Edition 42: A Travel Wardrobe

Tips for dressing well while packing light

Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.

Do the winter blues have you dreaming of a summer vacation? Well, it seems that many of you are planning ahead and already thinking about what you’ll wear when you get there. Eight years ago I went on a road trip around Costa Rica and all of my luggage was stolen from the car on the second day. I was left with the contents of my backpack, three articles of clothing, a bikini and a pair of Tevas for the rest of my trip. It was an uncomfortable week, but the lesson I learned was almost worth it: I can enjoy my trip more when I have less stuff to worry about. With that in mind, today we’re dressing for two different warm weather trips to Italy:

From Eliza in LA: “My husband and I are going to Italy for two weeks this June — spending time in Tuscany, the Sorrentine peninsula, and Rome. I need some fashion guidance on what to wear that will allow me to pack lightly, dress stylishly and appropriately for the regions, and still allow me to be comfortable while trekking around for hours every day (though we’ll mostly be swimming and relaxing while on the coast). Any suggestions would be welcome! I’ve loved following your Italy travel on instagram and have already saved loads of tips from your stories.”

Dear Eliza,

I have two very important pieces of advice when it comes to organizing a travel wardrobe:

1. No one cares if you repeat an outfit! Wear the same outfit two days in a row! Seriously! This isn’t just about packing light, but also about making your life easier when packing/unpacking/deciding what to wear. I wore this Rachel Antonoff dress every other day on my summer trip to Tuscany and loved it.

2. Pick a color palette and stick to it! Every single thing in your travel wardrobe should be able to go with everything else. You’ll have an outfit for every scenario and won’t have to worry about “matching”. Does this intimidate you? Stick to neutral base garments and get your color from accessories/shoes/outerwear.

And besides, you’re going to a place known for its fashion! You’re going to be surrounded by gorgeous wearable souvenirs that can fill in for anything you realize you need when you get there. When I travel, I make a point of buying exactly one perfect garment or accessory to remind me of my trip. On my recent trip to London, it was a Rejina Pyo dress. When I was last in Florence, it was a silk scarf from the Gucci Garden shop. Give yourself room to collect a treasure or two.

For a summer trip where you’re not going to be doing anything too strenuous, this is what my packing list would look like:

1 casual dress - something that you could dress up, or down, or even wear over a swimsuit

1 nice dress - try to choose something that only requires a steamy bathroom to de-wrinkle

1 skirt OR short - something you can dress up or down! I’d pick a linen skirt

1 pair of pants - your favorite jeans, or a lightweight pair of colorful trousers

1 nice shirt - must go with all bottoms!

1 t-shirt - nice enough to wear out, cozy enough for a lazy day

1 big white oxford - great for wearing as a beach coverup, or tied up with a cute skirt for a night out

1 exercise/outdoors outfit - also doubles as your comfy travel outfit

1 sweater - for breezy evenings AND to wear on the plane

1 pair of athletic/outdoorsy shoes - wear these to the airport since they’ll probably be your bulkiest footwear

1 pair of everyday shoes - could be beach-friendly flat sandals, loafers, etc

1 pair of fun shoes - I’d pack espadrilles because they’re lightweight and versatile

2 swimsuits - two, in case one is wet! A vacation yeast infection is not fun

1 versatile handbag - more on this further along in this newsletter

1 hat and/or sunglasses - summer in Italy is sunny!

1 wildcard accessory - I’d choose a big silk scarf that can be worn around my shoulders, or around my head.

All of this will easily fit in your carry-on, with room for books, toiletries and a few souvenirs.

One thing to note: I encourage you do your best to avoid temptation to buy a whole new wardrobe for your vacation. I’ve found that when I’ve done this in the past, I’ve ended up with a bunch of extremely specific garments that I’m unlikely to ever wear again out of context. When looking at potential new stuff for your trip, ask yourself “do I want to wear this in my regular life?”. Another thing I think we should normalize is borrowing clothes! Does your friend have the perfect flowy cotton dress in exactly the right color? Ask to borrow it!

To give you some ideas and inspiration, here are a few of my tried-and-true favorites:

Patagonia Fleetwith Romper in Black ($129)

This thing is so lightweight, flattering and comfortable! You can wear it on a hike, to exercise, or can dress it up for a casual dinner by throwing something over it and wearing cute shoes. It dries quickly, is perfect for lounging and truly, I’ve never travelled with anything more versatile.

