Travel accessories for your weekend city break

Fashion writer Cleo Davis knows a thing or two about city-break chic. Here, she reveals the products that’ll keep you looking slick on a cosmopolitan weekend, without taking the whole wardrobe with you

A clean break

Banish last-minute scrabbling around at the airport for make-do shampoo and face creams that abide by the 100ml travel rule with Aesop’s care kits (£50). Boasting myriad botanical ingredients, the set includes a super-hydrating anti-oxidant serum (for protection against skin-drying air con), a deep-nourishing conditioner to soften chlorine-damaged hair and parsley seed skin treatments to slough off post-sun skin cells. The apothecary-style brown bottles are presented in a lightweight microfibre case that you’ll want to use over and over again.

Setting the trench mark

City breaks can bring sun, but also rain. Enter Burberry’s Westminster trench coat (£1,550), a lightweight mac for men and women. Woven from a ‘tropical gabardine’ fabric invented for 20th-century equatorial explorers, it is light enough to fit into a backpack or sling over your arm – and it smartens any outfit, tourist togs included. ‘Shrobe it’ like a fashionista (that’s wearing it draped over the shoulders to you and me), and pop the collar to reveal the brand’s famous check.

Organised elegance

You may have your airline app on your phone, but you still need somewhere to put your money, passport and other essential travel documents. This deluxe Aspinal of London organiser set (£175), comprises a wallet with dedicated organisation compartments, a passport cover and two luggage tags, expertly handcrafted from rich grainy leather, with a buttery smooth suede inner, to keep your all-important papery items in top-flight condition. Go that extra mile and get it personalised for free.

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A good night’s Slip

If you cherish a good night’s sleep and frizz-free hair, the Slip pillowcase (£79) has your name on it*. Taking your own pillowcase on holiday may sound extreme, but this silky number has been scientifically proven to reduce friction – au revoir ‘bedhead’ – and absorb less face cream compared to a cotton case. Soft and cool enough to give that freshly turned pillow sensation. Choose from 13 colours – *you can even add custom embroidery.

Saddle up

A designer bag lifts any outfit, even the most sensible sandals-and-socks combo. Meet Mulberry’s Small Darley satchel (£450), a saddle-style bag made from durable leather that vows to soften slowly. The cute and compact carrier fits just the essentials, such as sunglasses and phone, with a slip pocket for your hotel key card, leaving you free to carry other essentials such as a coffee and (cough cough) a selfie stick.

Music to your ears

Headphones may be the new ‘It’ accessory for the digital age, but wear them with sunglasses and your head is somewhat over-adorned. Why not upgrade with Bang and Olufsen’s special edition Beoplay E8 wireless earphones (£269) in modern monochrome? Stylish and discreet, their sound quality is smooth and strong, plus you can use them to answer your phone. Battery life is four hours, and the carry case acts as a charger.