My Travel Wardrobe – A Trip to Bangkok and Sydney

I have a love/hate relationship with this particular trip. It’s a weeklong adventure which takes me to Bangkok for a day, followed by three days in Sydney and another day in Bangkok on the way back to Dubai.

I love the destinations.

I hate packing for two different continents and trying to leave enough room for potential shopping ;)

So here’s what happens when you try to pack for two different climates, two different continents and two different plans, without overloading my poor, beaten Samsonite. Did someone say capsule wardrobe?

Day 1 – Bangkok

Sightseeing… a trip to the floating market at Damnoensaduak demands flats (Havaianas), easy tee (H&M) + wear-anywhere jeans (H&M). And a camera, duh.

Day 2 – Sydney

For me, a casual maxi dress (Topshop) together with gladiator sandals (Old Navy) is perfect for a wee spot of shopping along George Street in Sydney, working 'laid-back chic' or, in other words, I couldn’t be assed thinking of a whole outfit so I threw a maxi dress in the suitcase :)

1 Top: 7 Ways >>> PART 1

I discovered Salsa Jeans in Dubai.
The Portuguese brand is one I'd never heard of whilst living in Scotland and although we have the likes of Bershka, Mango and other delightful European imports, I must have somehow missed the Salsa boat. It's possibly a stroke of luck that I was oblivious for so long, from the point of view of my poor, abused credit card... but I am now officially a BIG fan.

This however, is not a post on how much I adore their famous insta-figurefixing jeans (that's to come later).
It is instead the first of three posts about one very versatile top from Salsa which slunk off the hanger and into my wardrobe after I discovered how inspired its design is. 

The top has been made to produce 5 different looks (according to the tag), and I have put together the following 7 looks... using different styling so that each one is different to the other. 
One top providing an outfit for each day of the week - can't be bad!
I've also limited myself to only a few accessories, one jacket and two pairs of shoes, plus basic bottoms (blue/black jeans & leggings), to show how simply changing the top can totally change the outfit!

Enlisting the help of Mum (clearly a natural with the camera!), we shot this in Scotland and I do hope you like my little floral backgrounds in line with the latest trend floating around this season...

These outfits are entirely my own style so I apologise in advance for the great expanse of black that you'll see . I do love black... But I thought a wee splish-splash of orange shoes and blue denim would be enough to brighten it all up!

If you're interested in trying this idea, you might not find the top as I bought it a couple of months ago, however, any loose-fit, stretch top with a wide neck will work.
Enjoy - here's PART 1!

LOOK 1

Dolly in black

I road-tested this outfit coming from Dubai to Glasgow -
full flight, sitting next to fidgeting mother with 6 month-er, 
and it passed the comfort test with flying colours...
And this bag was a lovely £12 from Primark.
Yes. That is my smug, just-got-a-bargain face... How did you guess?

Leggings, Topshop | Boots, (very last last laaaast season) Zara | Jacket, Zara

[Wear it: work | casual business lunch | air travel]
[Style it: this look uses the top, as is, with both sleeves, and the elasticated lower part extended over the leggings slightly. No-one wants to see anyone else's butt in leggings, sorry!]

LOOK 2

City safari

Jeans, Salsa | Earrings, Aldo | Scarf, Mum's



Note - for all those with no waist (like moi), invent one with this double trick...
Tie a skinny scarf at the narrowest point of the jacket (where it nips in at the waist),
not the narrowest point of your torso.



I love leopard and peacock together - it's my safari in the city :)

[Wear it: lunch with the girls | date night | coffee with a client]
[Style it: for this, i pushed the sleeves inside the elasticated neckline and then pulled the neckline up under my arms so it holds the top as a strapless number. 

I added a scarf to break up all that black but if you're short, this won't work so well with flat boots, so I'd suggest (nude) heels instead.]

Hope you've enjoyed the picture-fest that is Part 1, more to come tomorrow!

Let me know what you think of these different looks :)

Love from dressing up Dolly x