At the Friday Club 7 Year Anniversary Tim & Andrea won an Over the Rainbow holiday to the W Resort in Koh Samui (birthday girls are extra lucky!) Since she’s one of MissMalini.com’s fabulous blogger buddies here is her travel friendly series on everything from packing light to dewy makeup, just for you 🙂 xoxo

Andrea Brown
Andrea Brown
Tim & Andrea
Tim & Andrea

I thought the boy was joking when he laid down his one rule for this trip. Only one carry-on bag between two of us. I laughed off the ludicrous suggestion and asked him to please help me in retrieving my own bag from the top of the armoire. Not successful. So here we are off on our first international holiday together sharing one teensy bag. Deep breathes. I reassure myself I have packed for dozens of holidays abroad and it’s time I put my Tetris skills to test anyways.

So what do you pack when you have half of a teensy?

Don’t forget your flight socks! They are amazing and help keep your legs vein-free later in life. Pick them up in the airport for $10 🙂

flight socks
flight socks

Clothing: Make the most out of what you pack. If you stick to one colour, everything will automatically match with everything else. White is always a safe bet when it comes to beaches and brunches. Maxi dresses that can be worn alone or paired with tank tops and buttons ups as converted maxi skirts are also a person favourite.

travel clothing
travel clothing

Shoes: Leave your fussy shoes at home. You need a holiday, not your stilettos. While my original list included a pair of 5 inch black platform stilettos, I settled for two pairs of summer sandals and a pair of nude, versatile wedges. My feet thanked me later.

summer sandals
summer sandals

Bits and Baubles: If you cannot live without it, then stick to one set of jewellery. My Puerto Rican bangles and pearl studs made the cut, but only because I wore them on the plane making stylish traveling and space saved.

bits and baubles
bits and baubles

Fragrances: Pack a new, sample size vial of perfume. Citron de Vigne by Fresh was perfect for the setting and made the cut as a eau de parfum for day or night. Since scent memory is so strong I am looking forward to using it later on and being transported back to the paradise of the W Retreat, Koh Samui for a moment.

Citron de Vigne by Fresh
Citron de Vigne by Fresh

Swimmers: If only for the fact that pulling on a wet bikini gives me the heebie jeebies, bring a few bathing suits. Look for tops that won’t give you funky tan lines. I cannot even fathom how funny my tan line would have been if I stuck to my white, one shoulder piece the entire trip.

swim wear
swim wear

Travel Essentials: baby wipes, chapstick, Airborne. Flight or no flight, never do I leave home without these.

travel essentials
travel essentials

Skin Prep: I checked into what the resort provided in advance. Sounds a bit crazy, but I was trying to prove I could pack without over packing. Since the W provides Bliss products, I knew I could leave most of the essentials at home. Face-block, sunscreen, night moisturizer and eye cream did make the cut.

Bliss body products
Bliss body products

First Aid: Someone may have chuckled at my baggie full of odomos, after-bite, tylenol, throat lozenges, and vicks vapor rub, but guess what? We used each of these. Travel sized saviours.

travel essentials
travel essentials

Happy packing!