: Pack it In.

Byline: Rachel Williams

IN THE last-minute panic before you jet off on holiday to sunnier climes, it's all too easy to get carried away with your packing.

You know you need your bikini, but what else? Travelling light doesn't have to mean sacrificing style or variety if you plan your outfits carefully.

Zoe Aird, fashion editor of Company magazine, says this summer's hippy chick look makes it easy to get everything you need in one case. ``Everything's quite light, with fabrics like chiffon, which means you can fit more in,'' she says. ``The most versatile holiday item is the kaftan. You can throw it on over your bikini to go to the beach bar, dress it up in the evening, or pop it over trousers for sightseeing.

``And a lovely, sexy, chiffon top, either in a gypsy style or a wrapover, goes with everything.''

Morgan has a long-sleeved linen tunic with a sea-shell trim pattern for pounds 45, while George at Asda's white flare-sleeved top is pounds 14. For something lighter JFW at John Lewis has a see-through tunic top for pounds 39. Another option for covering up a bikini is the sarong. Monsoon has a wide selection, with cotton ones costing pounds 9.99, chiffon versions for pounds 14.99 and pounds 19.99 for pure silk.

Aird suggests little jackets for the evening, or a thin shirt in cotton or muslin. ``There are some really nice light cotton shirts, which you can wear over a little top. It's amazing what a difference it can make when you're getting a bit chilly.'' Her personal favourite is Luella at New Look's cotton and lurex striped shirt, which is now a mere pounds 5 in the sale.

Of course, there's no point thinking about what to wear to cover up in the evening if you don't know what's going underneath it. ``Keep it quite simple because then you can also wear it in the day for sightseeing. It's easy to dress it up at night with a belt or a pair of earrings.'' Try Monsoon's aqua linen bias-cut dress at pounds 55, or River Island, where you can find a strappy printed frock for pounds 24.99.

She also points to simple denim mini skirts and vest tops as ideal evening wear which can be accessorised for a glamorous look. Next has a dark denim mini for pounds 24.99, while River Island's version, at the same price, has a frayed hemline. JFW at John Lewis's broderie anglaise vest costs pounds 25, and George at Asda has a camisole for pounds 12.

CAPTION(S):

AQUATICS turquoise crochet bikini, pounds 35, JFW white tunic top, pounds 39, chain turquoise belt, pounds 25 from John Lewis (above); denim mini-skirt, pounds 24.99 from River Island; JFW broderie anglaise skirt, pounds 25, JFW broderie anglaise top, pounds 25 from John Lewis (left); strappy printed dress, pounds 24.99 from River Island