Over Easter weekend, I hopped on a plane at Heathrow and left for South Africa. It was just over a week of exploring the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay (or simply ‘Plett’), followed by my cousin’s wedding in Gqeberha (formerly called Port Elizabeth).
It’s late summer/early autumn in that part of the world so my packing had to strike that tricky balance of accounting for heat as well as cooler days and nights (temperatures ranged from 18°C - 34°C during our eight days there). I also had a few different occasions to pack for beyond the usual holiday downtime: we’d planned a couple of hikes in Plett’s Robberg Nature Reserve and Tsitsikamma National Park, I’d spotted a yoga studio I couldn’t miss, and of course, there was the wedding.
Here’s everything I wore: the casual looks, the treetop dinner looks, the active looks and the garden wedding look. This is a long one, so if you’re reading this in your emails, it may get clipped off. Click the headline and it will take you to the full post.
The Sundowner Outfit
I have some family who live in South Africa so I’ve been lucky enough to visit the country quite a few times throughout my life. In summer/early autumn (as it is now), it can be hot during the day and drop in the evening, so packing a light jacket or two is always a smart idea.
I took this jacket from Nemcee which is a heavyweight cotton/linen mix, so it’s a great option for these kinds of temperatures. It was perfect for slipping on top of my jersey slip dress for a sundowner before dinner at Emily Moon in Plett as it gradually got cooler. I also love how the loose, swingy shape of the jacket contrasts with the slim-fitting shape of the dress, to mix up the silhouette.
The Dinner Outfit
I wore this to dinner at The Fat Fish in Plett. The cooler evenings also meant I could wear my long-sleeved jersey dress from Raey, which I shared in my post about great basics. It’s such a simple dress but it makes a great canvas for jewellery, so I dressed it up with a gold pendant necklace and gold bangle. The basket bag and sandals keep the look from being too ‘dressy’ and overdone for a beachside meal.
The Yoga Outfit
I wouldn’t normally share a look that I wore for yoga but I do like a bit of activewear inspiration now and again, so I thought it could be useful for someone here too (that, and I couldn’t not share that view). I’d booked on to a morning yoga class at The Space Between, a stunning studio in Plett with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean, and a cosy wood-burning fire for those colder days too.
I’m a big fan of Adanola leggings - they fit well and don’t budge, plus they have just the right amount of thickness so there are no dodgy see-through bits - so I packed my dark olive pair with a matching bra. It was a gentle class, so I popped a loose vest over the top, and then my trusty Birks, which are a constant for me in summer.
The Wine Farm Outfit
You can’t go to South Africa without heading to a wine farm or two and Plett has a few great, laidback places where you can go for a wine tasting, lunch, or simply a glass of wine overlooking the vines. I wore this to lunch at a small wine farm called Newstead (highly recommend, as well as Bramon). It was hot during the day so the shift dress was enough on its own, then cooled in the evening, so I popped my heavy cotton kimono jacket on top for a much-needed layer - and a nice contrast to the dress in shape and colour.
The Breakfast at the Guest House Outfit
I wore this look towards the end of the week when the rain came and cooled everything down by a good 10°C. It’s an outfit I’m looking forward to wearing again during spring - I love that mix of heavier and lighter pieces at this time of year, leaning into slightly higher temperatures while making sure I have pieces that will still keep me warm. The linen trousers have that easy lightness that’s great for holidays or casual days, while the jumper is made from a soft, breathable lambswool that’s warm without being too thick.
The Hiking Outfit
Like the yoga outfit above, I wouldn’t normally share what I wear on a hike. My hiking pieces are all very functional (just look at those dirty trainers). But it has taken me a long time to find bike shorts that are comfortable, don’t dig into the thigh (!) and don’t ride up the leg as soon as you’ve taken more than 10 steps, so I had to share this Organic Basics pair with you all.
I wore them on a 4-hour hike through Robberg Nature Reserve in Plett which involved a lot of climbing up steep steps and scrambling over rocks, and these shorts were the best things to do that in. The fabric is slightly thick and stretchy so they sit comfortably across the waist and leg, and there was no riding up (plus, they’re an extremely reasonable £23!).
The Afternoon Drinks Outfit
This is the same blue jumper that I’m wearing above, this time paired with cotton shorts for late afternoon drinks. It taps into that same concept: mixing summery pieces with heavier autumnal ones to suit those late summer/early autumn temperatures. These shorts are made from 100% cotton and flare out slightly at the hem, so they’re comfortable to wear and don’t cling to the leg. I wore them on beach days on top of a bikini and smartened them up slightly here with the sleek jumper and a pair of fisherman sandals.
The Wedding Guest Outfit
This was my final look of the holiday and the reason we took the trip: to go to my cousin’s wedding in Gqeberha (note to self - don’t book a long-haul flight the day after a wedding again… ). The temperature had dropped to 18°C at this point, so I was thankful I’d gone for longer sleeves - I love the volume of them and the silhouette they create, while the oversized fit of the dress is comfortable and easy to wear (plus, you can tuck into as many canapes as you like without feeling restricted).
It was a garden wedding with a smart/casual dress code, so I opted for flat Mary Janes that wouldn’t sink into the grass. It was my first time wearing flats to a wedding and it certainly won’t be my last. Anyone who’s worn heels for 12 hours straight will know how uncomfortable it gets - and let me tell you, a pair of chic flats will keep you on that dancefloor for hours.
Any items marked with * have been kindly gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
This post contains some affiliate links. If you buy something through those links, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
THIS is the level of vacation dressing I aspire to accomplish
Love all these looks, and impressed with how many shoes you brought! I always try to slim down on shoes but then regret it😅