Nikki Chasin Baroness Dress ($358)

I’m obsessed with this dress. Like the Rachel Antonoff dress I linked to above, it’s patterned enough that you won’t notice a few wrinkles here and there. The Baroness is so fun to wear, goes with everything and can be styled with something under it (a white t-shirt! a turtleneck!) or a button-up, cardigan, or jacket over it. While you’re snooping around Nikki’s site, also check out the Menina Moire dress, which was my go-to fancy travel dress last year.

Gap 100% Cotton Crewneck Cardigan ($20-$27)

Readers who have been here for a while probably know that I’m a stickler for slow fashion and ethical manufacturing, but sometimes I fall in love with something outside of my typical boundaries, or find the better options to be outside my budget. All of that said, I firmly believe that Gap makes the best, most simple, lightweight crewneck cardigans. I love the 90’s vibe of a proper cardigan, and have never found one that I love more than the 10-year old cotton blend one that’s carried me through all seasons.

Naomi Nomi’s The New Oxford ($198)

I used this brand as an inspiring example in my December post about Black Friday and have since gotten a ton of wear out of this white shirt. Over, under, on its own — it’s the perfect not-too-masculine oxford I’ve found. Each Naomi Nomi garment is made in Queens from the highest quality materials, which is especially evident when putting them to work on the road.

Still don’t know where to start? Pull out the things you can’t imagine not bringing and work round them. And remember: you’re not going to miss that extra shirt you didn’t pack when you’re busy people watching on a piazza.

Quick tip: pack a couple of laundry pods, or a little travel-sized bottle of Dr. Bronners for hand-washing, just in case!

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QUICK ANSWER

Rachel in Brooklyn: “I am looking for a cute purse for when I travel to Italy this spring. Requirements: should be comfortable for carrying all day, enough room to hold essentials ie: phone, charger, wallet and a little more room for small things I might pick up over the course of the day like postcards, etc. Should be secure enough so to reasonably protect myself from pick pockets, doesn’t look cheap / like I obviously bought it for travel. I would be willing to spend money on something like this but all my searches so far that I like end up not having any way to close. Thank you!”

Rachel, what you’ve described sounds just right for secure and care-free roaming. I’d suggest something crossbody, with a zipper for maximum safety and would also like to remind you: you’re going to the land of handbags!! Leave some room in your budget in case you fall in love something on your trip. For now, I’ve got two options that will serve their purpose and not make you look like a tourist in athleisure.

Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag ($20)

You’ve likely seen this bag on TikTok, but I have to include it because it’s everything it’s cracked up to be. Though it’s nylon, the fabric has a very matte finish that looks smooth and expensive. And the best part is that it does really fit everything, including everything in your particular list. I bought one of these after seeing it last summer on a very chic friend and have been surprised to find that it’s become my go-to for running around the city.

Bembian Mini Sling Bag ($175)

Bembien makes affordable woven leather handbags that are simply gorgeous. There are several crossbody styles to check out, but for the sake of comparison, I chose their version of a sling bag.

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A follow-up on last week’s pill cases:

From Shelley in NYC: “Hi! Don’t miss your pills. I’m a person with medical issues (organ transplant) writing to strongly recommend a revolutionary, programmable pill distribution machine I found called HERO (about $50, plus subscription fee; insurance may cover it). You can’t put it in your purse, but it will pop out the right pills to take with you, remind you when it’s time, keep track when you miss — amd even order you new meds if you like when it’s time. I was spacy about pill-taking — dangerous in my situation — and this changed my life. My doctors love me now. At HeroHealth.com.”

Thank you Shelley, for sharing this wonderful innovation!

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FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

Ever since I impulse bought a box of these at Tokyo duty-free they’ve been my carry-on essential for red eyes and long haul flights. Kao MegRhythm Steam Eye Masks are oxygen-activated heated aromatherapy eye masks that do wonders to calm me down when I’m on the road or in a new environment. The Forest Bathing scent makes me feel like I’m sitting under a tree in the woods and not in an a pressurized air cabin.

Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next week for a fresh recommendations. xo Caroline

Thumbnail photo: Courtesy of my fabulous friend Grace Difford, with whom I travelled down the Tuscan coast last summer.