Travel In Style: My 12 Item Wardrobe
I’ve been obsessively checking the extended weather forecasts for the last few days, and while I know that trying to get an accurate picture of the weather in France beyond a few days out is a fool’s errand, it does help to at least get a sense of what range of conditions we might reasonably expect. While the lightweight layers I’ve planned to bring will work for a wide range of temperatures, I’m trying balance what’s now looking to be a cool-ish, wet-ish couple of weeks with a desire to incorporate some visually lighter pieces (it IS spring, after all).
There are a few new pieces in the mix, so I made sure to do some “dress rehearsals” over the weekend to insure that the outfits I was planning would all actually work together. After a few final tweaks, I’m ready to pack. (If this wardrobe looks suspiciously similar to last year’s, that’s not a coincidence. Other than a couple of sweaters that were too warm/bulky, it worked well and I believe in not messing with success.)
I’ve lightened the exposure a bit to get details on black items. All are darker in reality than they appear here.
Of course I start with the shoes, and have ruled out sandals for this trip. I’m bringing the Aquatalia by Marvin K suede ankle boots, as a) they are waterproof and b) work with both casual and dressy outfits. The Gentle Souls wedge boots worked well on last year’s trip, so along they go. These will be my travel day and touring shoes, as they not only are comfortable and supportive, but the texture of the leather doesn’t easily show scuffs and marks. The Taos sneakers are new and, I’ll admit, included mostly to give myself some variety, and an option for warmer days. These have awesome arch support and I love the pewter metallic finish. (They’re darker and less “bling-y” than they appear in these photos.)
Working up from the shoes, for bottoms I’m bringing:
- 2 pair of Eileen Fisher skinny jeans, one in Indigo and one in Black
- 1 pair of Eileen Fisher ponte knit jeans, not currently available but these are similar fit and fabric.
- 1 Eileen Fisher knit pencil skirt (I did say no dresses, but after re-reading last year’s travel wardrobe recap, decided to bring a skirt that will work with most of my tops. I’ll wear with tights and the heeled ankle boots.)
For tops, I took a lesson from last year, and chose lighter weight sweaters.
- Everlane v-neck cashmere in Navy. The navy is currently sold out, but they do still have other colors. The taupe is nice. (I did end up re-ordering in a smaller size, which helped with the length and just fit better overall. I’ve worn it a bunch, washed once, and still almost no pilling!)
- J.Crew merino v-neck. (On final sale in Medium and Large, and J.Crew frequently offers additional discounts on sale items.)
- Eileen Fisher linen striped sweater. J’adore this one. (Runs larger, recommend sizing down.)
- Eileen Fisher linen tunic, black. This sweater has a slight sheen and works well for dressier outfits.
- Eileen Fisher striped top.
Jackets:
You’re right, that’s only 11. I’m leaving myself space for one “Wild Card” that I’ll choose at the last minute depending on whim or weather. I’m definitely bringing these 2 scarves, and will choose a third depending on my Wild Card, hoping to use both to add more color.
- Eileen Fisher striped scarf
- My favorite wool/cashmere blend J.Crew scarf from a couple of years ago. Here’s a similar cashmere blend eyelash wrap.
The necklaces are both from earlier seasons. The “statement” necklace is J.Crew, lots of options here. The longer one is LAUREN Ralph Lauren, similar style here.
What I’m not counting in my 12 items are what I call “underpinnings.” Those are pieces that I’ll wear as base layers underneath other tops for either warmth or modesty. This time I’m taking long sleeve layering tees from Adea, and a couple of silk jersey tanks from Eileen Fisher. Both of these are excellent choices for travel, as they are lightweight, layer without bulk, and can be washed in the sink and hung to dry overnight.
I’ll be bringing my Sandro utility jacket as my outerwear piece. It’s roomy enough that I can layer up considerably underneath if I need for warmth. And I’m now on the fence about which bag to bring. The one I’d assumed I’d use is suddenly experiencing potential hardware malfunction, so I hope to have my cobbler look at it today and advise.
I’m using packing cubes for all of my clothing, and it’s amazing how small everything packs down with these. I’ll share a photo of my bags once packed tomorrow.
How far ahead do you plan a travel wardrobe? Do you often make changes at the last minute?
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