There is something immensely enjoyable about packing for an autumn staycation. The ritual taps into that giddy anticipation of a fresh season, as you pull together ensembles for sunshine, or showers, or surprise moments of frost or fog – or a blend of all of the above – in this particularly unpredictable time of year. Weekend bags for countryside stays are filled with warm, woolly jumpers; soft cashmere for chilly evenings and smart-casual looks for wine and cheese-boards by the fire. Bags swinging onto smart city-hotel trolleys include more elegant, experimental pieces for dining in sleek restaurants, visiting galleries or exploring cool neighbourhoods.
Luxury department store Harvey Nichols knows only too well that the thrill of escape leans heavily on the visual, and its compelling autumn-winter collection – a clever curation of both classic and emerging designers – is a brilliant source of ideas for the British staycation look. Here are four autumn staycation ideas and our favourite pieces from the Harvey Nichols A/W collection to pack for each.
