Today, I am sharing three travel outfit strategies to help you pack for your European adventure while fitting everything into a carry-on suitcase. Each outfit I will show, along with the shoes to match, will follow these packing strategies.
Number One Strategy: Pack one pair of water-resistant shoes.
Packing only one pair will help you pack less because you have taken out the “what if” which sometimes makes us pack too much. First you have checked the weather. Another way to pack smart for this strategy is for that pair of water-resistant shoes to blend with most of your outfits.
The shoes should be neutral.
For maximizing your travel outfits while fitting them all into a carry-on suitcase, nuetral tones can be worn multiple times while on vacation.
The shoes should be comfortable.
My favorite shoes for walking all day have to be comfortable. These as well as , but if you need casual , these are back in stock. I wore them for 45 minutes pouring rain in Boston 4 years ago and still have them. So comfortable!
You can see each of my shoes up close in this 50 second video. If you will be walking on cobbled roads or uneven pavement,
the shoes must have a rugged sole.
Below are my exact shoes that are waterproof AND comfortable. Click on any shoe to shop.
Number 2 Strategy: Airplane Outfit
Plan your airplane travel outfit strategically. Tip 1: wear your heaviest shoes in the airplane if there is no room in your carry-on.
This travel hack has one important benefit for packing: It takes the bulk out of your carry-on bag.
Wear trousers that can be worn multiple times with other vacation outfit pieces.
Just like I use my backpack as an extension of my carry-on suitcase, you are using that airplane outfit as part of your travel wardrobe. I do have a list of what NOT to wear inside the airplane based on my 20 years as a pilot wife wearing travel outfits.
The same strategy will be used with your shirt you wear as your airplane outfit.
Wear a shirt that can be worn again under another top or in a less casual setting.
See my Fall and Winter tops to give you some outfit ideas. The strategy requires thinking. So think about patterns, solids or stripes that are in your airplane outfit shirt that can mix or match with other trousers and other top pieces through your vacation.
Travel Tip:
Stripes are neutral. Black denim does not show stains. Black denim can be matched with many colored tops. Cashmere is a lightweight effective sweater fabric for cool temperatures if you have to pack in a carry-on bag like me.
Number 3 Strategy: Base Layers
Utilize base layers for versatility and warmth. I can wear the and as a base layer in my airplane travel outfit.
This layering t-shirt is easy to wash and dry while on vacation so that I can wear it again. I know that in European Christmas Market trip subway rides, the air flow can be stagnant or non-existent. So having a short sleeve or lightweight base layer is handy.
Travel tips:
Choose the right base layer depending on the weather. When I went to Telluride this Fall I wore a high quality thermal as my base layer under a thin sweater. I was sweating by the time I got to the restaurant. What I learned: I should’ve worn the short sleeve tee as my base layer. How I planned correctly: I could take off the thermal and just wear the thin sweater and be comfortable!
This airport outfit sweater with mock shirttail and collar has been a best seller on my LTK page. I am 5’8″ and wearing a medium.
Here are the benefits of stripes for travel outfits. They can be worn with multiple trouser colors and styles. If you do not feel comfortable wearing stripes as your travel outfit, choose a black and white color theme that is solid.
Once you choose a base layer, you can add accessories based on the weather.
Many of my viewers enoy packing scarves as their accessory piece. You can pack less if you rewear those layers while allowing a scarf to change up the look. This scarf is made so that the fringe has never gotten tangled!
Pack versatile outfit pieces.
You can pack chunky pearls.
Pack a . I have the red one and the black one. Hangs right too! Pair those with light gray shirt or a black shirt or white one.
When packing travel outfits for Europe,
think through the pieces of your wardrobe.
Pack accessories like this scarf or comfortable waterproof boots for the occasional rain shower. I like the rugged sole of these waterproof ones.
Wear thin layers that blend with your trousers and other pieces. See if there is any way that you can wear some of your outfit pieces with other outfits during your vacation.
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