TRAVELISTA GUIDE: HOW TO PLAN A MIX AND MATCH TRAVEL CAPSULE

Transcription

1 TRAVELISTA GUIDE: HOW TO PLAN A MIX AND MATCH TRAVEL CAPSULE

2 Copyright 2016 by Josie Villa-Singleton of Travelista.com. All rights reserved. You are welcome to print a copy of this document for your personal use. Other than that, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author. Requests to the author and publisher for permission should be addressed to the following travelista@travelista.com

3 Anyone who s done research on what to pack has been given the advice to mix and match! and establish a color palette. Oh Yeah, like it s so easy! How often have we looked at a pile of clothes wondering what to pack and ending up packing errything! Not pretty, y all! There s a better way. I thought I d break down the process of creating a mix and match travel capsule into simple steps you can follow. Stick with me and hopefully I will take the overwhelm out of this process a little more so that you can confidently pack your carry-on capsule and be a packing light guru yourself one day. One of the keys to packing light is indeed the mix and match travel wardrobe. It does take a wee, little bit of planning but it does not have to be an overwhelming process. You can approach it in two ways: use a list (or worksheet, like the one I ve provided at the end of this guide) or lay your clothes out or both, whatever works for you. Let s break it down. Here s how we are going to break it down: Step 1 - Check the Weather Step 2 - Check your Itinerary Step 3 - Build your Core Capsule Step 4 - Add in your A la Carte items Or Mini-capsules Step 5 - Try Everything on! Step 6 - Edit Step 7 - Shop if you have to Step 8 - Pack Sleepwear, etc. Step 9 - Make a checklist and Stick to it! Step 10 - Evaluate What worked 3

4 STEP 1 - CHECK THE WEATHER The first steps in planning your carry-on travel wardrobe is to write down or at least be familiar with the weather conditions you are packing for. Google it, look in a Farmer s Almanac, ask a friend - whatever you gots to do, just find out what the weather is like at your destination. Specifically, be aware of the range of temperatures you should be expecting. For instance, the highs may be comfortable but the morning/evening lows may require outerwear or warm layers. Also check for rain conditions. This is key, so don t skip this step! STEP 2 - CHECK YOUR ITINERARY Next, take a look at your itinerary and write down your major travel activities. If you aren t sure of your activities, no worries. Just try and generalize what you ll most likely be doing and estimate how much time you ll spend doing each activity. So typically you ll be sightseeing, going out to dinner, beachtime - whatever it may be that you will most likely be doing, write this down. When you write down your activities, estimate how many outfits you might need for each. For instance, if you ve got a few nice dinners scheduled during a 7 day trip that may require 2 outfits (or one outfit worn multiple times). Let s say for this same 7 day trip you ll also be sightseeing most days then you ll need enough mix and match items to come up with 7 outfits for your 7 days of sightseeing. This is not the time to speculate or dream about what you ll be doing like having dinner with Beyonce or the queen of something or attending the opera or whatever fancy scenario you can come up with. For me, it s thinking that I 4

5 will actually work out and run on vacation. I bring my workout gear and shoes and NEVER touch them. So once again, just be honest and very realistic about what you ll be doing during your trip. If you have a special occasion or specific travel activity that requires particular clothing lay that out or list it first. This is what I call your non-negotiables. If you re traveling for a wedding, jeans and flats won t do, you ll need to pack whatever is appropriate for that event. Or if you ve got some serious hikes planned for your trip, the right shoes are key to prevent yourself from being injured. So take note, of whatever specific, non-negotiable clothing needs you may have for your trip and list them or lay them out. STEP 3 - BUILD YOUR CORE CAPSULE One way to put together your travel capsule is to start with a foundation of basics and build from there. I call this foundation of travel basics your Core Capsule and it should be around 8 items. You can either lay out or list your items during this process. Neutral Base Core Capsule Now, I could get very deep on the color wheel and color theory when picking out color palettes for your travel capsule. BUT, the packing process can be difficult enough as it is and honestly adding a color palette component can just make it all too overwhelming. And, unless you re an art major you really don t have to know the difference between complementary and tertiary colors, mmkay. If your closet is anything like mine it s a complete mish-mosh of patterns and colors. So, I recommend you build your Core Capsule on a base 5

