Have outfits, will travel!
When we have the chance to visit fashion-forward cities like London and Paris, it can feel impossible to choose what clothes to bring. The media portrays everyone in those cities to look fabulous, and we certainly don’t want to stand out!!!
But, if you’re trying to pack in just a carry on, it can feel like a challenge to make everything fit.
At the end of the day, I have learned that it is important to pack a wardrobe that is both presentable and functional, rather than focus solely on the latest trends. High-end basics will not steer you wrong. And as an added bonus, basics will allow you to look put-together in your photos for years to come.
Further, in autumn and winter months, your coat will be covering your outfit most of the day as you explore the cities. I recommend checking the weather forecast and bring the best wrap to keep you warm and dry!
On my recent trip to London and Paris in mid November, I packed very last minute because I decided to join my husband on his business trip only a couple days prior to departure. Since I was flying standby, I was restricted to only bringing an international size carry-on suitcase (14”x9”x22” max) so I could have my bag with me at all times. [Happy to do a whole other blog post about my experiences flying standby another time, if you’d like!]
I knew the majority of my activities would involve sightseeing, so I quickly built a wardrobe around two pairs of nice jeans and two pairs of black leggings. One of the black leggings I wore on the plane paired with my heaviest sweater. I only packed one dress and one pair of nice shoes, since I only had two nice meals on my docket.
Using the four bottoms as my wardrobe base, I was able to add style and variety to my travel outfits by packing a number of lightweight tops. In terms of fabric, I prioritized poly-rayon shirts, since they do not take up much space and can be hand-washed very easily. Then, I found two sweaters that paired well with all of my tops so I could mix and match my layers of warmth. Lastly, I added a shimmery gold tunic sweater to the stack, which could be dressed up or down as I needed. Aaaaaaand…..done! Wow, so quick!
The weather while I was in London and Paris was in the 50’sF during the day and the 40’sF and 30’sF in the evenings. This packing list worked splendidly for six days in those temperatures, and I plan to use it for other November trips in my future! Since I’ve officially deemed the list a success, I thought it would be helpful to include the full packing checklist below so you can take advantage for your autumn packing needs, too!
Packing List:
- (2) clothes packing cubes
- (1) undergarments packing cube
- (2) protective shoe bags
- (1) warm scarf
- (1) pair of earmuffs
- (1) pair of gloves (not pictured but was included in pockets of trenchcoat)
- (1) trenchcoat with zip-out lining
- (1) long cardigan
- (1) standard cardigan
- (1) tunic sweater
- (2) pairs of jeans (one black, one dark blue)
- (3) cami’s (one white, two black)
- (1) belt
- (1) pair of comfortable sneakers
- (1) pair of heeled booties
- (1) pair of flip flop
- Underwear, bras, socks
- Compression socks for airplane
- (1) pair of black tights (not pictured but was included in the bag of undergarments)
- (1) bathing suit
- (1) black long-sleeve crew neck cotton shirt
- (1) long-sleeve thin cotton blouse
- (1) long-sleeve polyester rayon top
- (5) polyester rayon sleeveless tops, three of which can be worn over leggings
- (1) ankle-length polyester rayon black dress
- (2) pairs of black leggings
- (1) nightgown
- (1) thin zip-up sweatshirt
- (1) lounge t-shirt
- (1) pair of black long john’s
- (1) small bag of jewelry, hair ties, and hair clips
Enjoy, and happy travels!
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