After a very wet week in the UK I’m taking a lot of pleasure in packing for Nice. It’s been a while since I went to the French Riviera but because my hubby and I have been before it’s mostly going to be a flop and drop holiday. We’re really looking forward to spending some time by the pool and wafting around French villages; eating cheese and drinking wine.

Saying that, of course I’ll be packing some fun finds I’ve already got in my wardrobe and others that I’ve picked up recently (despite attempting to hold on until the sales – yep, the rubbish will-power continues!).

There’s nothing I hate more than squelching around an airport in wet sandals and if the weather in the U.K. continues as it has been, I think I’ll be playing it safe and travelling in these Gucci loafers.

I have justified these to myself as they are so incredibly comfy (I get a lot of wear out of my other pairs) and I’ve been lusting after a red pair for a couple of years now. They have a few left at Harrods and Browns Fashion but they sell out really fast in this colour (I size down by a half).

Slides are always great for around the pool and mooching around towns. I’m always on the lookout for more streamlined, elegant ones, as their more fashionable chunky/masculine friends look ridiculous on me. Both these pairs were on my wishlist last year so I was thrilled when they appeared on The Outnet. The red ones are by Dolce & Gabbana (only a couple left) and the grey/blue by The Row (now sold out but similar cheaper versions here).

I’ll also be packing my Aquazzura heels I bought last year…

…(sold out but similar here), my gorgeous new Rebecca de Ravenel earrings, old Anya Hindmarch clutch and this amazing DvF dress which I bought in London:

(See the video on the Matches Fashion website to get a more accurate depiction of the beautiful colours.) You may recall I had a similar one in my Summer dresses post (here). Unfortunately the other one was far too large for me but I fell in love with the colours and cut of this one instead. I particularly like the way it buttons all the way up so I can bare some leg and even wear it open as a long jacket with jeans for a more casual look.

A couple of other new things coming with me, that I’m really pleased with (and are a bit more affordable) are these:

I thought a few stripes wouldn’t go amiss on the Côte d’Azur! I first found the navy and white striped trousers by  J Crew on Net-a-Porter and they fit like a dream (so much so that I then bought a few others!). I did size down one but they are perfect – fantastically comfy with an elasticated waist and ideal for the plane with a silk tank (I’m taking one similar to here) and cashmere jumper (like this). I’ll also be wearing them with this great one-shouldered top by Cecilie Copenhagen which is really flattering and a lovely soft fabric.

I’ll also be taking a couple of striped bikinis like this one from Solid & Striped and an old one from Heidi Klein (similar here).

I particularly like wearing different stripes together as it makes something quite traditional a bit more fun and unexpected. I’m  still not sure what the hubby will think of the high-waisted bikini briefs (I think they maybe somewhat of a man-repeller item) but I love them!

For around the pool I’ll be packing some denim shorts and a few cover-ups:

My denim shorts are by J Brand but are very similar to the ones above by Madewell, the blouse is from March II (old but similar styles here) and this great dress which is really floaty and can be adjusted at the shoulder is by Velvet. I’ve been looking for a white dress for the past few Summers but this is the first one I’ve found that’s not too see-through, is loose enough to throw over a bikini but smart enough that you can dress it up for the evening.

Bag-wise I haven’t got much room as we’re only taking hand luggage so I think I’ll just be taking this Jerome Dreyfuss crossbody bag (his bags are the softest leather and dreamily lightweight – similar here)…

and these…

The first one is by a favourite of mine – Figue. I actually managed to pick this one up in the sale here.

I’ve been wanting another one of these bags as they’re so beautifully made, really practical and amazingly fun. Because it’s made of incredibly soft leather and is a mini version, it should fit in my hand-luggage and not get crushed like a straw basket would.

I have quite a few straw bags but unless you’re carrying them as hand-luggage they’re practically impossible to pack so I’ll be taking this neutral jute bag from Workshop Living that can be rolled up. (This is great as it can even be used for grocery shopping and it’s not girlie, so even the husband will use it!)

My new and hopefully improved tactic for packing light is basically to pack similar colours (in this case blue, red and white) so it is easier to mix and match things without the need for a million and one different accessories.

And lastly a straw hat, striped tank, cashmere poncho and linen shirt (similar to these) will also be useful to throw over my shorts:

No doubt they’ll be other items sneaking in at the last minute (such as a short day dress and a bit of Missoni) but at least for the moment I’m feeling pretty impressed with my restraint!

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