Why hello there, Tasties new and old. I am in an absolute frenzy this afternoon, as I leave for New York at 6:30am tomorrow. Yeah, you heard that right. AM. My one week trip turned into three weeks1, and I have not even begun to pack. I am wrestling with the urge to just blackout, throw everything I own into a couple suitcases and make for LAX like a bat out of hell.
But we will rise above that! Because these days, I take pride in my packing. That’s because I have not always been a good packer. In fact, I have been a notoriously bad one. I forget jackets and charging cables. I pack 15 cocktail dresses and no jeans. I bring costume jewelry so big, it needs its own bag. I have been, in short, a disaster.
I believe it takes someone who was bad at packing to talk about being good at it, because I’ve had to spend more time considering it than a natural-born Type-A traveler. So here’s what I’ve learned over years of trial and error. Excuse how rushed this whole post is—I really do have to go pack.
BTW, if you have any NYC recommendations, please drop them below or DM me < 3 And if you’re in the market for NYC recs, check out the comment section on my latest TikTok because holy shit, people came through. Special shoutout to the girl who privately DM’d me her New York Google Map with 216 recommendations, I hope you are having a wonderful day, queen.
What to Pack
I have a mantra whenever I’m packing: meds, contact lenses, computer, wallet. Anything else I forget can, in an emergency, be replaced at my destination. I say it to myself over and over again when I’m in a 2am panic spiral because I’ve based all my outfits around one pair of impractical shoes that will leave me trailing blood like Cinderella’s sisters (the O.G. Grimm’s ones, IYKYK).
Once I’m certain I have all the absolutely necessary cannot be forgotten items, this is what I pack for a (week or longer) trip, in the order that I pack them.
Clothes
When it comes to clothes, most of my theories can be summed up as: Two. In other words, bring two options for (almost) everything. The options should be diametrically opposed—e.g. one black and one white, one formal and one casual, you get the picture.
Remy’s Two (copyright pending) gives you some versatility without overwhelming you. If you are currently packing for an adventure, I hope this list helps you survive the Dark Night of the Soul that is the day before departure.
Underwear: I usually pack several more pairs of underwear than the number of days I’ll be on the trip. This is more superstitious than anything else, because in reality, I always wash my underwear in the sink using shampoo (an invaluable life hack!) and never run out of pairs. I pack my most versatile underwear, usually stuff from Los Angeles Apparel and OnlyHearts, making certain to bring at least one nude and one black. I avoid high-waisted ones, as those are limiting.
I’m particularly a fan of the Whisper Basic Thong (OH, $37) Bras: You need at least one strapless. Don’t ask me why, it just always comes up. I like this Natori one. Like underwear, I will pack at least one nude and one black bra; my preferred brand for travel is Chantelle. When it comes to flights, I always wear my trusty Hanro white cotton bra. I genuinely wonder if my friends are tired of me recommending this thing.
Most. Comfortable. Bra. Ever. (Neimans, $120) Pajamas: I figure you can wear pajamas for roughly 3-4 nights in a row before needing a fresh pair. Pack your most beloved PJs; they will help you sleep better in an otherwise unfamiliar place.
Workout Clothes: There’s no time where working out is more important than on a trip. It helps me acclimate to a new location, and gives me some kind of routine and continuity. I bring at least a couple workout bras I’ve had since the dawn of time, a few pairs of leggings, some sturdy socks, and of course, workout sneakers. The sneakers are always what I forget to pack, so though it’s out of order, I put these near my suitcase almost immediately.
One sweatshirt: Ok, we got the easy stuff out of the way. Let’s get a little more challenging. A sweatshirt always seems superfluous, until you remember that you may have to leave your room early to get crappy coffee from the lobby. Trust me, you will want a sweatshirt. I like this Heavy Manners Library one.
I have it in navy but low-key should I grab it in green too…(HML, $30) Two pairs of jeans: Back to Remy’s Two—I pick two pairs that do very different things. This time, I’ll probably be bringing my low-rise vintage Levi’s Silver Tabs (which might be roughly akin to this pair), and my SLVRLAKE jeans.
Pe note that these SLVRLAKE jeans are called ‘the Remy.’ (NaP, $300) I limit to two pairs of jeans because I will also be bringing:
Two pairs of trousers: Again, we want versatility. I’m gonna bring the Lucky Jewel pair I mentioned last week, and my tried-and-true Nili Lotan trousers, which I really can’t recommend enough for travel. But be sure to size down, as they run very large.
