With the foreign holiday season well and truly up in the air this year and a staycation looking increasingly far much likely, again, we at Clothes-make-the-man.com, as always, are looking out for your best interests and to offer you invaluable advice. Now because of all this holiday shenanigans, we know no one like packing, it throws up all sorts of issues, leaving it to the last minute, have you packed enough or too much, I really should replace those speedos, yes you really should replace the budgie smugglers, honestly !  Do I have my passport, suncream, travel adaptor. The list is literally endless as is the headache, until you’re laying on that lounger, relaxed with a bright coloured drink in hand. So, because we think so highly of our beloved readers we sort the advice of the experts and asked travel expert  Ian Chapman, to kindly provide a few essential tips on how to look great in the sun, wherever your holiday destination. He advises ;

Pack light: Have a good think about your destination and what you’ll need. Don’t just empty your entire wardrobe into your bag.

For example, are you really going to need that expensive, crisp shirt in the clubs of Ibiza? Likewise, those lazy sweat pants aren’t going to get much wear for your long weekend in St Tropez!

If you pack carefully and selectively, you should be able to get a week’s holiday clothing into one carry-on bag (thus, saving money and time on checked baggage). All airlines have restrictions on the size of carry on luggage you can use, of which Ryan Air seem about the most onerous with a measely 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, whilst Easyjet and British Airways offer a more reasonable 56cm x 45cm x 25cm.

Plan ahead: Think about how you can mix and match different pieces to create different outfits; which shorts can you wear with t-shirts and vests during the day, but can be dressed up with a smart shirt worn casually for evening? Planning ahead and visualising your different outfits, and different scenarios will help you realise you’re never actually going to wear those extra pair of jeans – so just leave them at home. In fact, if you think you’ve packed the right amount of clothes, chances are you’ve packed too many!

Pack carefully: Cramming things into your bag an hour before your flight departs will have you looking like you’ve just rolled out of bed at the other end. Creased, shabby-looking garments will not get you access to the Yacht Club de Cannes. Take tips off those assistants on the High Street. A few minutes properly folding your clothes will help no end with their condition at the other end. Another method is to double up items such as shirts and tees etc and roll them. This avoids those sharp fold creases.

Materials and ‘the look’: When you’re at home, it’s easy to look brilliant in a freshly ironed top, but once that has spent four hours stuffed into a bag, the effect isn’t going to be the same. Think about those items in your wardrobe that might need a little less care or attention. Linen hangs great, even with a few creases in, and patterned or check shirts can disguise the well-travelled shirt quite well too.

Take time on arrival: Don’t be tempted to chuck your bag on the bed and hit the pool bar straight away. Spend just a few precious minutes getting all your essential shirts, t-shirts, trousers and jeans out of your case and onto hangers. Your mates may think you have the early onset of OCD, but you’ll have the last laugh when you hit the clubs looking pristine.

The shower trick: Whilst getting ready for a night out a good tip is to hang any creased clothes in the bathroom whilst you take a shower. Keep the door closed and let the steam take effect. The creases from your clothes will fall out much quicker.

Re-use, recycle: We know. It gets hot on holiday, especially if you’ve just spent eight hours sweating in a Balearic super club, but think back to your match-ups you thought about when you were packing back at home. Time to switch around a few of your outfits so it doesn’t look like you’re wearing the same get-up every day.

Flip the flop: How many pairs of shoes do you really need to take? Once reserved for the beach only, the flip-flop has become a summer must-have which goes with almost any look. Havianas in a neutral colour will sit just as comfortably with a pair of swim shorts by day or some chinos at night.