Packing light for a two-week trip

The trick to two weeks in a carry-on is not smaller versions of everything. It is fewer things that all work together. Pick one colour base, add one accent, and make sure every top goes with every bottom.

Three outfits is enough for two weeks if you can do a sink wash. Merino wool tops dry overnight and do not hold smell; two of those plus a linen shirt cover most situations, smart or scruffy. One pair of shoes you can walk ten kilometres in, plus flip-flops that weigh nothing.

A packable rain shell earns its space anywhere. Skip the umbrella. Roll clothes rather than fold them, keep toiletries to 100ml, and leave a third of the bag empty for the things you will inevitably buy.