6 of neutral colored clothing. You will be adding more items to your core capsule (don t worry) and that s when you can mix in different colors and patterns. If you love color and matching and your closet already has an existing color palette then by all means build your Core Capsule around the palette of your choice. But for the rest of us, just build upon whatever neutrals and/or basics you have. If you are looking for some color palette inspo, check out The Vivienne Files for outfits curated with specific color palettes. For this particular example we will stick to a core capsule consisting of neutrals and/or basics you have. BONUS CONTENT Y ALL! Monochromatic Core Capsule If you can t mix and match colors to save your life or just want to keep packing as simple and streamlined as possible go for a Monochromatic Core Capsule. That s just a fancy way of saying pack everything in one color or different shades of one color. This approach works best for minimalists and wanna be minimalists as well. It doesn t get any simpler than packing all black or all gray. Everything will automatically mix and match and you don t have to think about it too much. You can accent with complementing accessories in different colors if you feel like it. Use this approach if your current wardrobe is based around a few select colors. Also, if you are having to buy clothes for your trip, it s way easier to shop if you are looking for clothing in one color versus looking for items that fit exactly in 6

7 your pre-defined color palette. Looking for just the right clothes that match your color palette can be a shopping rabbit hole and can take up way too much time if you re not careful. This approach also works well if you are in a hurry. Nothing is easier than scanning your closet and quickly gathering clothes that are in the same color family. This will at least get your started and then you can add in a few more items in as needed. Travel Uniform Core Capsule Another way to create a mix and match travel capsule is to establish a travel uniform. So come up with basic uniform of sorts and pack items that follow the same clothing formula. For most of us, we have a few uniforms for dressing in our day to day life already. If you do, great, just note what that may be and and start assembling the clothing that will make up your travel uniform. For example, my travel uniform is generally jeans, a top, a sweater and a jacket if necessary. So I just pack items that fall into those general categories, I don t muddy up the mix with anything else, no skirts, no dresses. In this travel uniform scenario I would just pack 2 jeans, 4 tops, 2 sweaters and a jacket as my base. Then I would maybe throw in a blazer as another travel uniform component that would work with my base travel uniform but with a blazer instead of a jacket or sweater. A travel uniform makes it easier to pair outfits with shoes. Since the travel uniform will have the same silhouette it s easier to ensure that your travel shoes will match every single potential travel outfit. 7

8 Travel Hero Core Capsule Do y all have that one piece of clothing that you wear all the time because it just works with everything? I call that a hero piece and you can easily build a whole travel capsule around it. It s easy because you already know that it can work multiple ways. It could be that perfect tee shirt, a great fitting pair of jeans, a super cool leather jacket, or those booties that just make every outfit pop. Whatever it may be, pieces like this should always make it into your suitcase if it s appropriate for your trip. When planning your mix and match capsule wardrobe try to start with your hero piece and build the rest of your outfits from there. Incorporate your hero piece into most of your outfits. If your hero piece is solid and you love it, you may also find that you can get away with taking less because you don t mind repeating outfits. Color Selection The only thing you do have to think about when it comes to color is to be aware of what types of colors are appropriate for your destination. Bright hues might not be the best to pack for your European vacation but they are totally right for more tropical locations. So just do a bit of research about the types of clothing and colors that are suitable for your destination. Choose Versatile Items When choosing and editing your options you just want to make sure that clothing can be worn with at least 2-3 other items. Don t stress about this too much and don t get too tripped up in the travel outfit math. Yes, it would be amazing to make 97 outfits of just 12 items but most of us aren t traveling for 8

9 97 days. Focus on getting the most use out of your items but don t let this be a stumbling block. But, yes the more items that match the better your travel capsule will work for you. The longer the trip, the more necessary it is for all of your clothing items to mix and match, unless you are ok with wearing just a few outfit combinations. Do not pack one use items that can only be worn one way unless it s for a specific travel activity in your travel itinerary. For example, a dressy dress to attend a wedding is completely acceptable. However, don t pack that same dressy dress if it s not for a specific event and when another combination of versatile clothing can perform the same function. Don t pack any Just in Case Items Avoid packing for those just in case situations. That will lead to overpacking every single time. Pack only for the weather, your travel activities and your destination. Boom! That s it. Keep it simple! A few reminders about the best types of clothes for packing light: Pack Lightweight knits Avoid bulky materials including cotton (tightly woven, thin cotton knit is ok though) Think in layers and choose items that are layerable Flattering clothing you like to wear and feel comfortable in Clothes that fit in with your destination Remember to think versatile when choosing items 9

