Photo: foreignstudents.com
One more quick post before going off to London tonight! The weather reports say that London and SE England will be exactly like it is here this week: cool and cloudy with showers and rain. Although I’d love to wear cute city spring wear, I have to be realistic. If you live in Atlanta or Las Vegas, my travel clothes will look like winter wear to you, but if you’re in Seattle or Edinburgh or Helsinki or Halifax, you’ll understand!
I have never been a minimalist when it comes to luggage. I take one checked suitcase and one carry-on, no matter whether I’m travelling 3 days or 3 weeks. I’ve been lugging this amount of stuff around with me for years, and it’s what I can manage. I always have some room to buy things and take them back with me, but I’m not a mega-shopper.
My packing list for this trip is:
Clothes – Travel Outfit (I am always cold on planes):
- all-weather coat & scarf
- 1 pair flats (shoes)
- 1 pullover sweater
- 1 pair comfy jeggings
Clothes – In Suitcase:
- pleather jacket & scarf
- one pair short boots
- 2 cardigans
- 2 hoodies
- 1 boat-neck T with 1/2 sleeves
- 2 T-shirts with plackets
- 2 T-shirts
- 1 pair jeans
- 1 pair black pants
- 1 skirt
- 1 skort
- Nightwear
- Underwear, socks, tights
- Also in suitcase: daypack (small backpack, instead of handbag) & umbrella
Toiletries (shared with Rom):
- Travel size shampoo and conditioner
- Hair gel
- Toothbrushes, paste and floss
- Travel size moisturizer
- Travel size hand sanitizer
- Razors
- Small nail kit
- Small eyeglasses repair kit
- Small sewing kit
- Band-Aids
- Earrings: 7 pair in a little 7-day pill case
- Make-up: one Lipsmacker
- Other: travel alarm clock
- Not needed: hair dryer, sun screen!
My Carry-On:
- iPad with library e-books and lots of music
- headphones
- pocket digital camera
- charging cords and adapter
- travel pillow
- my own snacks
- magazine
- 1 print book
- passport, itinerary, cash, phone numbers
- no cell phone because it belongs to work
I made up some outfits for this trip, and did a couple versions of them for warmer or cooler weather, even though I know very well it’s going to be cooler:
click first image for slide show, if you like
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- Skort outfit for a sunny day
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- Skort outfit with layers 2013
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- Skirt outfit if it’s warm (cat not travelling)
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- Skirt outfit if it’s cool 2013
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- Skirt outfit for a cool rainy day 2013
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- Another option 2013
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- Travel outfit
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- Lounging-in-hotel outfit
There is one thing I don’t do: say “I’ll buy it when I get there.” I hate over-paying for necessaries when I travel! Do you pack heavy or light?
An Exacting Life 
Loved the photo essay! This post made me wish I was airport bound!
I often travel for 3-4 weeks so I like to think I pack light but everything is relative! It’s hard if it’s colder weather too. My last trip, whilst it felt like I was a packhorse homeward bound i was still under normal economy weight provisions even though I was allowed double given I flew fancy! Admittedly 6kg was taking stuff home for my mum.
I do have a travel rule of ‘wear it or lose it’ which helps solidify some clothing culls! Swimsuits are expected however!
I didn’t pack any workout wear or a swimsuit this time – no chance I will use them – but Rom’s parents have an exercise bike for my lazier days!
This is a very timely post for me, as I’m going on holiday in two and a half weeks – although I’m going to Thailand so my wardrobe will be slightly different 🙂
I usually pack light, but not quite as lightly as you. I travel with a backpack, so every bit of weight matters, but I like to have a week’s worth of clothes (wearing some things twice). If I’m going somewhere cheap I can pay to get my clothes washed, and if I’m going somewhere expensive I can find a laundromat.
I could make due with much less this time because I’ll have access to laundry while staying with Rom’s parents, but just don’t want to, ha! Also, Rom’s mom is into fashion and likes seeing me wear nice things 🙂
Gee, you look sensational in all the outfits. I prefer to travel light, but like you, I enjoy wearing different (and nice) things. Have a great time!
PS: Cooked the Curried Winter Vegetable Soup on the weekend. And gosh, it was one of my first real successful attempts at anything culinary. I was even brave enough to share some with my aunt. And she was SO impressed. THANK YOU!
Thanks! I am delighted that you tried the soup and liked it!
I agree, your outfits look great! I especially like the “skirt outfit for a rainy day.” Of course, I do think the cat is your best accessory! 🙂
Hope you have a fantastic trip! I haven’t traveled in 20 years or more – well aside from the occasional camping trip, so I have no idea what I’d pack! I also have no earthly idea what “jeggings” or “skorts” are!
Hi Cat, I tried replying to your comment last week but it didn’t go through; sorry! You are not missing much with jeggings and skorts because they are not cool, LOL! I am very happy to be back home with the kitties – they seem to have forgiven my absence.
You have a lovely capsule wardrobe. I’m convinced that if you dumped a hoody, your regular jeans (leave the jeggings and black jeans) and maybe a cardi or tee you could do carry-on only. Wear the boots and pleather jacket on the plane, and pack the flats. I think you’ll like the freedom that comes with going lighter.
I bet you are right! This time, though, I am happy I have the hoodie for the hotel. The weather is really quite cold, as I expected. I would’ve had to bring a very heavy cardigan to make up for it. Hopefully the next time I’m in the UK, I’ll choose a warmer month!
Have a wonderful time, you lucky, lucky person!
Thanks! That sure would be a long way to go from AUS or NZ!
Great post and have a wonderful vacation–I can’t wait to read all about it!!
Thanks, April – having fun & will be back next Wednesday!
Oh no! For some reason, when I first read this post in my feed reader it only showed captions. I thought they were “generic” pics of clothes on a bed! I think I need a better feed reader!
Belatedly…love the outfits!! Really looking forward to trip reports soon!
Thanks, Fiona – I will be posting today.
I tend to pack fairly light, many week-long to 10-day trips just a backpack. If I’m traveling with just one or two others from our family, we take public transport from the airport, so we need to pack lightly. But I do always make sure I have enough warm clothes, as I can’t stand to be cold.
I usually do wash while traveling, sometimes in the sink, sometimes using laundry facilities, and that seems to help me keep what I bring to a minimum. If the whole family is going, and we’re packing a lot of snacks with us, then I take a rolling carry-on. I haven’t checked a bag in about 15 years. I don’t like waiting for luggage once I’m at my destination.
I like the way you actually thought through what you would wear. I tend to throw a bunch of tops and one pair of pants or capris into the backpack and figure it all out once I’m there.
My “dream” packing would include a bunch of those tiny (each the size of a deck of cards) novelty packets of shirts, pants and shorts. Of course I’d have to travel to someplace very warm (and where my taste in clothing wouldn’t be an issue), as the fabric is terribly thin. I used to receive a catalog that had things like reversible clothing, to get 2 looks out of one item. I always liked that idea.
I am cold most of the time, too! I think I am vain when it comes to vacation clothes. When I look back on my vacation photos, I don’t like it when I’m wearing the same thing too often!
Little off topic, but you’re really pretty, you know that? That green sweater is a great colour on you.
That is very sweet of you. When I got my hair cut so I could spike it, I told my employees I was trying to look fierce, but they didn’t go for it 🙂