I don’t know about you but I find packing for a holiday a little bit stressful.
I love fashion and adore a good mix and match situation. But the idea of having to think about what I’ll be wearing for two weeks can be a bit overwhelming.
Up until our most recent holiday to Hawaii, my preferred packing method was to pretty much fling all of my Summer things into a suitcase. And cross my fingers that I could zip the suitcase up.
However this time around I was determined to leave room for shopping purchases only pack what I actually needed.
I pulled outfits from my wardrobe and made sure I could mix and match them.
I culled the amount of items down to a minimal amount and without realising it, I created a holiday capsule wardrobe that actually worked.
What to pack for a holiday in Hawaii
We were away for 12 nights and almost everything I packed is in the photo above:
- shorts x2
- skirts x2
- t-shirts x5
- shirt x1
- off the shoulder dresses x2
- maxi dress x1
- jumpsuit x1
Additional items not shown
- togs x2
- cover ups x2
- shoes x5
- hat
- crossbody bag
- beach bag
Let’s see how this minimal packing situation worked:
Day One: navy skirt + grey t-shirt + tan shoes
Day Two: denim shorts + blue t-shirt + slides
Day Three: black shorts + shirt + slides
Day Four: jumpsuit + slides
Day Five: Black OTS dress + slides
Day Six: black shorts + white t-shirt + wedges + crossbody bag
Day Seven: maxi dress + wedges
Day Eight: Navy & Pink OTS dress + slides
Day Nine: khaki skirt + white t-shirt + slides
Day Ten: Black OTS dress + slides
Day Eleven: black shorts + white t-shirt + slides
Day Twelve: togs + cover up + thongs + hat (not worn in photo)
Hawaiian holiday packing tips
1. Keep it casual. Unless you’re heading to Hawaii for an event with a specific dress code, beach casual is probably the best way to describe the dress code in Waikiki.
Think shorts and a tee during the day and a dress or skirt and top at night.
2. Pack more than one swimsuit and cover up. Having two pairs of togs and two cover ups with you means you can keep them on rotation throughout your holiday.
As one set it drying from a day at the beach or pool, the other set can be worn.
3. Don’t forget the beach essentials. A beach bag, hat and plenty of sunscreen are all beach essentials. Don’t forget to pack those.
4. Embrace the ‘throw and go’. Try and pack items that don’t require ironing. You want to be able to throw them on and go.
Happy hour is waiting and there’s an extensive cocktail list for you to work your way through.
Get on board the throw and go approach and you’ll be able to get yourself from the beach to the bar in no time.
5. Leave some room for holiday purchases. Depending on the dollar, you might want to add some additional pieces to your holiday wardrobe.
There are plenty of shopping options in Hawaii, from budget items to high-end luxury labels. Leave a bit of room for a few sneaky purchases or bring an empty carry on piece with you.
6. Pack – or purchase – a cross body bag. These little gems are a holiday game changer. Look for one that can fit your phone, money, water bottle, lip gloss in.
Fling it over your body and you’re hands free for the rest of the day. Bonus points if you can fit your camera in there too.
7. Empty your wallet before you leave home. When I go overseas I do two things with my wallet:
- remove all the cards I won’t be using while I’m away – store cards, coffee cards etc. They add bulk to your wallet that isn’t needed.
- remove all Australian coins. That way I’m not fumbling at a cash register, trying to work out which currency I’m holding.
Then, when I’m on holiday and heading out for the day, I take some cash and my credit card out of my wallet. I leave my wallet in the hotel room safe and slip the cash and card into a little leather card holder. That goes into my cross over bag.
Doing that keeps my cross over bag nice and light. It also means if anyone steals my bag, all I’ll need to do is cancel my credit card. Too easy.
8. Think carefully about your shoes. I had 5 pairs of shoes with me – tan sandals, neutral slides, wedges, thongs and sneakers (worn on the plane).
I wore the neutral slides and the thongs almost everyday. The wedges were worn twice times and the sandals were only worn once. I wore the sneakers on the plane going there and back.
Shoes are bulky and can be heavy. Next time I’d aim for no more than 3 pairs.
Want more holiday tips?
If you’re heading to Hawaii – or know someone who is – this post: Your Ultimate Guide to Hawaii is jam-packed with information.
If you’d like some more packing tips, check out this post: how to pack for a beach holiday
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