10 Let s start with general clothing categories. You can adjust these categories to suit your wardrobe and travel needs. Outerwear Even if you are traveling in the summer you may want to pack a light jacket for cool nights. Look at the weather conditions and pick out outerwear that works best for the predicted conditions. Remember to always wear your bulkiest items in transit. Pack rain gear if it s appropriate for your destination. Try and get the most versatile outerwear possible. Sometimes you will have to pack more than one kind of outerwear depending on the type of trip you take and the weather conditions. If you are doing long term travel or traveling through multiple climates you will most likely have to pack more than one type of outerwear. Prioritize functionality first when selecting outerwear. Sometimes when planning my own travel capsules I account for a functional piece of outerwear along with a more fashionable option. Just determine your outerwear needs according to your trip. To save room in your carry-on suitcase, remember to wear your bulkiest outerwear in transit. My functional piece is generally the Patagonia Nano-Puff and it s successfully seen me through a number of adverse weather conditions. Best of all, it weighs only 10.5 ounces and it s so compact and compressible I can literally stuff it in my purse if I m not using it. I have it in the black color so even in travel situations when it s my only piece of outerwear it blends in well with the rest of my travel clothes. 10

11 Mid-layers Choose a lightweight sweater, either a pullover or cardigan style. Cardigans are versatile items because you can easily slip them on and off to deal with changing temperatures. Sweaters made of lightweight merino wool aren t bulky and they are highly insulating. However, in colder weather pullovers do a better job at keeping you warm. When choosing a mid-layer, check that the color complements with whatever outerwear you ve selected. Read my Guide to Cold Weather Layering here for more on how to pack for colder climates. Bottoms This can range from jeans to trousers to skirts to shorts. Choose 2 options that fit in with your personal style or preference and of course whatever suits the weather and travel activities. It s crucial that whatever bottoms you select match all (or most) of your tops and your outerwear. Try and keep bottom silhouettes similar because it s easier to match with the same footwear. For instance the shoes that work with a wide leg pant may not work for a skinny jean and vice versa. Shoes that work with shorts may not work with jeans. So keep silhouettes in mind and how they will pair up with your travel shoes. If you will be packing mostly dresses use this category and the tops category to list out your travel dress options. Tops Choose whatever tops you find comfortable and that fit in with packing light 11

12 guidelines above. Pick out up to 4 options that are appropriate for the range of weather conditions of your trip and that can be layered under sweaters easily. Also look at your travel activities and weather when making your selections. I like to pack 2 lightweight tees (long and/or short sleeve), 1 button down and a blouse. When laying them out or listing them make sure that they complement or match your mid-layer, outerwear and bottoms. Shoes This is the hardest category, I know! Read my post on How to Pick the best Travel Shoes for more tips on choosing what I like to call the Travelista Trio of shoes. Keep your travel activities in mind and you ll want to pack at least one comfortable pair for walking. Remember wear a pair and pack the other two. And don t hate me too much for suggesting you bring no more than 3 pairs of shoes! It can be done and this will most definitely make you a packing ninja! STEP 4 - ADD IN YOUR A LA CARTE ITEMS OR MINI-CAPSULES Ok, so now that you have your core capsule you can round it out. Add items that will keep your outfits interesting and increase your options. I call these A la Carte items. Some items you may want to add at this point are some statement pieces or strategic colors and patterns. Remember whatever you add still has to match multiple items and be worn multiple ways. Add clothing like blazers, a second lightweight outerwear option, cardigans and dresses or an extra pair of pants or a skirt. 12

13 Or, you can add a mini-capsule. Let s say you are planning on going for hikes or to the beach, pack items for those portions of your trip if you haven t already. Don t go crazy here, you want to aim for a Travelista 12 and keep the capsule at 12 items ideally, 15 items maximum (for trips over 15 days). If you have a specific event or clothing need during your trip that s not included in your core capsule now is the time to add it. Now that you have most of your travel outfits established you can add in a few key accessories. A scarf is essential so pick one that complements your carry-on capsule. The same goes for jewelry. Once again, don t go crazy. One to three scarves should be plenty, pack a warm one in colder weather. Keep jewelry minimal during the day and pack a statement piece for evening. The same goes for handbags. Pack a minimal and functional purse for day and pack a small clutch for evening. STEP 5 - TRY EVERYTHING ON! Trying clothes on can be time consuming but it s an important step to make sure your travel capsule will actually work for you. Try on potential outfits for your most common travel activities. When trying clothes on aim to pick outfits that are comfortable and flattering. You ll also want to check that items can be layered easily. You don t have to try on every potential combination because if you ve planned correctly you ll end up with dozens and dozens of options (Yay!). Take pictures on your phone or notes to remind yourself of your favorite travel outfit combos. Also note what you ll wear during rainy or any other inclement 13

