Workation: what to pack

29 July 2025. Editor · Elisabeth · Social Media Editor

For a workation you need clothes that work for video calls and meetings, but also for leisure time. A small capsule with a few good tops, two trousers and an extra layer is usually enough. Choose low-crease fabrics and calm colours that combine with each other. That way you do not have to bring a separate work and holiday wardrobe.

Delphine fitted blouse with princess seams for women in white | Issu & Lloyd

What is a workation?

With a workation you work temporarily from another location and combine that with leisure time. You work for a number of days or weeks from another place, often a holiday home, hotel or apartment abroad. During the day you work; outside working hours you use the location as a holiday address. That makes pieces that combine practical.

Two roles, one suitcase

Moment	What you need
Video calls	Tops in a calm colour and a neat neckline or collar
Working at a table	Comfortable trousers that do not pinch when sitting
In-person meeting or coworking	One complete polished outfit
Afternoon and evening	Summery, relaxed combinations
Air-conditioned spaces	A thin cardigan or long-sleeved polo

What works on camera?

In video calls it is mostly your upper body that is in the picture. So pay attention to a few points:

Plain, calm colours. Fine stripes and small checks can flicker on camera. Plain colours such as white, light blue, navy and cream generally look calm on camera.
A clear neckline or collar. A blouse with a lovely collar or a polo with a zip gives structure to your picture.
Matte fabrics. A matte blouse looks calmer than a strongly shiny fabric that reflects the light.
Low-crease. On holiday you do not always have an iron.

For women, the Delphine in white is a good example: a fitted blouse with princess seams, a matte look and a soft drape. It looks polished on camera, and with rolled-up sleeves you wear it just as well on a terrace in the afternoon. For men, a fine-knit polo with quarter zip works, such as the Edmund in light grey melange made of lyocell. With the zip half closed it looks polished for a meeting.

The trouser: comfortable at the table, polished outside it

Because you may sit a lot while working, comfort is important. A trouser with a little stretch or an elastic waistband sits comfortably, and still looks neat when you go out after work. The Daphni in black is a trouser with a single pleat, a side zip and a slim-flared fit. For men, the Vincent in black with elastic waistband and mid-rise is a practical choice: comfortable when sitting, sleek in shape.

One outfit for a real meeting

Even during a workation, a meeting on location can come up. So bring one complete, polished outfit. For men a shirt such as the Hamilton shirt in light blue striped, crease-free and not see-through, with a dark trouser and loafers. For women a blouse or fine-knit polo such as the Liorah in navy with gold-coloured buttons, over a black trouser. Note: you would rather wear that fine stripe of the shirt to an in-person meeting than on a video call.

The packing list for a working week

Women

Two blouses or tops that look good on camera.
One fine-knit polo or top for a meeting.
Two trousers: a smart trouser and a lighter trouser or jeans.
One fine-knit cardigan for air conditioning and evenings.
Loafers, sneakers and sandals.

Men

Two polos that look good on camera, one of them with quarter zip.
One shirt for a meeting.
Two trousers: a dark trouser and a light trouser or chino.
A thin cardigan or long-sleeved polo.
Loafers, sneakers and sandals or espadrilles.

Your workplace at a holiday address

Your workplace counts too. Choose a spot with daylight from the front, not behind you, so that you are well in view. Use a calm background. And make sure you have a chair you can really sit on: you will not last a working day on a bar stool or a lounger. A good workplace makes a long working day more comfortable.

From working day to holiday evening

After work you can keep wearing the same base with small adjustments. With a few small swaps you turn your work outfit into an evening look: blouse open over a top, sleeves rolled up, sneakers instead of loafers, or the other way round. Men swap the polo with zip for an open polo and put on a light trouser. That way the suitcase stays compact.

Shoes and bag

Three pairs of shoes will usually do: something smart, sneakers and a summery pair. Bring a bag in which your laptop fits safely, but that does not look like an office bag on a terrace either. A simple tote or backpack can be useful for work and leisure.

Packing to avoid creases

Roll knitwear and T-shirts instead of folding them.
Fold blouses and shirts with tissue paper between them.
Hang everything up straight away on arrival, so creases drop out.
A travel steamer takes up little space and saves every crease.

Take a look at the Office for Women or Office for Men collection for pieces that work at the office and on the road, or the Airport collection for the travel day itself.