This post isn’t about over-packing. It’s about enjoying clothing as a means of self-expression and how to do that out of a suitcase. My three principles of good packing still apply here: start with your shoes, use color stories, and plan your outfits in advance. But the idea is to really load up on different outfits so that you have lots of options while away. Lean into having fun, changing for different locations and activities and keeping it all organized as you go along.
The following photos are from a client who was going on a dreamy trip: Palma and Nice with a yacht trip in between. She needed lots of lunch and dinner outfits as well as day-tripping in both city and beach locations. We got it all into 2 checked bags and 1 carry-on!
All of this fit into two checked bags and one carry-on
Start with shoes
Look at your itinerary and imagine exactly what types of shoes you’ll want and what type you’ll need (often two different things!). Be practical—stilettos and cobblestone streets/sandy beaches don’t mix—but don’t sacrifice style. Start pulling options from your closet with the idea that you will edit some of the shoes out before you actually pack the bags.
Use Color Stories
Based on location, we created different color stories so this client could easily pull outfits based on which city she was in or when she was on the yacht (…’cause, you know, you gotta have Yacht Outfits!)
Plan Your Outfits in Advance
Try them on or lay them out. This is the time to add accessories and edit your shoe choices. The fewer pieces of jewelry, fewer handbags and fewer shoes you can use and re-use will make packing (and getting dressed each day of the trip) much easier. Then hang everything on a rolling rack for a few days. Have a think. Edit or add as needed.
here are a few pages from her lookbook:
We ended up with 36 pages of outfits not including workout gear and a couple lounge outfits. She looked and felt fabulous in each location of her trip (and still had a bit of room in her luggage so that some newly acquired pieces could make it home with her 🛍). Here are a few snapshots.
Loving clothes and loving shopping is such a personal choice and one of self-expression. If you do this naturally, then embrace it and enjoy it! If it doesn’t come so easily to you, then you can always pack in a more streamlined way using this formula: 5 tops + 3 bottoms + 2 dresses + 2 cardigans/jackets and 4 pairs of shoes = 7 days of vacation in a carry-on bag. If I can help, please don’t hesitate to reach out here.
one last tip: don’t forget plane/arrival outfits
Wearing layers on a plane is crucial, but again you don’t have to sacrifice style. And also keep in mind the details of your arrival day. It’s very helpful to have a fresh outfit in your carry-on for a quick ‘costume’ change as soon as you land.