14 weather if it s expected during your trip. This would be a good time to choose your airplane outfit as well. Choose something comfortable and always try and wear your bulkiest layers in transit. STEP 6 - EDIT If at any point during or after this process a clothing item or outfit feels a little meh and you don t love it-don t pack it! Replace it with clothing you do love or don t pack it at all. If you re not loving it at home your feelings won t change while you re on your trip. Only pack what you love and feel fabulous in. Especially for longer trips, you really want to love every item in your suitcase. Some clothes just don t layer well and that s ok but only for shorter length trips. If some are in your travel wardrobe just know their limitations and that it will reduce the amount of outfits you can put together. If you re traveling for an extended period of time then you ll want to find something more versatile. STEP 7 - SHOP IF YOU HAVE TO Sometimes when assembling your travel wardrobe you may find you just don t have the right pieces to build a whole travel capsule around. This is understandable, because unless you have a wardrobe capsule in everyday life, most of us don t shop with the idea of capsules in mind. I myself haven t committed to a capsule wardrobe lifestyle yet but if you are interested, blogs like Unfancy are the place to start. If you find that you do have to shop, don t go overboard. One or two classic pieces can bring your travel wardrobe to life. Invest in a well-fitting pair of jeans or trousers or a skirt or leather jacket, whatever the wardrobe workhorse is for you. 14

15 Your bottom pieces will get the most wear, so if you re starting with a high quality piece then you can get away with inexpensive tops. Another good investment is a versatile day to night dress if you are a dress person. You can easily change the look of a dress with outerwear, cardigans and a change of shoes. Other worthy travel investments are stylish and functional outerwear and comfortable yet cute travel shoes. If budget is an issue, stores like Target, Old Navy, H&M, Nordstrom Rack and Gap usually have a great selection of classic and on-trend pieces that are affordable. Ebay and consignment stores are other budget-friendly resource for finding high quality basics. Do not be tempted to buy items that are so outside your comfort zone that you wouldn t wear them in real, everyday life. Stick to your own personal style preferences. Maybe upgrade styles and silhouettes but stick to your own style and what makes you feel beautiful! STEP 8 - PACK SLEEPWEAR, ETC. Once you ve picked out your carry-on capsule. Don t forget to pack or list your sleepwear and underwear and socks. Pack a few pairs of underwear and plan to hand wash them depending on the length of your trip. Check out my post on How to do Travel Laundry here. STEP 9 - MAKE A CHECKLIST AND STICK TO IT! After you ve done all the planning of your amazing carry-on travel capsule, add the clothing items to your travel checklist. If you ve got time before your trip you can make adjustments to your list and replace items but don t be 15

16 tempted to throw in extras. Stick to your list! Don t panic and add in extras at the last minute! If your goal is to pack light in a carry-on then trust in your planned carry-on capsule wardrobe of clothing items and 3 pairs of shoes. You can do it!! If you need extra help, use these worksheet to help you figure out different outfit options for each item of clothing you pack (you can print as many copies of the worksheet as necessary to help you figure out potential travel outfit options). The worksheet even comes with space to list out your final mix and match travel capsule. STEP 10 - EVALUATE WHAT WORKED After your trip, take a few minutes to note what worked best and what didn t in your travel capsule. By noting items that didn t work or didn t get used you can be more efficient with your next mix and match travel capsule. These notes will help you pack better the next time you travel and before you know it you will be a total packing ninja, hollah! So hold on to these precious notes in an app like Evernote or something similar where you can easily refer to them for your next trip. I hope this helps you begin your packing process so you don t leave it until the last minute. Just a little advanced planning can make you a better, savvier, lighter traveler. And, who doesn t want that?! Travel on, Travelista! 16

17 Destination(s): Weather: Activities: Special Occasion/ Non-negiotable clothing items: Days Traveling & Number of outfits needed: 17

