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packing

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11 Apr 2015

Spring Break Forever

By Olivia

springbreakers_franco

In the immortal words of James Franco, Spring Break forever! It’s a phrase I’m planning on yodelling obnoxiously on loop for the next week, as I head towards a very big, very messy, but nonetheless very glamorous, girl’s holiday to LA and Vegas. (Note: perhaps not quite as messy as a dear friend of mine’s trip there with her best friend and parents a few years back. Her dad stumbled out of a poker game at 5am to find her and her mate en route to the chapel to marry two Irish Lords. She swears blind she remembers nothing, but her dad said she saw him and yelled: “Daddy!! You’re coming to the ceremony!!”). Having only just got my first tattoo, I’m clearly rebelling late in life, so who knows – perhaps I’ll end up an annulment statistic too. Here’s hoping.

Anyway, back to the clothes… it just wouldn’t be cricket to jet off somewhere like Hollywood without completely rethinking your wardrobe for the occasion. Do I do silver screen glamour? American Hustle? Sunset strip hair metal? Clueless Valley girl? Or California girl lo-fi; lots of denim cut-offs, layered jewellery and 90s crop tops? There’s something about running around LA looking like I’m in a Wildfox campaign that really appeals to me – something that my new favourite website Avenue 32 has served up pretty damn well. They’ve really cornered the market on cool, young, contemporary brands which are flying somewhere between under the radar and about to make it big. And alongside all the Alexander Lewises and Alexis Barrells they also stock people like Roksanda Ilincic and 3.1 Phillip Lim. A dreamy combination, right?

So here we go, a little sneak peek into my (semi-dream) LA/ Vegas wardrobe. I’ve been banging on about that zebra hide towel for ages (brilliantly Joan Collins) so I think I’d better just get it and have bloody done with it. Avenue 32

Beach towel, Maslin, £155

Shorts, Genetic Denim, £200

Swimsuit, Marianna G, £185

Sunglasses, Au Jour Le Jour, £175

Bomber jacket, 3.1 Phillip Lim, £515

Backpack, Jerome Dreyfuss, £310

Arm cuff, Annelise Michelson, £345

Customisable pendant, Sarah Chloe, £60

Sandals, Ancient Greek Sandals, £150

Checked Dress, Roksanda Ilincic, £470

Bra top, Antonio Marras, £325

White Dress, Danielle Romeril, £715

Shoes, Bionda Castana, £430

Clutch, Lulu Guinness, £245

02 Nov 2011

Packing: Take Half Of What You Think You Need, And Twice As Much Money

By Olivia
Like applying mascara on the tube or assessing the optimum water level for a Pot Noodle, packing for a holiday is an art form that should never be underplayed. I feel I am in a select group of packing elite equipped to loftily edify you with how it’s done – simply for two reasons. One, I can inexplicably fit 27kg into a suitcase designed for 23kg at a push.* And two: Carnets. A carnet is basically a painfully detailed list of merchandise you’re transporting to another country to shoot – each item must be labelled, numbered and put in a place where a customs officer can shout “Show me number 106!” on a whim, and you must scramble to find it whilst attempting to look calm and guiltless. You have ten suitcases and ten seconds. It’s like a Crystal Maze version of The Wire.

Anyway, apart from laying things as flat as possible, the thing I’ve come to rely on most while packing are these fabulous Pack It! lists from Knock Knock. I’m a sucker for novelty stationery goods anyway, but this little memo pad is actually incredibly helpful as well as providing plenty of opportunity for the eminently satisfying Ticking Off Of Stuff. The litmus test? I’ve not forgotten anything for a trip since buying them.

*Disclaimer: May or may not be a socially accepted view of ‘good packing’.