What to Pack for a Week in Europe

capsule wardobe recommendations travel Jun 10, 2022

We love helping our clients pack for trips and have perfected the art of creating thoughtful, versatile, and functional travel capsule wardrobes. It's always a fun challenge when it comes to packing our own bags for a trip! Next week, Jill is headed to Paris and we thought it would be helpful to provide guidance for travel essentials and a travel capsule wardrobe to help guide you for your travel in the future.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Let's start with travel essentials. This Style Board below shows all the items Jill carries in her tote bag on the plane on most flights. The carry-on suitcase and this particular style of travel pillow (really hoping to catch a few Zzz's on the flight) are being used for the first time on this trip, but both items were purchased after doing extensive research, so we're hoping they live up to the reviews and recommendations of other travelers.

Some of the items like the travel blanket, footrest, and travel pillow, are most helpful for overseas flights, but after completing a good number of long flights, we've realized they're worth their weight in gold and we'll happily make room for them in our tote bags!

 

CLICK TO SHOP

Mary discovered this travel-size skincare kit and now we are both avid users (and have given several as gifts). The products are of excellent quality and it's nice to have everything in one kit. Although the containers look small, it's impressive how long they last and we'd venture a guess that you could easily use one kit for 2-3 weeks.

WHAT CLOTHES, SHOES, AND ACCESSORIES TO PACK

Here is what to consider when putting together your travel capsule:

Destination - What is typically worn by locals?

Itinerary - What types of plans do you have while traveling?

Typical Weather - What time of year are you traveling and are there weather considerations you need to consider?

Special Outings/Events - Do you have any special plans while traveling that require special clothes or gear?

Length of Trip - How long are you traveling and will you have access to laundry facilities?

After considering all these factors, we then pull together clothing that works best. In general, for a weeklong trip we recommend:

  • 2-3 Toppers (jackets, blazers, cardigan)
  • 4-5 Tops (tanks, tees, sweater)
  • 2-3 Bottoms (pants, skirts)
  • 1 Dress
  • 2-3 Shoes

Here is the travel capsule Jill has put together for her trip. This will be packed in packing cubes in her carry-on suitcase, mixing and matching these versatile pieces for chic, comfortable ensembles. Most items are the exact items she's packing, but we added a few updated versions when her exact pieces weren't available. 

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SHOP 

Add your undergarments, accessories, and toiletries and you've got your complete travel capsule. If you don't have much travel experience, it can be overwhelming at first. We have helped many clients pack for their trips (everything from weekends to week(s) long). Packing is definitely something you can become more adept at over time, but until then we're happy to provide some guidance.

When traveling, there's no question that we want layers - and options for layers! It's common to span a range of temperatures when traveling (and in most cases, it's out of your control), so we're all about being prepared! This is why we recommend a cardigan, a lightweight jacket, and a scarf/wrap,  so we're ready for a variety of temperatures throughout the travel day. Since Paris is known to have scattered showers on a regular basis, Jill is also bringing this rain jacket.

One final helpful tip is to wear your Day One outfit for travel home as well (don't forget to pack the undergarments you'll need!). Doing so saves room in your suitcase and keeps your packing super simple.

We hope you've found our suggestions and tips helpful. We're always ready to answer questions and provide guidance in our Private Facebook Group. We'd love to have you join us there for questions and conversation.

Struggling to find the right wardrobe at the right price?

Book a 1:1 Consultation with us and see what the right clothes can do for you. 

Book a Call

Get our FREE Wardrobe Essentials Mini-Course

Our FREE wardrobe-essentials mini-course, will show you a proven way to put outfits together, without having to buy a whole new wardrobe!

We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.