Tag: fashion

Packing for travel when you like to be stylish is even harder. You want to look great, you want to feel great, and you want to be prepared. So when my love suggested we only use carry-on size backpacks for our travels, I was stunned. Our first trip abroad was coming up, and we would be gone for 14 days.

Of course I managed to get everything packed. Since this trip, we’ve had many others, and I always find a way to pack what I need in the backpack (see my full review of the backpacks we use here). This is not going to be a list of the “essentials” that you should bring – you’ll find plenty of those about the internet (the one I am currently living for here).

Another note before we begin: I’m not a makeup person, and my body care needs are minimal at best. Some things we even just buy while we’re abroad to save space. If you do need space for these items, keep that space in mind while working through packing process below.

THE PROCESS

Know Your Trip

You are going to need to know your upcoming trip inside and out. This will help narrow down things while you are packing. Constraints of the location and planned activities might require certain pieces. Are you going hiking or footing it through cities? Will it be hot or cold? Will it be wet or dry? Are you attending any fancy events or mostly touring about? Answering these basic questions sorts out a lot of more specific items. For example, you won’t want to pack a velvet dress if you’re spending all of your time camping in the mountains, or you probably won’t need heavy hiking boots if you’ll be in the city the entire trip.

S H O E S

A bad pair of shoes can ruin even the best of trips. When you’re packing in a backpack or carry on, your space limited making shoe choice critical. For a two week vacation, I pack two pairs of shoes.

Trip One – Paris & Italy: I brought my wine colored Aerosoles sneakers and a pair of black strappy sandals

Trip Two – Germany: I brought the Aerosoles sneakers again and a pair of dusty pink Tommy Hilfiger sneakers

You’ll see that I favor sneakers for vacations, but that’s partially because of the type of trips we usually go on. It’s a lot of site seeing while walking around cities, and we are usually walking for many hours of the day. Sneakers – especially nicer pairs like the above – can be dressed up or down, and don’t have the trouble of being open toed which can stop you from getting into places like churches.

Focus on Color

Telling a color story or sticking to one color scheme makes packing hard but wearing outfits easy. While you’re traveling, you want things that will mix and match to make new outfits, and you want making an outfit to be as easy as possible. The best way to do this is with color.

To pick a color scheme, I start by looking at my closet and my chosen shoes. I figure out what I have a lot of this is the most comfortable. For me this is neutrals like black or fall colors like wine, mustard yellow, and forest green.

Now that you have a base color (or colors) in mind, you can figure out what colors pair well – gold, pink, and red all pair great with forest green. Any color pairs easily with black. The more neutral your base colors are, the easier it will be to pair items and make outfits.

Try not to expand out of three or four colors total; remember the main goal is to have pieces that will easily mix and match with each color to make new outfits throughout the trip.

Keep it Classy

Unless you’re travelling to a festival a la Burning Man or you’ll be camping in the woods the entire time, you will want to pick items that are elevated and classy. This is helpful for a couple of reasons:

1. Preparedness! it is generally better to be fancier than an even requires over too casual. If all the clothes you brought are classy, timeless pieces, then surprise occasions during the trip are easily handled.
2. What you wear says who you are! this is most important when traveling abroad; people will treat you how they see. If you’re dressed in nicer clothing, it will be easier to communicate even if you don’t speak much of the language.
3. Photos! if you’re anything like me, you will take a million photos and be in a million photos, many of which will end up on social media. Packing classier pieces will help relieve stress about what’s being posted and where.

The following are my go-tos for staying classy and comfortable:

• dressy jeggings: the fit and comfort of leggings but with elements that elevate the style to create clean, classic lines. See my current faves below. Remember: check the fit in a mirror, and make sure the fabric is thick enough even when bent over, to act as pants.
• corduroy pants: these always look nice and pair well with both a sweatshirt/t-shirt for a casual look, or a button down/nice sweater for something more dressy. I love these from Kut from the Kloth (my pair pictured below).
• a versatile dress: your goal here is something comfortable and nice that can be layered to change the look or elevated with accessories. Below are the ones I love to pack.

Easy Layers

I live for a good hoodie, sweater, hat, or scarf – especially since most of our travelling happens during transitional seasons like Spring or Fall.

You will most likely not want to stop at your hotel all the time. So, to keep things moving, I find fun layers that are easy to remove and carry, like this green hoodie or this thin scarf which both work well with my color schemes and are warm layers that pack small or tie around my waist.

I also habitually pack a thin raincoat that rolls up small but provides an easy protective layer in case of rain. The pink one bellow from Forever 21 fits nicely into a larger purse or ties around the waist.

Also, for colder seasons I find that a knit hat or beanie that’s plain and in a good classy color looks chic and keeps you warm!

Bring Your Favorites

Have a favorite pair of jeans or a sweater you wear all the time? Chances are there are good reasons; often this means they fit well, look good, and are comfortable. Bringing your favorites also helps stall the 10th day slog of a long trip where you have already worn everything and don’t really feel like wearing them again. If it’s a favorite piece, then it will still be easy to wear.

My favorites are these Zella Live-In Leggings (tip: these typically go on half off sales at Nordstrom which makes them much more affordable) and a swing turtleneck sweater dress.

Finally – Pair Up to Pare Down

If you are looking at a huge pile of things that definitely won’t fit into your backpack – you’re not alone! The best way to pare down the pile is to create outfits. You don’t have to make an outfit for every single day, but strive for at least four or five to make sure you have enough diversity.

If an item doesn’t fit into those four/five outfits, then it doesn’t get packed. This helps me get rid of items even if they are something I love, and helps me work through the barrage of “what if” questions that inevitably occur while packing for a longer vacation.

Think these tips will help you pack for your next vacation? Have any hot tips of your own? Feel free to comment below.