Postcards from Spain: The Holiday Capsule Wardrobe

 According to a survey by Debenhams, women only wear a third of the clothes they take on holiday and on average take 150 items and wear around 50 during a fortnight break.

Staggering.

I know I only went for 12 nights but I packed 20 items (not including travel outfit) and wore 20 items after making a last minute swap of a swimsuit for my daughter's Top Shop dress.

I also bought a blue top in Zara.

Even if you included underwear which I washed daily it would still come in at under 25 items.

I wore the same sandals every evening and each dress twice.

During the day I wore a bikini and sarong or cover-up and the same Birenstocks sandals.

Another dress that doubled as an evening dress and cover-up.

The cover up dresses I took double up nicely for walks around the town, dressed up with a hat.

So good I wore this dress twice.

The denim skirt got three wears - with the pink top.

With the too tight top I had to tuck into my bra.

With the blue vest I bought at Zara.

 The black dress I swapped for my red swimsuit.

Joe Brown white dress, worn twice amazingly - although I did spill red wine on it the second time.

The skirt I wore to travel to the airport was worn with the orange vest during the holiday and as a return home outfit too.

For more information on my holiday capsule see here (although I did swap a swimsuit for a dress).

My holiday capsule formula:

5 dresses

2 cover-up dresses that can be worn on the beach or for sightseeing

1 sarong

4 swimsuits (bikinis and/or tankinis) that can be mixed and matched

Two skirts

3 tops

Flat Birkenstocks for day

Flat dressy sandals for evening or day out

1 multi-way bra

3 pants (make sure you can wash and dry undies daily)

Total items: 23

All of my items were packed in a carry-on suitcase although I did squeeze my toiletries into my husband's case!