Last month, I got to spend a week in my hometown. Getting some extended time with my family and friends was medicine to my soul!
I also ended up being so happy with the functional little travel wardrobe I packed that I wanted to share it here with you. So today I’m sharing:
- How I plan my travel wardrobe
- What I packed
- A free packing planner printable for you
Let’s jump in!
HOW I PLAN MY TRAVEL WARDROBE
The Basics
Whenever it’s time to plan a travel wardrobe, I start with the basics — I check the weather and make sure I know my activities/agenda for the trip.
I find this simplifies the whole packing process tremendously by giving me a strong starting point, eliminating a lot of options right away, and clarifying what I actually need.
When I take the time to plan this way, I’m more likely to have everything I need on the trip without overpacking. Here’s what it looked like for this particular trip:
Weather: For this trip, temps ranged from 40°F to 85°F, and we had sunny days, windy days, and thunderstorms. A bit all over the place! I focused on packing things I could layer and un-layer. I packed options for cold weather (coat, sweater, jeans, sneakers, socks, etc.) and packed options for warm weather (tank tops, shorts, sandals, a poplin shirt, etc.).
Activities: My days would mostly be spent at home with my family or working in a coffee shop — so casual clothes were top priority. I also knew I’d be taking daily walks and going on a trip to the zoo — so I needed some activewear options and a hat too. And finally, I had a couple of nicer outings planned (like a happy hour with friend and a dinner out) — so I made sure to include some items that could be dressed up a bit.
Color Palette
Once I had the basics down, I moved on to creating a cohesive color palette:
Green: Since it’s spring, I’m feeling the greens — they are so bright and lively! So I let my inspiration lead, and selected green as the first color for my travel wardrobe. You can see I’ve got pops of green here and there throughout this travel wardrobe — a bright green sweater, a lime green ball cap, and a green claw clip.
Light Blue: When choosing my next color, I thought about what would pair well with green. Blue was a natural choice — I always love green and blue together, plus it’s so easy to incorporate blue through denim. You can see I’ve got touches of blue throughout — light wash denim, and a blue stripe poplin button down.
Black: When selecting my final color, I knew I wanted a neutral. I also knew I wanted something dark to contrast the bright springy hues I’d already selected. I love the way black pairs with green and blue, plus I really love wearing all-black, so black was a natural choice.
This color palette allowed for many different moods: I could wear all my greens and blues together and be very springy indeed. OR I could go all minimalist/moody/dark/chic with an all-black look. OR I could split the difference.
WHAT I PACKED
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1 | Bright Sweater | This sweater added the happiest jolt of vibrance and spring color to my trip. I bundled up in it on the chilly days, but I also found it handy to have on the not-so-chilly days too — I could just throw it around my shoulders for a nice pop of color.
2 | Crop Hoodie | This oversized layer kept me warm. I paired it with black bike shorts and white sneakers for walks. Another day, I wore it with jeans, a tank, and white sneakers for a casual look.
3 & 4 | Tank Tops | These run a little large, I recommend sizing down one | I packed two and honestly I probably should have packed four. I wore one as a base layer almost every day, plus they are so easy to dress up. I especially loved wearing the white tank with long denim shorts and an open button down.
5 | Oversized Button Down | This poplin shirt is super lightweight, making it an ideal “third piece” for warm days. I wore this open over a tank and bike shorts. Another day, I buttoned it up and did a french tuck into jeans.
6 | Long Denim Shorts | Curve Love Fit | These shorts! I’m obsessed! The longer length is so chic and elevated. I wore them with my green sweater one day, a tank top another day — they go with everything.
7 | Bike Shorts | Similar for less | These were so nice to have for walks and lounging.
8 | Joggers | I paired these with a tank, hoodie, and sneakers and it ended up being the perfect thing to wear for the 3 hour trip.
9 | Jeans | Curve Love Fit | Don’t leave home without good, versatile jeans. On a cold day, I wore these with the green sweater, black coat, and white sneakers. They were just as great with sandals and a tank on warm days.
10 | Midi Dress | I am currently obsessed with this dress. I want to wear it every day. The cut is chic, but it’s actually a sports dress from Beyond Yoga. The material is so soft, just like their yoga pants. It’s casual, but it can be dressed up a bit. I wore it with the green sweater around my shoulders for a pop of color.
