Holidaying In Devon: What’s in my suitcase?

Last month we went on holiday to a lovely caravan park in Devon. I haven’t been on many UK holidays, but since Little Lamb came along it’s been the easier choice. Pack up the car and drive.

Going to the West country in June, we expected warm weather, but no surprise we had rain – every day. Myself and the in-laws (who came with us) were constantly checking the weather forecast leading up to the day we left. Luckily (or unluckily) the forecast was pretty accurate, although we actually had a little more sunshine than we expected, so I was able to pack the right sort of clothing and footwear.

As we were only away for a week, and knew we wouldn’t be eating out much in the evening (because Lamb would be in bed), I limited myself to a small suitcase (slightly bigger than hand luggage size). That meant I had to be sensible with my choices and be strict with how much I packed.

Lets start with footwear. This was easy. I took a pair of black plimsolls for the rainy days and long walks, a pair of cheap flip flops for the beach, and a pair of more dressy sandals for sunny days or evenings out.

As I was only taking one dressy pair of shoes, I decided to buy myself a new pair. I wanted something that would work with all outfits, that would be comfortable and effortless. I found the perfect pair on the House Of Fraser website. If i’m honest, because I don’t live near a House of Fraser store, I never think to look at their website. I also imagine them to sell a higher end range of products. I was wrong. They are actually very similar to other leading department stores. They offer a huge range of products, at a variety of prices. There’s something for everyone.

I was really surprised at the amount of lovely sandals I had to choose from. It took me a while to decide but the pair I chose are by Miss KG (Kurt Geiger). I love them. They are so comfortable, no rubbing, no blisters between my toes. The nude colour goes with all of my summer clothes, and the gold chain adds a bit of sparkle to your outfit. And did I mention they are made of rubber? #bringbackjellyshoes

Now onto clothing. I’ll be honest with you. I hate packing. See, I even put it in bold, that’s how much I hate it. It takes me so long to pack. I get into a silly panic that there’s something missing. And in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been on holiday where this has happened. Why? Because I pack everything but the kitchen sink, you know, just in case.

This holiday was different, I was strict. There’s a little person that comes on all of our holidays now and he comes with a lot of baggage. So there’s just not enough room for my ‘panic’ packing.

Here are a few of my essential holiday items.

• My fave maxi dress from ASOS. Effortless but stylish.
• A pair of treggings from Topshop. Ideal for long journeys. Comfy, comfy, comfy.
• 3 or 4 of my fave tshirts (2 of these have unicorns on them, obviously).
• 2 cotton vests. Mine are from ASOS and I love them. Best vests I’ve ever bought.
• A pair of light coloured jeans – summery, but can be dressed up for evening.
• 1 bikini. No need for any more as I knew the weather wasn’t going to be great.
• 1 hoody. I’m not that good at casual dressing, but I have my trusty Abercrombie & Fitch hoody for these occasions.
• My long, grey waterfall cardigan (seen in the photo below). It hides your lumps and bumps, and if it’s cold the extra long ‘waterfall’ front can be thrown over my shoulders as an extra cover up. Love it.
• My ultimate fave piece of clothing. My neon yellow jacket from Zara. Seriously, best £60 ever spent. I would wear this everyday if I could. It makes any outfit look stylish. For example, casual jeans and a unicorn tee, teamed with my yellow jacket. Easy. They have a new style available in the same colour here.

Enjoy your summer!

Love Alex x