Best Packing Practices from a Personal Stylist
It is travel season and as such, I wanted to dedicate a blog post to some handy, dandy packing tips! Many clients hire me this time of year to help them outfit plan, fill in the gaps and identify pieces that will be perfect for their itineraries. Styling for vacations is one of my favorite services as it allows us to play with the wardrobe in different ways than we would if we are styling day-to-day. But as fun as it can be, it can also be a little stressful. Identifying the key pieces that will travel with you whilst still having enough flexibility is a challenge - especially if you’re trying to be fashionable along the way. Hopefully these quick tips can help!
1.2-a-day keeps the anxiety away!
When packing for myself or for my clients, I recommend you plan for 2 outfits a day - one for daytime activities and one for evening. I find that if you stick to this model, you will have plenty to work with, without feeling like you’re missing anything. This model still gives you enough options to play with in case your itinerary changes. Additionally, it keeps a good mix of formal/elevated wear and casual/athletic wear - ensuring you have plenty of all types of clothing.
2.Itinerary Guide = Outfit Guide
I will typically print my itinerary or list of daily activities to reference when I am packing. This helps me make sure that I am packing the appropriate type of outfit for each respective activity. For example, if I am planning to hike a pyramid, I will know to plan an active outfit with athletic shoes, baseball cap, and clothing to keep me cool. If I am going to a show in the evening, I will pack a formal outfit, and so-on. The itinerary is a very useful guide when planning what to wear. It also keeps you comfortable so you don’t hurt yourself, prevent blisters, stay cool enough, etc.
3. Mixing & Matching Means More
When I say to pack “2 outfits a day”, that doesn’t necessarily mean that each outfit needs to contain unique pieces. In fact, the more use you can get out of a piece of clothing, the better! For example, a wide-leg trouser with sneakers and a tank can be a great outfit for sight-seeing and those same wide-leg trousers can then be paired with a heel and silky blouse for dinner. Getting multi-use out of several items will keep your luggage manageable and help you save room for those specialty pieces.
4. Be Smart with Shoe Selection
As we all know, shoes are the most difficult item to pack as they take up a lot of space and can be very heavy. I LOVE shoes and believe they can really make or break an outfit. That said - when packing, I have to switch my mindset and be a little bit more strategic about my shoe choice. I try to stick to a simple formula: 1 white sneaker (comfortable for sightseeing but sleek enough for cute outfits), 1 flat sandal, 1 black heel (or platform or espadrille) and 1 neutral heel (or platform or espadrille). Then wear one of these on the plane (likely the white sneaker) to save space!
If luggage permits: 1 athletic shoe (if you’re into working out or hiking), 1 additional sandal that is comfortable for walking.
Obviously this will vary on location or comfort level with heels but I find that this formula never fails me allows me plenty of options to rotate with my outfits.
There is a caveat to this formula. If you’re going to the snow, that is a bit more challenging. Swap out the white sneaker with a comfortable snow boot and the heels for a heeled boot.
5. Accessories are your Friend
Accessories are a great way to complete an outfit and also, change the look up. Vacation is also a great place to play around and have some fun! Those big statement earrings you’re scared to wear day-to-day? Vacation is the perfect time to bust those out. You can completely change an outfit by switching out sunglasses, jewelry and bag so pack those in as a means to mix & match.
6. Lay low on Layers
When packing for vacation I typically recommend that the client focuses on 1-2 outwear pieces. If you are going somewhere hot (like Europe in the summer) you really don’t need more than one jean jacket to get you through the trip.
You can bring one comfortable jacket for the plane, otherwise, keep your layers pretty minimal. While layering is a great way to create outfits at home, outerwear can take a lot of space so I don’t recommend focusing here.
Again, if you’re headed to the snow, this calculation is a little different. Wear your biggest jacket on the plane to save room and then pack 1 black coat and 1 neutral coat - ensure one is formal-ish for nights out.
7. Document your looks
When packing for my trips, I always take pictures of the complete outfits to have them as a reference for the trip. Extra points if you put photos into a deck with notes and print! This helps me offload the stress of picking out outfits day to day and is helpful in reminding me what items go together. When exploring a beautiful new place, the last thing you want to do is worry about your outfits and I promise, documenting them in advance helps! Simply reference the photos, throw on the outfit as you styled it at home and you’re good-to-go.
8. Stay Away from Bad Habits
It is so common for us to want to throw last minute items into the suitcase before we close it up. Try to avoid this! Those items we didn’t plan are typically not items we’ll miss and they just take up space in the suitcase. Save the last bit of space for a book or accessory - if you follow the rules above, you won’t have a feeling that you missed anything and you’ll have plenty to work with.
While these are all simple-to-execute hacks for your next vacation, Personal Styling offers more benefits than listed here. In addition to outfit planning in alignment with the tips above, I also help find the gaps in the wardrobe and direct you to those purchases - for example, you don’t have the perfect day-to-day crossbody bag for day-to-night or the right light layer to pack. Additionally, I’ll document the looks and package them into a packing guide for you. Have a vacation coming up? Just contact me today and we’ll get you set up with packing success!