Packing for a weekend away - Autumn

(Leather holdalls from Marks & Spencer, so cute & colourful! And a bargain too! Wonder if they ship to Oz...)

So I'm packing my bags again, this time, for a 3 1/2 day weekend in Sydney, can't wait! The Autumn weather is slightly warmer there, and not as unpredictable as in Melbourne (see my previous post 'Packing for '4 seasons in a day' - weekend away'), so am trying to decide what to take with me.

Packing for a weekend revolves around what I’ll be doing while away (this trip will be shopping, but mainly window shopping, as I’ve exceeded this month’s shopping budget, as well as catching up with friends), so will involve a lot of walking. When it comes to clothing, interchangeable outfits are key, so I try to create an outfit for everything I’ll be doing, mixing & matching, reusing items like shoes & accessories, limiting myself to 1 or 2 pairs of shoes, and the outfits are planned around them. Just in case I find something I must buy (or several somethings, haha), I'll pop a lightweight foldaway bag in your suitcase. Okay, so thinking out loud:

Shoes: I won't be hiring a car this time, so will be relying heavily on 'Bus 11' (ie. my legs), so flat comfortable shoes are a must, maybe my Dries Van Noten patent sneaker wedges (it's obviously not flat, but the wedge makes them more 'walkeable' than other high heels), these will probably be worn on the plane, as they are the bulkiest item, which means I may get some funny looks as I take them off when I (and they) go through the airport scanner. My Marc Jacobs flats will be in my bag for a comfy back-up. Ooh, ok...I may break my 1-2 pairs of shoes rule, and add my Dries Van Noten sequinned sandals, just in case I go for a fancy dinner (plus, have yet to wear these!)

Pants/Skirts: May not be able to wear them this trip, as I still cannot fit any of my jeans/pants, except for my trusty Harem pants, and they certainly don't go with ballet flats, nor my DVN wedges, hm...this may be tricky...Instead, I will bring a cashmere/wool bubble hemmed pencil skirt by Burberry Prorsum:

(www.firstview.com)
Burberry Prorsum FW06

Dresses: Instead, I think I will focus this weekend trip on easy-to-wear dresses, which may be a first (I usually prefer separates so they can mix & match). Therefore, I will have to plan on what I will layer over & under these dresses for versatility...I think my Ilana Moses purple silk dress will be great for layering (turtleneck underneath or cardigan over it, which will be nice & relaxed when I go to the beach on Monday), and also my Vanessa Bruno black wool & silk chiffon dress and 3.1 Phillip Lim navy Rosette tank dress...

Tops: I will bring a SABA turtleneck knit I recently bought to layer under the dresses, my navy silk chiffon Claude Maus hoodie jacket (again for layering under or over the dresses), and a Marni grey marle top.

Jacket/Coat: I will be wearing my Martin Margiela military merino wool belted cardigan on the plane (so soft it feels like cashmere), long & comfortable, great for layering over dresses. For the colder evenings, I'll bring my Burberry Prorsum blue military coat on the plane too, as it'll be very cold when I land (minimum temp of 6 degrees during the next few nights!).

Bag: Haven't decided which one, but it'll have to be big, as I plan to stuff my camera and ballet flats (if opting for the DVN wedges), along with everything else...

Accessories: Stockings (Leona Edmiston Pins Opaque in Onyx & Lead) and Leggings (again Leona Edmiston Pins in Onyx), and scarves (one silk, one cotton, one alpaca), and a Burberry patent quilted black belt.

Some shops I'll be checking out: Belinda (in the MLC Centre, in Double Bay and in Oxford St, Paddington), Akira (on Queen St., Woollahra and the Strand Arcade), Poepke, The Corner Shop, and Vanessa Bruno on William St., Paddington. Willow (Glenmore Rd, Paddington), Robby Ingham (Oxford St., Paddington & MLC Centre), Scanlan & Theodore (Oxford St), Kirrily Johnston & Lands End (Glenmore Rd), Orson & Blake and Nicola Finetti (Queen St., Woollahra), The Vintage Clothing Store (Castlereagh St), Paablo Nevada (Double Bay & Bondi), also in Double Bay: Marni, Cosmopolitan Shoes & Christensen Copenhagen...yes, a lot of walking to be done...

Ok, now what have I forgotten?