Packing Light: 5 Days, 1 Carry-On

In a few days, Jason and I are headed out to Arizona for family, food and fun. If you saw my last "Packing Light" post you know that I prefer to travel with only 1 carry-on by packing strategically to get the most out of a few select items. For this vacation I will be bringing mostly neutral basics that I can dress up or down and jazz up with southwestern inspired accessories. Below I have outlined my detailed packing list in the hope that it will inspire you to pack light as well. 

T-Shirts and Button-Downs

The weather in Arizona is supposed to be wonderfully warm during the day and crisp at night so I will be packing only two t-shirts. The first is a basic white t that I can wear alone during the day and layered at night. Both are 100% cotton and will be breathable enough for both the warm daytime temps and cooler evening temps. As you know, I love button-downs for how versatile they are so  I will be bringing 1 chambray shirt, 1 long sleeve silk shirt and 1-2 short sleeve silk shirts because they take up practically no space in my suitcase and will serve me well depending on the weather and what we're doing. 

Sweaters and Jackets

For this post I have lumped sweaters and jackets together because I consider both of them toppers. Because we will be in the dessert and the change in temps from day to night can be drastic, I will be bringing 2 jackets and 2 sweaters. For jackets I will bring my rich brown leather jacket that I will wear on the plane and basic jean jacket for the perfect southwestern touch. For sweaters I am bringing my white cotton crew neck that I will likely wear on the plane and my cream cashmere cable knit crew neck sweater. 

Shorts, Jeans and Pants

When it comes to traveling I like to take only a few pairs of bottoms because they can be mixed and matched really easily and tend to take up a lot of space in my suitcase. For this trip I will be bringing my white Levi's 501 CT jeans, white J. Crew shorts, LOFT Skinny Jeans (that I will wear on the plane), an old J. Crew jean skirt and Massimo Dutti printed skirt. 

Accessories, Purses and Jewelry

This is the fun part! I LOVE accessories for how much they can change up a look and take up little space in my suitcase so I will be bringing 1 purse and a variety of jewelry, scarves and belts to add the perfect touch to each outfit. Below, I have outlined some similar options to what I will be packing.  

Shoes  

To suit the wide range of activities we will be doing I am bringing 4 pairs of shoes. 1 pair of brown gladiator sandals that are super comfortable, 1 pair of pointed toe flats that I can wear to dress up any of my looks, my new Madewell Billie boots that I will be wearing on the plane and are insanely comfortable and so versatile, and 1 pair of sneakers.  

Until next time, happy packing!

Packing Light: 2 Weeks Of Outfits In 1 Carry-On

Christmas is next week and I couldn't be more excited! To celebrate the most wonderful day of the year, I will be heading out of town to be with family. All-in-all, my trip will span 2 states and just under 2 weeks but I will only be taking 1 carry-on suitcase. To help inspire you to travel light too, I have rounded up the items I will be taking with me below, along with how I plan to mix and match them for endless outfits. Plus, I will of course post some of my looks on here and Instagram so you can see how it all comes together.  

Packing List

Before I jump into the specifics of each item, here is a quick run-down of everything I am bringing. 

• 1 black long sleeve t-shirt
• 1 navy long sleeve t-shirt
• 1 striped 3/4 sleeve t-shirt
• 1 short sleeve black t-shirt
• 1 white button-down
• 1 white silk button-down 
• 1 black silk button-down
• 1 black short sleeve silk button-down
• 1 red plaid button-down
• 1 blue and white striped button-down
• 1 chambray button-down
• 1 cream cable knit cashmere sweater 
• 1 cream cashmere cardigan
• 1 red cashmere sweater
• 1 navy cotton cable knit sweater
• 1 navy blazer
• 1 plaid blazer
• 1 pair of dark wash skinny jeans
• 1 pair of black pants
• 1 pair of navy shorts
• 1 pair of leggings 
• 1 plaid pencil skirt
• 1 a-line plaid skirt
• 1 black a-line skirt
• 1 pair of ballet flats
• 1 pair of loafers
• 1 pair of printed flats
• 1 pair of dressy flats
• 1 pair of boots
• 2 Faux pearl necklaces - multi layer and single strand
• 1 statement frog necklace
• 1 festive crystal necklace
• 1 gold seashell medallion necklace
• 1 pair of statement crystal earrings
• 1 pair of basic pearls
• 1 pair of diamond studs
• 1 pair of light blue drop earrings
• A selection of vintage brooches
• A selection of silk scarves
• 3 belts
• 1 basic black purse
• 1 clutch

