On a rooftop in Lamu, Kenya

Black jeans, black & white striped t shirts and converse trainers. This was pretty much the uniform for my last big trip. I had obsessed so much over packing a monotone wardrobe so everything went together that I completely forgot about that thing called ‘colour’. Then somewhere on the road between Montana and new Mexico, I realised that dressing exclusively in dreary tones was doing nothing for my mood, let alone my travel snaps.

For my recent East Africa trip, I packed a bright red patterned Mister Zimi dress. I love the colours and I love how good wearing something fun makes you feel.  I still packed lots of monochrome, which I tried to balance out with bright lipstick and earrings, but they mostly stayed in my bag due to laziness. When I did make an effort to wear something bright and cheerful, my mood instantly matched.

My new packing tip? Take only clothes you love wearing.

How do you pack for your holidays?