I am packing a small bag for a week in the UK. I prefer to travel light, so I aim to be as compact as possible. This is where I get to see what my closet is made of, pulling out a few favourites and making them fit together as succinctly as I can.

My last few trips have been increasingly casual. This time, I am in the mood to be not exactly dressy, but coordinated and polished and with a little bit of drama.

I ended up with a very minimalistic formula. I never thought I could achieve minimalism, but it seems to have happened accidentally. Not a deliberate choice, simply how it all came together, based on requirements for the trip, which are low key, practical and mobile.

What I see here is the very backbone of my winter wardrobe. Just about everything goes with everything else, theoretically. I feel I could dress from this selection for weeks and not get bored. I might struggle to meet any formal requirements, but I don’t foresee any trips to the Opera.

About half comes from three successive +J collections. I have mixed feelings about this, but cannot deny it, all these pieces are excellent. All of it is either black or dark blue, apart from the layers, where I can bring in white and bright accents. None of the blues quite match. I blame/defer to Jil here.

I contemplated packing some denim, but none of it plays nicely with the tall boots. Chinos and slimline joggers make for a nod to the signature YLF equestrian vibe, hopefully more caballero than stable lass. Different footwear would have been a whole other story.

I will probably travel in the Gansey and the culottes. They are the least compact of all the items.

Outerwear: Navy +J down jacket, black Ultralight down vest (No photos, but a surprisingly accurate technical drawing)

Footwear: 1 pair Tall boots, black, 1 pair walking sneakers, black with fluorescent laces

Toppers: Navy blue oversized Gansey sweater (a bit of a star this one) Black deep V tunic, no name, +J black sweatshirt

Bottoms: CdG culottes, +J plisse skirt, both black, +J blue chinos, +J joggers (grey in finds, blue IRL)

Layers not shown: assorted tees, turtle necks, thermal tights & leggings, and a white viscose satin button down from Ghost.