11 | Weatherproof Coat | As much as I wanted to be all, “It’s spring, I don’t WANT to pack a coat” I’m really glad I packed a coat. It was downright cold and windy a couple of days! A long black coat looks good with any outfit, whether it be dressy, everyday, or sporty.
12 | Nike Air Max 90 White Sneakers | More sizes here | I packed these because they can be that casual white sneaker that looks chic with dresses, AND they are actually great to exercise in. I wore them with just about everything.
13 | Flat Sandals | To me, nothing is as versatile as a leather flip flop. Its essence is casual, but the minimalist silhouette feels chic too. I paired these with the midi dress for a dinner out.
14 | Shoulder Bag | Similar for less | For travel, I find a no-fuss black shoulder bag that zips is best. This one is the perfect size — it’s practical for everyday wear, but it’s also got that “little black bag” vibe that can go dressy in a heartbeat.
15 & 16 | Ball Cap & Claw Clip | I found the color of the ball cap to be a little more muted than the pictures online | Never underestimate the power of accessories. It’s amazing how just a few accessories can really elevate a look and give you a lot more options when it comes to styling. I never leave home without a ball cap these days, and this one in lime green is so light and lively, I love it! Plus the green claw clip was a fun way to add a little extra detail and color to my outfits.
17 | Silver Hoops and Necklace | My go-to for adding a touch of glimmer to every outfit. I wore them every day.
18 | Socks | A fun change up from no-show socks. Plus cozy and comfortable.
FREE PRINTABLE: PACKING PLANNER
If you’re like me and you love a good printable, this one’s for you! You can download my packing planner right here and here’s an example to get you started. It only has enough planning room for a week, so feel free to print out multiples if your trip is longer. Tip: I’ve found it’s best to write in pencil, so you can adjust as you go along.
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Thank you so much for reading — I had a ton of fun putting this post together and I hope you enjoyed it! Hopefully it gives you some packing inspiration for your next trip.
Got any trips coming up? Or any packing tips or questions? Let me know in the comments.
Also, I’m posting a lot more outfits to Pinterest and LTK this month, so feel free to follow along there if you like.
We’re planning a two week long trip in France on a Viking ship cruise. I have no idea how to manage a two week long trip with enough clothes packed in my luggage without packing everything I own. Do you have any advice?
Hi Phyllis! I did a post a few years ago about packing for a two or three week trip — hopefully it can help you get started!
https://www.un-fancy.com/outfits-summer/summer-travel-wardrobe-with-everlane/
Thank you for this, Caroline! I enjoy your packing lists and especially appreciate the helpful commentary you include on how you wore/how much you used what you packed.
I LOVE making packing lists and pretty much had it down to a science before the pandemic hit. Now that I have started taking little trips again, I have found myself back at square one, staring at all the things I want to include ‘just in case’ and laughing at how muh my packing muscle has atrophied these past two years. Your post is helping me get back on my game! What fun! Thank you!
Jen I totally feel you! And your phrasing about your packing muscle atrophying — THAT’S SO IT. LOL, that’s what I’ve been feeling too. Thanks for putting words to it! :)
😂The struggle is real!
Love the pop a green! It’s so refreshing to see. You’re inspiring to branch out from my usual neutrals. I’ll be adding some of these items to my cart for spring/summer 🤩
It’s fun to add in a little color! :)
I love that Midi dress! Just wondering what size you wear since there are no reviews to know whether the dress runs small / large / or true to size.
Hi Shellie! I got an XS and I’d say it fits TTS. It’s fitted but since it’s a sports dress it’s super stretchy and comfortable.
Would love to see the outfits you created from your packing list.
Me too!
Hi Wanda! I’ll plan to post a round up of outfits from the travel wardrobe a little later this week. :)
Thank you for sharing your travel packing planner. I use a similar one that I came up with awhile back when I traveled a lot for work. The one thing I found helpful was breaking out the outfit column to include accessories. This way I was sure to take jewelry, shoes, and/or undergarments I might need for a particular outfit.
That is such a good idea Virginia! I might have to revise the planner to include an accessories section. Bringing the right accessories can make a travel wardrobe so much more useful and versatile. Thanks for sharing.
this is so timely, thank you! i’m headed to a wedding in Santa Rosa this weekend, with rain in the forecast and hopefully a small hike. the week after i’ll be driving to New Mexico with a friend. i’ve got my work cut out for me, but luckily i’ve been using a reliable packing planner for years, inspired by yours.
Great post, thanks!!