How to pack for a successful trip

Press, 12 August 1978, Page 10

How to pack for a successful trip

One of the keys to a happy and successful trip is the planning of your wardrobe. An experienced traveller (unless she is Elizabeth Taylor and has a reti tue of men to carry

FASHION AND BEAUTY

By

Paula Ryan

her bags) takes the barest minimum of well-thought-out clothes. Everything you need should pack into one suitcase, leaving sufficient room for souvenirs and clothes you will buy while away. So be ruthless about what you take. A small compartmented overnight bag to store documents, toiletries, reading material and so on is useful to have at hand when you are en route. Whatever your travel plans, a coat is essentia! — a lightweight raincoat for warm climates; and for colder weather a slinkskin coat which is warm, lightweight and can double as a pillow or blanket. At one time easy-care synthetic fabrics were considered most suitable for travelling. However man-made fabrics have a disadvantage in that they do not “breathe,” thus adapting to different and varied weather conditions. This makes them uncom-

fortable for many climates and necessitates more frequent laundering. New developments in the field of natural fibres have provided us with the answer. Handwashable wool jersey, called Aqualana, is ideal for travel. It breathes, shrugs off wrinkles, drapes well and is easy to care for. It is now available in New Zealand in colourmatched double and single knit weights — perfect for putting together a co-ordi-nated all-weather travel wardrobe. Superwash wool knitwear is also a great travelling mate since it can be machine washed and spun dry (wash at a moderate temperature and do not spin bone dry, but lay it out flat for final drying). Layered clothing makes for simplified travelling, since changes in weather and centrally heated or air-conditioned buildings can present unexpected fluctuations in temperature. Lightweight wool fab-rics-—in particular

single-knit Aqualana and wool challis or “nun’s veiling” —- are ideal since they “breathe” in hot weather, provide warmth in the cold and can be layered without adding unwelcome weight. These wool fabrics resist creases; and any wrinkles in wool clothing that has spent long periods in suitcases can be removed by hanging the garments in a steamy bathroom. A marvellous, all-weath-er layering combination is a tunic dress, pants, and evening and day-length skirts and a jumper. When packing, keep accessories to a minimum by choosing a basic colour for your travel wardrobe. You will need two — at the most — three pairs of shoes or boots if you plan your selection carefully. By all means take a little jewellery, but leave your expensive pieces at home — it is a worry looking after them. Scarves do not take up ■much room in a bag and are a great tonic for any

outfit. They can be worn in a variety of ways — tied in a turban or peasant style, around the neck or even as a top on the beach. When selecting a suitable hair style a short, well-cut style is better and easy to manage. For quick

hair repairs, pack heated rollers or a hairdryer with a brush attachment. Transformers, if required, are usually available in most hotels. Do not overdress to travel. You may not be the best-dressed traveller but you will arrive look-

ing relaxed and comfortabD if you wear easy-fit-ting clothing. I repeat, take only a bare minimum of clothing. Most travellers take far too much and then may be obliged to discard some just to lessen the burden of heavy luggage.