18 TRAVELISTA GUIDE:: MIX & MATCH TRAVEL WARDROBE WORKSHEETS Build your travel outfits based on one clothing item. This is best if you re trying to decide wether to pack a piece of clothing. See how many outfits you can make out of it. If you ve already got an idea of what to pack skip the first column and go straight to building your outfits. Outfit 1 Outfit 2 Outfit 3 Outfit 4 Clothing Item Travel Activity/ Weather Clothing Color Outerwear Matches with: Sweater Top (or Dress) Bottom Accessory Matches with these shoes: Accessory/ Jewelry Shoes Clothing Item Clothing Color Travel Activity/ Weather Outerwear Outfit 1 Outfit 2 Outfit 3 Outfit 4 Matches with: Sweater Top (or Dress) Bottom Accessory Matches with these shoes: Accessory/ Jewelry Shoes 18

19 LIST ITEMS NEEDED TO PURCHASE: MIX AND MATCH CARRY-ON CAPSULE LIST (Narrow clothing down to your Travelista 12 items. For trips that require more than 12 items try not to pack more than 15 items. Fill in the spaces below with your own custom capsule and you ll use this as your checklist. YAY you did it!) TRAVEL SHOES (Narrow to 3 Pairs) ACCESSORIES/UNDERGARMENT LIST/JEWELRY 1. SLEEPWEAR 2. BRAS 3. UNDERWEAR 4. SOCKS

20 TRAVELISTA GUIDE:: MIX & MATCH TRAVEL WARDROBE WORKSHEETS Clothing Item Travel Activity/ Weather Outfit 1 Outfit 2 Outfit 3 Outfit 4 Clothing Color Outerwear Matches with: Sweater Top (or Dress) Bottom Accessory Matches with these shoes: Accessory/ Jewelry Shoes Clothing Item Travel Activity/ Weather Outfit 1 Outfit 2 Outfit 3 Outfit 4 Clothing Color Outerwear Matches with: Sweater Top (or Dress) Bottom Accessory Matches with these shoes: Accessory/ Jewelry Shoes 20

21 TRAVELISTA :: MIX & MATCH TRAVEL WARDROBE SAMPLE CAPSULES Use this sample capsule as an idea on how to to plan your own customized, mix and match carry-on capsule. 8 PIECE CORE CAPSULE WARDROBE + 4 A LA CARTE ITEMS (pick any 4) (Fall/Spring sample capsule) 1 Outerwear (waterproof if necessary) 1 Knitwear (Cardigan or Pullover) 1 Top (Short Sleeve Shirt) 1 Top (Long Sleeve Shirt) 1 Top (Blouse) 1 Top (Button Down) 1 Bottom (eg. Jean) 1 Bottom ( eg. skirt/pant/jean/shorts) Blazer Dress(es) Skirt/pants/jeans/shorts Extra top(s) Extra sweater Extra Light outerwear Thin knit poncho Leggings Add a Mini-Capsule to your Core Capsule if necessary. A Mini-Capsule is a great solution when you have travel specific clothing needs like special events, hiking or going to the beach or traveling in multiple climates. Base it on your activities and itinerary. Aim for 12 items total, 15 maximum. DRESSY MINI CAPSULES 1 Skirt + 1 Top + 1 Cardigan + Dress Shoes/Boots 1 Trouser + 1 Blouse + Dress Shoes 1 Dress + 1 Cardigan/Blazer + Dress Shoes/Boots HIKING/ADVENTURE/ WORKOUT MINI CAPSULE 1 Workout Bottom + 1(Sports Bra) + 1 Moisture wicking top + Functional Shoes 1 Hybrid/Hiking Pants (like those from Lululemon/Athleta) + 1 Moisture wicking top + Functional Shoes WARM WEATHER (Multi-climate) MINI CAPSULE 1 Skirt/short + 1 Tank + Sandals 1 Dress + 1 Jean Jacket + Sandals 1 tunic + 1 Leggings + Sandals Swimwear + Tunic cover up + rubber sandals COLD WEATHER MINI CAPSULE 1 Base layer top + 1 base layer bottom + 1 additional insulating layer RAINY WEATHER MINI CAPSULE 1 Waterproof Outerlayer + 1 Waterproof Shoes

22 NOTES 22

23 PERSONAL CHECKLIST/ TO DO 23