Packing for a fall trip to Europe is a pretty daunting task, whether you’re traveling for a few days or a few weeks. You want to be prepared for autumn’s sunny days, chilly nights, and bouts of rain, all without dragging along an unwieldy amount of luggage. For me, the solution is to pack a capsule wardrobe – a carefully edited and remixable collection of clothes that can see me through the entire trip.
When I’m starting to pack for a trip, the first thing I do is find the pieces in my closet that will work best for whatever is on my itinerary – usually lots of walking, city exploring, visiting museums, finding new restaurants, and taking a day trip or two. Once I’ve gathered several pieces – some walkable shoes, my favorite jeans, a couple dresses, a staple sweater – things start to come together. I organize everything with this wardrobe app (or just lay everything out), and I can see any gaps that need to be filled.
By the time I’m headed to the airport, I have about 20 different outfits in just a few packing cubes. If you plan to wear your bulkiest (& coziest) clothes on your flight and pack a tote bag with toiletries and electronics, you should have no problem making the trip with just carry-on luggage. This fall season holds a lot of travel for me, and I’ll be packing variations of this capsule wardrobe over and over again – it is so much easier to get around (and enjoy your trip) with less!
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Tops: For easy layering, keep most of your tops lightweight. A little pattern and texture make neutral pieces a bit more interesting.
Bottoms: I bought this faux leather skirt last year, and it’s one of my favorite cold-weather pieces. Along with jeans, pants, and a printed skirt, you should be set.
Dresses: From sunny market days to evenings out, a dress is always quick and comfortable. Bring a pair of tights along if your forecast looks chilly!
Jackets: Bring a good selection of extra layers to keep warm as temperatures drop. Sweaters, jackets and coats also make it a bit more fun to style an outfit.
Shoes: For all the walking you’ll be doing, pack comfortable flats, nice leather sneakers, and walkable ankle boots. Add in something slightly less practical for when you want to feel fancier.
Accessories: A leather tote bag is perfect for travel, shopping, and day trips. For everything else, use a crossbody purse. Sunglasses, earrings, and a cozy scarf go a long way for feeling put together.
The Travel Capsule
Wardrobe Planner
My printable five-step
guide to packing light &
traveling in style.
