When we travel we almost always go carry-on if we are flying. We have been traveling in Spring and Autumn for our last few trips so the weather has been fairly similar each time we have traveled. That means that packing is getting quicker because I always reach for the same things. These clothes are also my favourites at home, so it’s a bonus that they travel well. all of these pieces went with me to New York, Germany, Paris, London, on the Camino and around Wales.
- Dress – I pack a long-sleeve dress that can be rolled up and never creases. This is my only dressy winter dress, and I love it. It is dry clean only, but I always wear something under it (either a long-sleeve merino or a short-sleeved T-shirt) so I only dryclean it once at the end of winter.
- Chelsea Boots – I wear these sight-seeing and going out. They are really comfy for all-day walking around the city and keep my feet dry when it’s wet. Since they are heavy, I usually wear them on the plane because the weight limit for carry-on flying out of Australia is usually 7kg. This works out well though because they are easy to slip on and off.
- Dressy blouse – this is my favourite winter top. Once again, it can be rolled up and never creases. It washes easily and dries quickly, but I often wear something under it for warmth so it doesn’t need frequent washing when we are away. I like it so much that when it started fraying around the wrists and neck, I got out the sewing machine and refinished all the edges so I could keep wearing it.
- Black Lululemon pants. I wear these on the plane and out for dinner with the black top. Comfortable like pyjamas but with a nice top (not tucked in), you can’t even tell they have an elastic waist.
- Macpac merino long-sleeved T-shirts. I actually wear these every day, all of winter at home but, I also travel with them. They dry super quickly, are a warm base layer and go under my dress, blouse and under a jumper during the day.
Do you always reach for the same things when you travel?
Comments
22 responses to “List #41: Travel MVPs … Or Five pieces I love to pack”
That’s a smart way of travelling, Melissa. I also only wear long-sleeved stuff on a plane – I find it so unhygienic in those seats, those seats are way too grimy for me to risk any skin contact 😅
Haha, it’s also quite cold on most planes and I like to make sure I have plenty of air because of travel sickness.
I wish I had some regular go-to staples for travel like this. I feel like it really depends on the destination though I’ve learned that I am almost always cold so it’s VERY important for me to bring layers and more warm things than I think I’ll need!
I love that dress and having something that doesn’t wrinkle (and is relatively thin so can fold up into almost nothing) is what I look for in any dress I take with me while travelling!
Layers are the most versatile; they took me from 26C in DC to snowing in Munich, all in the one 7kg carry-on. If you do make it to Melbourne make sure you pack for a variety of weather. Four seasons in one day is not an unusual occurrence here. Unless you come in winter, then you just need warm clothes, but not as warm as what you need for home.
Lululemon pants are the best for travel. They look good, they wear well, and they are so comfortable! Ditto for cute boots that are also waterproof. I only travel carryon as well, so I am very aware of the non-wrinkle-roll-up nature of things!
I think you’ve posted about your Lululemon pants before, and they are very similar to mine.
We have really different destinations at different times of the year. I have started making packing lists in Google docs though, so I can make a copy of each trip and then edit for the current destination. It’s really helpful in my current life season since I am also packing for two little kids and it’s easy to forget something when you are packing for 3 people! Plus I can add in anything to the list I wish I had brought, which helps.
I have a spreadsheet for packing too. Packing for two kids changes things. It’s so much easier when they can look after their own packing and case.
It’s so smart to know your prefect travel outfits and not have to think, or overthink packing. When I just flew to Tampa, I was trying to figure out what to wear on the plane. I was still wearing a lot of lightweight summer stuff because our fall was so mild. Knowing I was going to Tampa, I figured light weight would work. I contemplated leggings and then I grabbed my fav pair of Royal Robbins pants. I love them so much. Black, pockets, long enough, no elastic at the ankles. Pure comfort but easy to dress up or down. Funny how I’d sort of forgotten them, not having 1. travelled much, or 2. needed long pants much. I have a few other pieces that I pack knowing they won’t wrinkle.
If you have something you love that also travels well, that makes packing so much easier.
People who travel with just carry-on, esp. internationally – fascinate me, but I am not surprised you have go-to items that you pack that are versatile and small to pack. I love the Chelsea boots.
The boots have been one of my better buys. They are so comfy.
I don’t travel as much as you do, so I can’t say I have a standard wardrobe. I love the dress and top that never wrinkle!!! Those pieces are great, and I can se why you mended the top when I started to fray. I think I need those Lululemon pants!
The Lululemon pants are great. I love clothes that don’t wrinkle.
I love all of these pieces! I have not traveled much for pleasure since having kids, but I travel a lot for work. I pretty much only pack dresses. During the cold-weather months, I pack black dresses that I can wear with tights; in the summer/warm months, I will pack navy dresses since I don’t need tights. I have not found tights that I like with navy and I refuse to wear panty hose!
Packing dresses for work trips makes sense. That’s what I would do too. I agree on the pantyhose, ick.
You know I love a good travel prep post, Melissa!!! And I love all your clothes. And I love clothes in general (ya know 😉
Okay, when I travel it really depends on the country and climate. But I usually am very minimal- because I always, always purchase something in that country. But, for a colder climate, I’d go with yoga pants, a few long sleeve tops and a sweater. Thursday boots+sneakers. A light jacket- that’s it 🙂
I bought a couple of things when I was in Paris and deliberately didn’t bring a nice cardigan or jumper so I had room to get something new.
These are good picks for travel – even though I’d say it’s more summer clothing in my eyes. But that is just me.
I always wear the biggest shoes and jeans and big sweaters on th plane in order to not take app space in my luggage.
I also often take things with me that I will not bring back home. So old socks or underwear that gets discarded somewhere on the trip. If I happen to buy something I have space available.
I through away some T-shirts while I was in Noosa but that was not by design in the packing, more that I found holes in them while I was away.
This is so smart! I don’t have anything like this and I tend to OVERPACK because I’m always like, “But what if I don’t feel like wearing XYZ top on that day?” LOL. I love that dress, too!
When you pack light, you just have to wear what you’ve got, I guess. That dress is so easy to wear, and floaty so never feels restrictive.