Here at Tove & Libra, we love travel, but hate excess baggage! From month-long vacations to weekend trips, we know that a little pre-planning ensures you can focus on carefree travels instead of carry-on woes.
Our Favourite Travel Tips:
Day-to-night multitasking, color coordinating, and layering are all key points to keep in mind. Meanwhile, rolling rather than folding your clothes reduces creasing while maximizing suitcase real estate. And we are just a little bit obsessed with color-coded soft luggage cubes can that make packing (and unpacking) stress-free for the whole family.
Finally, our streamlined capsule of stylish, mix-and-match essentials of course will ensure that you will come to find travel packing a breeze. Tove & Libra’s marketing director Katya, who recently spent six weeks in Europe, and founder Christine, who combines business and leisure on shorter trips, share their first-hand experience.
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Katya: Long-Haul Multitasker
Hong Kong -> Denmark
Every summer our whole family treks to Denmark to visit my husband’s family. When you’re travelling for 13 hours with a toddler and baby, comfort is key, and so worrying about clothes is the last thing you need! My go-to Pull-On Slim Chino in Black and basic Ribbed Tee in Black ensured that I was comfortable and looking decent at the Arrivals gate!
We had to stay at hotel for two nights before moving to an AirBnb near my in-laws’ home. You know that moment when you need to dress for the hotel breakfast, but you’re not yet fully ready for the day? Tove & Libra’s flattering Pull-On Slim Chino in Charcoal came to my rescue, paired with a Relaxed Pullover in White for a casual look that is smarter (and more age-appropriate!) than track pants… Even my immaculately dressed Danish husband commented, “Lately, you always have just the right thing to wear!” – a confidence boost for any jet-lagged mom!
Denmark -> London
Next up was a three-day business trip to London. With its reputation as a capital of cool (and equally, as a city with often changeable weather!), I needed to look good, but also like I wasn’t trying too hard. My Tove & Libra power-packing carry-on of day-to-night pieces consisted of:
- Striped Polo Dress in the Navy & Mint combo for a networking event
- Pull-On Slim Chino in Vanilla worn with Openwork Vest paired with the Ribbed Cardigan in Black, to catch the West End production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
- Pull-On Slim Chino in our fabulous Airy blue-grey hue to pair with V-Neck Top in Shell pink
- Pull-On Slim Chino in Black paired with Relaxed Pullover for the flight
I did pack a just-in-case LBD from another brand but that went sadly unused! Meanwhile I managed to dress up my Tove & Libra pieces with Chanel flats and red Louboutin heels, then dress down for the flight with comfy sneakers.
An added bonus is how easy it is to care for Tove & Libra’s pieces when you’re away from home – they're mostly machine washable, and the Japanese fabric used for the seasonal Pull-On Chino in Airy and Navy is both stain- and crease-resistant as well!
Throughout six weeks of travelling, combining family time with work commitments, my foolproof Tove & Libra pieces were always there for me, allowing me to dress them up or down as the occasion needed, and looking just as good on the return trip as they did on day one of our travels.
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Christine: Short-Haul Curator
Between being a full-time business owner and mom of two kids, I prefer to set aside long-haul travel for now and instead make a few shorter trips through the year.
HK -> China
Our family recently spent a long weekend in Zhongshan, China. As any mom will tell you, when little kids come along for the ride, an easy-care wardrobe is key, so several of our machine-washable pieces made it into my carry-on. The Cotton-Silk Patch Pocket Top in Shell (LINK) thrown over jeans was ideal for the air-conditioned ferry ride there and back. On this trip, we visited a beautiful farm and animal sanctuary (LINK), although the temperature was hot hot hot! The lightweight linen-blend Pointelle Tunic in refreshing yellow paired with the Carefree Short was perfect for enjoying the farm in comfort and style.
HK -> Singapore
Having previously lived in Singapore with still friends and family over there, it stands to reason that the Little Red Dot will feature in Tove & Libra’s expansion plans later this year! With that in mind, I’ll be heading there for a 48-hour business trip, and packing to fit Singapore’s eternal summer weather. Here’s my capsule travel closet:
- Ribbed Crew Cardigan paired with a tee and Hybrid Leggings in Black for the plane ride. The cardigan’s cotton-silk material is a great layer that works for humid weather, and so light for packing. With four colours to choose from, they can be paired with so many items in my wardrobe.
- A chic shirtdress for a day of business meetings, then adding a pair of colourful earrings and eyeliner to head straight to dinner at Po in the Warehouse Hotel.
- Floaty Blouse paired Carefree Short for trekking around the always sunny city, scoping out various neighborhoods for potential pop-ups! Then a quick change back to Hybrid Leggings, with a Black Cardigan thrown over the blouse, to catch our flight back to Hong Kong.