Travel & Hotspots

TWo days of capri and a tiny suitcase

A month or so ago I had an off day (one that looked an awful lot like this one). Or more like an off morning. Well okay, I had just had a rather tedious conversation and it was a Tuesday. Two negatives which didn’t make a positive. I headed from the meeting room back to my desk when I suddenly got a text from Danie Bles which said: “Dear May-Britt, I’m organizing a trip to Capri in the end of May. Want to come?”

And suddenly the sun appeared, the conversation I had had prior to the text didn’t seem as bad and my Tuesday felt like the weekend. Danie (master in organizing great trips to the prettiest destinations with the coolest crowd) + Capri together sounded like heaven in May. “And we’ll be staying at the Capri Palace Hotel, where I got married.” I wondered if there was already a superlative for heaven, because I’m sure I would find it there.

In the category anticipation deluxe, Danie organized a pre-Capri event obviously with (and I say ‘obviously’ because Danie is the queen when it comes to pampering others) goodies for everyone who would be coming. A Nikon camera, a beautiful blue beach towel from Babassu (the nicest spa store in Asmterdam) and the cutest little très petite suitcase I’ve ever seen. Either in baby pink, baby blue or a soft shade of yellow which dates back to the sixties. The suitcases had the word SUITSUIT on them and were adorable. But it’s a size zero. The suitcase was the Olivia Palermo of all suitcases, you won’t find them any more petite.

”But it’s a size zero. The suitcase was the Olivia Palermo of all suitcases, you won’t find them any more petite”

I was looking at them with a lot of ‘oh’s’, ‘ah’s’ and ‘what color should I go for’ when in reality I was also thinking: is this the only suitcase I’m allowed to bring? Two days in Capri requires at least six different outfits. How the heck am I going to pull this off?

I decided to let the idea rest and test it out at home, but when I put one evening outfit into the the suitcase (I decided to call her O.P.), I started to panic. She was smaller than I thought she was. Or my clothes were bigger; possibility number two.

Then I decided to turn it into a game, call it the Capri Challenge. How am I going to stuff two days worth of clothes into my petite suitcase? I’m sure you can learn something from it too.

Let me start off by saying I cheated. On Thursday I already dropped by Danie with a few pairs of shoes, my makeup bag and a kaftan dress that took up too much space in my mini suitcase. Otherwise I just wouldn’t be able to pull this off. But still, a challenge.

1. Be smart when it comes to your airplane wear

I’m opting for heels. Plenty of people out there who claim that this isn’t chic, but it’ll save me precious room in my suitcase. Once I get aboard the boat (to get to Capri you have to take a boat from Naples), I’ll exchange my heels for sandals because they’re not really boat proof and besides, by them I’m allowed to carry an extra bag. I’ll make sure that I can wear the top that I’m wearing as a dress the following day. Something about hitting two birds with one stone.

2. Departure trip outfit = return trip outfit

Perhaps not the most fun, but it’s all about the photo opp’s and those won’t be on our return trip. So if I have to hand in an outfit, it will be my traveling uniform.

”I’m traveling with Danie, so then it’s expected you combine your outfits”

3. Mix & match

I’m traveling with Danie, so then it’s expected you combine your outfits. I have a yellow skirt from Patrizia Pepe that I’ll wear with a black top and my Dsquared pumps (which I have, swindler that I am, dumped in Danie’s suitcase). The following day I’ll go for an outfit with the same top and jeans that I’ll be wearing on the trip to get to Capri (and the trip back for that matter). But then with a different pair of heels so that you’ll still feel as though you’re rocking a different look.

I’ll also be wearing a small kimono like dress as a top with my jeans on the trip to the island (and probably back too) that I’ll be able to wear without jeans in the Italian heat. Add some Gucci slipper and where is the boat? There is the boat.

I’m also tagging along my kaftan from Dodo Bar Or and my good old Gucci dress (you know, the one Blake Lively has too). I just still have to figure out which shoes will make the best mesh.

Then there’s a tiny compartment for my Nikon camera and a layer for my laptop and a teeny tiny spot for some goodies for the trip back home. Apparently Capri has the best designer outlet in the world. And if it doesn’t fit, well, then I’ll just have them mail it over. Every disadvantage has an advantage and every problem has a solution.