T-Shirts

I will be spending the first half of the holiday in Florida and the second half in Charleston, SC. To suit the two different climates - cooler Charleston temps and unpredictable, warm Florida weather - I am packing four t-shirts (1 black long sleeve, 1 navy long sleeve, 1 3/4 sleeve striped and 1 short sleeve black t). The first two long sleeved t's are from J. Crew,.the third basic 3/4 sleeve striped t is from Forever 21, and the short sleeve t is one I have had for years but cut the tag out of. I don't wear t-shirts too often in my day-to-day life but I love them for traveling because they act as the perfect base for printed scarves and statement necklaces, and can easily be paired with blazers and sweaters until my hearts content. The ability to mix-and-match is critical when packing light, and layers like t-shirts are an effortless way to do that without adding weight to your suitcase. 

Button-Downs

When it comes to button-downs, I am packing seven because I tend to wear them more than any other top and they can easily transition between formal and dressy settings and the two climates by rolling and unrolling the sleeves and layering them. The first of four button-downs I am bringing is my white Ralph Lauren oxford that is light and airy for the Florida heat and also perfect for more casual days. The next three are my white and black long sleeve Everlane silk blouses and short sleeve black silk blouse that I love for dressier occasions and because they're incredibly light weight for packing - they roll up to practically nothing in my suitcase but add the perfect polish to any look. The final three are my blue and white striped Ralph Lauren oxford, red plaid Ralph Lauren button-down and J. Crew chambray shirt. I love all three of these for traveling because they are more memorable than the plain ones and can stand alone if need be in the Florida heat. Plus, they add just the right amount of visual appeal when paired with basic skirts, pants, sweaters and more. 

Sweaters

Because I will be heading south for the holidays and it won't be too cold, I am bringing 3 cashmere sweaters and 1 light weight cotton one because they can be rolled to take up as little space as possible, and are the perfect weight for Florida winter nights and cooler Charleston days. The first cashmere sweater I will be packing is my cream cable knit one. I love this sweater for travel because it is luxe enough to stand alone but also pairs beautifully with any of the tops I am bringing and all of my accessories. Next, I am packing my cream cashmere cardigan for throwing on over all of the tops I am bringing, and a new Talbots red cashmere sweater for a festive pop. The last sweater is a navy L.L. Bean cable knit crew neck one that I love for adding texture and warmth. 

Blazers and Jackets

For blazers I am bringing a versatile one and a fun festive one. The neutral blazer is my Brooks Brothers navy one and the festive one is a fun plaid offering that I recently got for the holiday season. Both of these are great for throwing on over my tops and sweaters and for keeping me warm during the cooler (but not too cold) Charleston nights. To save on suitcase space though, I will be wearing one of them for travel and I'll share how I do so soon. 

Jeans

I am only bringing one pair of jeans - my trusty high waisted, dark wash skinny jeans from LOFT that I have raved about countless times. They are super comfortable and versatile and I can't imagine traveling without them. 

Pants, Shorts and Leggings

This trip I will be bringing 1 pair of black pants that can be dressed up or down, 1 pair of navy shorts perfect for the Florida sun and 1 pair of leggings for lounging around the house. 

Skirts

Like button-downs, I love to bring skirts when packing light because they can easily be dressed up or down and they take up very little space in my suitcase. For this trip, I will be bringing 1 plaid pencil skirt from J.Crew, 1 vintage a-line plaid one for Christmas festivities and 1 a-line black skirt from LOFT. 

Shoes

When packing light, I think it is critical to limit the amount of shoes you bring because they take up a lot of valuable suitcase space and can weigh you down. With this in mind, I am bringing 1 pair of ballet flats, 1 pair of loafers, 1 pair of printed flats, 1 pair of dressy flats and 1 pair of boots that I will wear on the plane to save space. 

Accessories

As you know, I love accessories because they can completely transform classic basics and stretch your wardrobe. For this very reason, I will be bringing a ton of accessories on this trip. For necklaces, I will be packing my favorite faux pearls from J. Crew and Brooks Brothers, my statement J. Crew frog necklace for a fun pop, crystal necklace from J. Crew Factory for festive looks and gold seashell medallion from J. Crew. For earrings I will bring my statement crystal earrings from J. Crew, basic pearls, diamond studs and light blue Julie Vos drop earrings. I will also be bringing a few of my favorite vintage brooches, silk scarves and belts. Finally, I will be bringing along a basic black bag and 1 clutch. 

Until next time, happy packing!