for your wallet can be avoided and you should be able to reach whatever you need fast. Also, it makes stealing your wallet that much difficult, if you keep it at the bottom, like I do.
• 2 Cardigans, optionally, one of them can be structured, so it functions as a jacket but it's not that heavy.
• 1 Umbrella. It may be spring or summer, but it can suddenly rain, and being wet and having to return to the hotel is a bother. Light weight compact umbrellas are, almost universally, not good quality, but if it's not windy on top of rainy, you're covered.
• 1 Scarf. Some buildings are exceptionally cold in the summer due to air-conditioning. It's not nice to be freezing for two plus hours inside the Metropolitan Museum, believe me. So 1 scarf that can double as a shawl is a good idea. If you are really not used to air-conditioning, like me (I did have my scarf and cardigan with me every time I visited the Met, and a long summer skirt into the bargain, and I was still freezing), you can add leggings.
• Sun protection. If it is hot and/or sunny. That means: a high SPF in your moisturizer or makeup, a sun hat (crushable), and sunglasses (with UVA and UVB filters). A light picnic blanket to have your lunch outside is a great idea in most big cities, but especially in New York in nice weather!

Off to the Met and Central Park by Caroline Grant. A cute dress in great colours, gets great coverage with the cardigan and the knit jacket.[Background photo by Tomas Abad]

Hobbs NW3 Marmalade Midi Strip Dress / Diane von Furstenberg Majorette Knit Jacket / Hobbs Lara Cardigan / Dooney & Bourke Domed Buckle Satchel Handbag / Sacha London Flats / Ted Baker Loupie Belt / Basile Fringed Solid Wool Scarf / Forever21 Wide Brim Hat / Aspinal of London Athena Bracelets / Modernist Gold Hoop Earrings (vintage) at Douglas Rosin / Orla Kiely Cross Hatch Umbrella / Target Zip and Carry Red Stripe Blanket.

Climbing skyscrapers by Caroline Grant. A pair of trousers (hemmed for flats) goes well with all the T-shirts. You can stuff the jacket and the scarf in the bag when not in use, but it's really windy at the top of the Empire State building. [Background vintage photo of the Chrysler Building, New York]

Yves Saint Laurent High Waisted Trousers / Diane von Furstenberg Majorette Knit Jacket / AWear Smart Variegated T-Shirts in Coral and Camel / Old Navy Polka Dot T-Shirt / Dooney & Bourke Domed Buckle Satchel Handbag / Sadie Tubular Bow Sandals / Ted Baker Loupie Belt / Valentino Plissé Scarf / House of Harlow 1960 Bracelets and Earrings.

Museum and walk by Caroline Grant. Two skirts, one pencil (that can be dressed up if necessary) and one A-line, go well with the same T-shirts. The Moma is really cold if you're wearing summer clothes.

L.K. Bennett Selina Skirt / Sessune Camille Orange Brulée / Old Navy Polka Dot T-Shirts / Dorothy Perkins Slash T-Shirt / Diane von Furstenberg Majorette Knit Jacket / / Dooney & Bourke Domed Buckle Satchel Handbag / Sacha London Flats / See by Chloé Nude Bow Belt / Basile Fringed Solid Wool Scarf / House of Harlow 1960 Necklace and Ring / Orla Kiely Cross Hatch Umbrella.

MORE ABOUT PACKING FOR A 5-DAY HOLIDAY? 

• What to pack for a 5-day city holiday: Night,
• How to pack for a 5-day city holiday 

You can also follow the label Travelling in style below or on the column to your right.

How to pack for a 5-day city holiday

This is the first post in a series about Packing for a 5-day city holiday.

Absolute maxims for packing:

1. Everything has to go with everything else (mostly).
2. Be prepared.

How to pack for a city holiday. A checklist:

1. 3 Pairs of shoes. Shoes take an enormous amount of space in your suitcase, and are heavy too! One of the three pairs will be already on your feet when travelling. This sounds brutal, but stick to this rule and you will find packing much much easier and the following tips, a picnic. You will probably find another pair when shopping, anyway...
2. Check at least two weather forecasts to be sure of what to pack. In any case, be prepared for the unexpected, like rain or extreme air-conditioning.
3. Pack what you love to wear, not things you have been thinking about breaking in. Chances are you haven't really thought about what you are going to wear it with or its place (figuratively speaking) in your closet. If it still has the tags on, just forget about it!
4. Avoid chunky items, layering with thinner ones is best (it's lighter, occupies less space in your suitcase, and offers the same amount of warmth).
5. Knits are preferable, as they show wrinkles and not-that-pristine conditions less than wovens.
6. Prints and dark colours can be worn more than once more easily than lighter ones.
7. Separates have to combine with each other: place everything on your bed, with the shoes nearby, and check that everything goes with most everything else.
8. Handbags: two, plus a foldable tote for purchases.
   
9. Accessories, makeup, ...same rules: no breaking in and checking that they go with most everything else.
10. Take your favourite toiletries with you. Even 5-star hotels can have really bad ones, and having to go shopping for this kind of stuff takes time if you don't know the city. Buy some small containers (at Boots, WalMart, and others), and travel-size items (toothpaste, deodorant) so you don't have to carry the whole bottle of anything with you. If you travel frequently, keep a set of these ready at all times.

What to pack for a 5-day city holiday:

An image is said to be worth quite a lot more than words, but you are welcomed to read on following the links below the sets.

MORE ABOUT PACKING FOR A 5-DAY HOLIDAY? 

• What to pack for a 5-day city holiday: Day, and
• What to pack for a 5-day city holiday: Night  

You can also follow the label Travelling in style below or on the column to your right.

Tourism in a big city

This is the first post for the label Travelling in Style.

Travelling in Style by Caroline Grant. A jersey dress, comfortable flats, pieces for layering, and protection against the sun and the rain to travel to the most stylish cities in the world. The bag has a flexible construction and is light weight, but is big enough to carry all your essentials for the day.

Mango Three-Quarter-Sleeve Dress / Old Navy Denim Jacket / L.K.Bennett Belle Cardigan / Zara Suede Shopper Bag / Anna Baiguera Anna Baiguera Pump / MARC by Marc Jacobs What a Spectacle Scarf and Umbrella / Retrosun Vintage Gucci Sunglasses / Kenneth Jay Lane Turquoise Cabochon Earrings / Kenneth Jay Lane Lapis Dream Cocktail Ring / Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Scarlet Siren / Estée Lauder Nail Lacquer in Pure Red. 

City Traveling in Style

Wardrobe wise, travelling poses a problem: you have to leave most of your beloved wardrobe behind, so there is no rethinking what you are going to wear on the go. There is nothing worse when travelling (real calamities apart, course) than realizing that what you have brought doesn't really go together, or that you have forgotten one or two key items style-wise. Also pretty terrible is that what you have brought is not weather-appropriate/activity appropriate.
Additionally, ever since I first visited New York, I am deeply conscious about also looking stylish (but comfortable). One cannot pass by one gorgeously dressed woman after another there without feeling one has to keep up!

The Solution

The key to travelling comfortably and stylishly is in the packing. And although packing is one of the two most boring things when travelling (being delayed is the other one), it is key to a comfortable, stylish trip.
If you dread the moment of packing, and therefore leave it till the last minute, and you hate carrying any sort of weight or bulk, streamlining is a must for you, and so are these two maxims:

1. Everything in your suitcase has to go with (almost) everything else.
2. Be prepared.

MORE TIPS FOR TRAVELLING IN STYLE?

• How to pack for a 5-day city holiday