....And the kicker? The whole carryon wardrobe consists of 11 items. Eleven. INCLUDING SHOES.
So here's the backstory: In May I will be attending a work conference in Philadelphia, which happens to coincide with my boyfriend's family wedding that following weekend. I'll be arriving on Monday, work conference Tuesday/Wednesday, and time to play Thursday/Friday. Then it's dress-to-impress time with his cousin's wedding on Saturday and a family brunch/travel back home on Sunday.
Naturally, being type-A, I've already started plotting what I need to pack--that's a lot to fit in one weekend! Here's my plan:
Keys to Packing Success:
- Maxi dresses and traveling go hand-in-hand--they're so comfortable, yet look pulled together. Make sure you bring ones that don't wrinkle easy. Bonus points if they have a print so you don't need to bring jewelry.
- Maxi dresses and weddings go hand-in-hand. I like the one shown because the high neck and busy pattern means no need for jewelry or fancy shoes.
- Bring one dressier blazer and one more casual jacket so you can dress your other items up or down.
- Pack patterned items that mix well so you have multiple options with minimal items.
- A blazer and pencil skirt are great go-tos. My work conference doesn't require us to dress up much, but if yours does, a pencil skirt and blazer are so versatile. After hours, dress down the pencil skirt with a graphic tee, and the blazer goes great with skinny jeans.
- You don't need more than 3 pairs of shoes. I promise. If you're packing 4+ shoes, you're packing wrong. I typically bring 1 pair of dress heels, one pair of comfortable shoes (here, the brown sandals, although sometimes I swap these out for some fun sneakers so I can sneak in a workout while away), and a pair of wedges for when you need to look nice but just. can't. take. another. high heel.
- Take advantage of hotel amenities. Many hotels offer hot irons and laundry services. If you want to be real extreme, you could bring half the amount of clothing shown here (example: maxi dress, blazer, white pants, stripe top, floral skirt, wedges) and just get them washed and repeat outfits/items throughout the week.