Hey all, I’m overloaded with work this week, so I have some of my blogger friends guest posting this week to help me out. I’ll still be posting to twitter, instagram, and facebook this week though, so make sure to follow me over there!
Today we’re joined by Anne of In Residence! I’m not quite sure if I started following Anne first or if she started following me, but either way, I love her blog! Thanks to her I’ve not only found some really great pieces, but she’s shown some amazing ways to style them too. Her down to earth styles have made her a must read for outfit inspiration.
Hi Something Good readers! Anne of In Residence here, filling in for Dana while she’s on business travel. Coincidentally, I’m on a work trip this week too, so I thought I’d share what I’ve packed in my carry-on suitcase for a 3.5-day trip to Denver for an academic conference. I have a variety of meetings, outings, and dinners to dress for, plus a little bit of free time for sightseeing – which means I need a small suitcase that can do both professional and casual. You can check out the outfits and what occasions I’ll be wearing each one for over on my blog.
striped shirt (similar) | white tee | black blazer | patterned skirt | skinny jeans (similar) | dressy dress | black dress (similar) | tote bag (similar) | scarf (similar) | necklace (similar) | nude pumps | black flats | sneakers
I typically have 3-4 annual work trips, and over the years I’ve gotten enough practice to figure out how to put together a pretty good mini-capsule wardrobe to fit into a carry-on suitcase for short trips and even long ones too. Here are some of my top tips for travel mix & match packing success:
Choose your neutral – decide what your neutral is going to be for base pieces (blazer, pants, etc.). Usually I go navy or black, and make all my neutral basics be that color, so they all go. This also helps dictate shoe choices.
Choose a pop of color – a great way to start is with a patterned piece, like a cardigan or scarf, that works well with your base pieces, and then add a couple of items (skirt, shirt, etc.) that draws on one of those colors.
Pick items that can dress up and down – for example, the blazer in my suitcase helps me do both professional and on-the-town ready (plus an extra layer for the plane when I get cold). And the black dress can look very professional with heels and the right accessories, or it can take me on a casual wander around Denver with some sneakers.
Add accessories – necklaces and scarves don’t take up much space, and they can really change up your style. A good way to pack light on the clothes but not look like you’re wearing the same thing every day. (I actually will throw in a couple of additional necklaces to what I have here…)
Plan outfits – make a list of what you’ll be doing on which day: meetings, dinners, free time for sightseeing, etc. and think about the appropriate outfit for each. Try to use each item 2-3 times in different outfits to keep your packing light – and if you can’t reuse an item that much, maybe it shouldn’t come! (With some exceptions, like a dressy dress if you have one fancy dinner that you need it for.)
Try on your outfits beforehand – you can plan all you like, but sometimes outfits just don’t come together how they were in your head. It’s much better to know that now than to realize it when you’re getting dressed in your hotel room before a meeting!
You can go check out the related packing post on my blog in order to see how I put the 7 items of clothing in this packing list into 7 different outfits that will take me from travel to meetings to a banquet dinner and even a little free time sightseeing.
