Angela Mollard: Tips to master the ‘cute pack’ like Liz Hurley on your next holiday

Liz Hurley posted a picture of herself in Egypt and I barely noticed the pyramids. Instead, I thought: “Oh, hello excellent fellow packer,” writes Angela Mollard.

Liz Hurley posted a picture of herself in Egypt this week and I barely noticed the pyramids or the beautiful sunrise or how ageless she is. Instead, I thought: “Oh, hello excellent fellow packer.”

There are few measures on which I’d put myself in the same basket as Ms Hurley but when you’ve spent as much time as I have in a long-distance partnership – and therefore constantly packing – you recognise the skill set. Liz, like me, is an A Grade packer.

In fact, I may be even better than her because I only travel with carry-on. I can manage a 10-day holiday on 7kg of luggage (10kg when certain airlines allow it) whereas Liz is probably lugging 20kg of jam-packed Louise Vuitton. Whatever, the Instagram snaps of her in North Africa with her son attest that she has mastered what I call the cute pack – basically packing exactly the right clothes for any break so that you’re not only comfortable but look like the best version of yourself.

Liz Hurley in Egypt. Picture: Instagram.

While Liz is likely a cute packer because she knows she’ll be spotted, my talents are honed by trial and error. Mostly error. I also realised a few years ago that if travel represented freedom, then hauling my belongings with me contradicted the exercise. With a new year of adventures beckoning, here’s my secret to packing light.

*Embrace carry-on

It took a broken wheel on a suitcase, Qantas losing my bag, and a mishap with a ribbon on my checked luggage (I grabbed someone else’s bag also sporting a tartan ribbon and travelled halfway into London from Heathrow before I realised) to make me confront my chronic overpacking. Coming home with half your bag unworn is pointless, as is wasting time at the baggage carousel. Even contemplating outfits wastes time and causes stress. Less choice = more ease. These days I check the weather, formulate what I’ll wear before I go and sometimes photograph the outfits. I don’t use packing cubes (a fetish favoured by overpackers) but take a shower cap for damp swimmers.

Who needs to waste time at the dreaded luggage carousel. Picture: iStock

*Do not pack all black

You’ll get away with dirt and food stains but wearing black will ensure all your holiday pics look depressing and lifeless. I typically go for a base of navy, grey or olive then add an orange or pink scarf, cap, bikini or beanie. I notice Liz was wearing a grey marl jumper and khaki jacket but made sure her pics looked fab by adding a cream scarf and gold-rimmed sunglasses. When it comes to packing, there’s all sorts of daft rules but I go by the principle of two tops to each bottom. Dresses are typically colourful but not bought specifically for the holiday and a white oversized shirt, a staple in my ordinary life, is swapped out for blue. Faux pearl earrings do the light reflecting instead.

*Decant toiletries and keep your toilet bag packed

I’ve learned to always replenish my toilet bag immediately after I get home from a trip. Shampoo, conditioner, cleanser and moisturiser are decanted into small containers, medications and contact lenses are re-stashed, and perfume is a sample from Mecca. I don’t use free skincare sachets on holiday. You want what you know.

Decant toiletries and keep you toilet bag packed.

*Forget trends

Wide and barrel-leg pants are having a moment but they’re voluminous, tricky to pair with certain shoes and not conducive to biking or hiking. I note Liz was wearing a cropped straight-leg jean in Egypt for exactly this reason – because it works with her activities. You’re on holiday for the experience so you want a wardrobe which works for you, not against you. That said, lycra bike shorts and a crop top are not plane attire unless you plan on doing burpees in the aisle.

*Launder

Not in hotels because they cost a bomb but through a local laundry app or by simply doing a Google search for a local launderette. I’ll be in Bali next week where I’ll get my yoga gear and knickers washed and folded for less than $5. Far less than what Jetstar would charge for a checked bag. I also travel with a couple of laundry detergent sheets for spot cleans and emergencies.

*Shoes and bags

You only need two of each depending on the season. If you’re wearing heels or a smart jacket it’s not a holiday. I have a khaki jacket with multiple pockets exactly like Hurley’s which I take on the plane. In winter I’ll also take a puffer jacket which squeezes down to the size of a fist.

*Discard

I rarely buy clothes while travelling because why would you go round the world to visit a shop? But occasionally I find something I want to take home, like the gorgeous colourful placemats I discovered in a hilltop village in Spain. I often take an old T-shirt or leggings I can dump to allow room for a memento.

*Carabiner clips

A couple of small light ones allow you to clip a sunhat, jacket or scarf to the outside of your bag.

They may be small but they are mighty.

*Finally, I leave a sleep mask permanently in my bag.

More of Liz Hurley looking gorgeous in Egypt. Picture: Instagram

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Originally published as Angela Mollard: Tips to master the ‘cute pack’ like Liz Hurley on your next holiday