THE SUITCASE CHALLENGE DAY 10 - HONG KONG

Zara jacket, Target tee, Blank NYC jeans via Shopbop, Zara boots and bag

Quick outfit post from day three of being in this cosmopolitan and food-laden city of Hong Kong. I'm wearing a lot of Zara of late and I blame that on the ridiculous affordability of their end-of-year sales. Currently the two most versatile pieces of my travel wardrobe, I wore both these stripes and jeans in more casual get-ups around Vietnam, but factor in a couple of bargains from good ol' Zara -  a refreshingly white tailored tweed jacket and super sleek zip-up boots, and you get more of a dose of city chic and less hippie-wanderer. We stopped by the curiously named Australia Dairy Company which comes highly recommended as one of the top teahouses (cha chaan teng) in town, for a breakfast of scrambled eggs, french toast and milk tea. The line was long, kitchen frantic, service quick, and food unfussy yet delicious.

Photos by Thomas Lo

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THE SUITCASE CHALLENGE DAY 9 - HONG KONG

Lowry's Farm jumper, ASOS trumpet hem skirt, ASOS tights, Topshop booties, Zara bag, bracelets from Viet markets

I spy with my little eye, six shades of red.

I love red for a little power-packed punch it gives to your outfit and to your day. I like my bright reds, and loved the deep, darker burgundy shades. Then almost overnight every other guy and girl out there was sporting a pair of maroon jeans (in Melbourne, at least) - it was overworn, I got bored of the colour, and we parted ways.

Truth be told, maroon is a gorgeous colour that is easily worn - great if you're colour-shy and taking the first steps towards wearing red. Slouchy is how I like my jumpers, this particular one from Lowry's Farm in Hong Kong, and skirts of the high-waisted variety take my fancy - not so much the bodycon body-hugging styles but ones like these that shape the waist yet retain a playful silhouette. Expand your repertoire of accessories to include coloured tights and beanies (personal fave), pop your favourite bright red lippie to go with your bag and a couple of tan 50cent bracelets to go with your footwear. I'm not sure how I managed to look colour-coordinated but I found these sitting in my suitcase so, here you go. Try it for yourself, but pretty please whatever you do steer away from maroon jeans; you can do better.

Day 9 of The Suitcase Challenge - done and dusted! x

Photos by Thomas Lo

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THE SUITCASE CHALLENGE DAY 8 - HONG KONG

Mango Jacket, Sportsgirl tee, 7 for all Mankind jeans via Shopbop, Zara boots and bag

A new day, a new city, a new outfit. 

This is my second time in Hong Kong and this city simply never fails to amaze me with its vibrance and energy. Here's what I wore around Tsim Sha Tsui - a district packed to the brim with shopping malls, big name boutiques, and loaaads of food. I had no idea what I'd wear this gorgeous purple/maroon suede jacket with when I saw it in Milan last month but these textured snakeskin lovelies complemented it with just enough edge without being over-the-top for an altogether city-chic outfit worthy of a place like this!

Photos by Thomas Lo

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THE SUITCASE CHALLENGE DAY 7 - HANOI

Target striped tee, Zara harem pants, Topshop booties, necklace and patchwork bag from the markets

7 days in and we're halfway through The Suitcase Challenge! If you're clueless as to what I'm talking about, keep scrolling - it all started here, with thoughts and personal ramblings on the art of efficient packing, and following that, presenting to you (albeit now a couple of days behind) an outfit a day from the limited space of a suitcase.

Day 7 wouldn't have been complete without the most delicious bowl of beef noodles I've had in recent times. Bun bo nam bo, it was called, and that I was reciting for a couple of days straight. It was washed down with a strong cuppa Vietamese iced coffee - but more on that later, perhaps in a dedicated foodie post that will be sure to make you drool and book your tickets to Vietnam pronto.

And when you do that, be sure to pack versatile pieces. This striped tee is a case in point, and has served me well this trip. Wear with harem pants (print optional but recommended) for cool but chill and make sure they end at your ankles, just above your amazingly comfy flat booties. Fling a couple of new market buys around your neck and hip and you'll be more than ready to wander around town, whether it's your first or last day there. In this case it was my last day in the land of Nam, before we hopped on yet another flight, to the land of yum cha and roast meats!

Till then x

Photos by Thomas Lo

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