Two sweaters: It does not matter where you’re going, you will need some kind of sweater. I almost always bring this black and green Paccbet cardigan, and my pullover from The Row I got on Poshmark for dirt cheap (similar one here). Alas, the latter is currently getting repaired, so instead I will probably just bring the Extreme Cashmere sweater (kinda like this one) I wear almost every day.
Paccbet cardigan (Cettire, $186 $361)Two skirts: One short, one longer. Because I’m going to be ~partying~ this time around, I’ll likely bring my micro-mini Guizio skirt in conjunction with my Vaquera maxi skirt, which is extraordinarily durable and cute. It’s currently on sale for 80% off at Matches, so act fast.
Vaquera maxi skirt (Matches, $121 $ 605)Also, this is the moment where I wish I’d purchased that knee-length Tank Air skirt I was eyeing…
Two belts: One black, one brown. I am a fan of my black Empath belt; my brown one is vintage and I simply cannot find a comp.
Two jackets: One big and cozy, one tight and sexy. For the big one, I always bring my vintage aviator jacket (in the vein of this one). For the sleek option, I’ll probably bring a vintage white Prada Sport jacket I scooped up on TheRealReal. It’s relatively similar to this one (minus the belt). All that being said, the jackets are obviously very dependent on the weather.
Two bags: One big, one little. Of course we’re bringing the black Coperni I always party with. As for big bags…I will cross that bridge when I come to it (which should be now! I need to start packing now!!)
I promise it looks less weird IRL (Ssense, $360) Six to eight tops: This is where we say ‘fuck it’ to Remy’s Two. I like to pack at least a couple T-shirts, 1-2 long sleeves, a strapless top, and a button down. I figure that pretty much covers all possible scenarios. In any case, you know at least one of those is gonna be my fave from Le Bon Shoppe.
Are you guys tired of me recommending this T-shirt yet? (LBS, $54) Three to four dresses: I pack more dresses than you may imagine, only because they require less thinking when getting ready. As mentioned in the last post, I always travel with my Pleats Please dress and just layer a turtleneck under it if I’m cold. I am also prone to bringing my Rixo dress if it’s summery (I have a green plaid one, which is sadly sold out). My Cou Cou black mini also packs well. I have one in black and white but, hear me out…what if I also bought it in red??
One coat (if necessary): For cold weather travel, I usually bring my vintage Jil Sander leather coat, similar to this one (though I got mine for…maybe a fifth of the price?).
A swimsuit: It doesn’t matter where you’re going, you will always be happy you brought a swimsuit (because this is one item that’s such a pain to find last minute). Even if you’re going to some snowy mountain climate, there may be a Jacuzzi. I wish I’d seen the Victoria’s Secret x Frankies Bikinis collab earlier, because I probably would’ve copped one of them.
Shoes….: This is where I usually lose the plot. The only thing I can confidently say I always bring and wear are these Raf Simons sneakers. Other than that...who knows. Please, no further questions.
These look better when they get dirty (Farfetch, $266 $443)A shit ton of jewelry: My motto is, bring as much as you possibly can. In another lifetime, I will purchase this Smythson jewelry roll to travel in real style.
A shit ton of tights/socks: Again, this is where I ‘freak on ‘em.’ Because hoisery is extremely packable, I figure, the more the merrier. They make an outfit instantly different. For something trendy, try these $9 Cider leg warmers.
One pair of sunglasses: Just one, divas! Any more and you will lose them. I’m bringing this A Better Feeling pair, which have the added benefit of folding up.
One baseball cap: You never know when this is gonna come up. This is not the one I will be bringing, but I am amused by the infamous Brentwood Country Mart hat.2
Skincare/Makeup
This is the boring truth: when I travel, I I bring all my regular stuff. No crazy lipsticks, no special de-frizzers. I’m not trying to take risks abroad. But there are a few changes I make to keep up with the wear-and-tear of air travel.
A heavy moisturizer: My face gets incredibly dry when I travel. It is a curse. So this is when I break out the Vanicream. If you spend any time lurking on the Skincare Addiction Reddit, you know the girls do not play about their Vanicream. Personally I find it too heavy to regularly use in LA, but it will be perfect for NYC.
Body sunscreen: Please don’t yell at me but—I don’t usually wear body sunscreen. Face sunscreen? Always. Body sunscreen…um, well. I’m lazy. But when I’m traveling, I’m usually outside and walking quite a bit, so it becomes necessary. Everyone I know likes the Thank You Farmer sunscreen.
Chapstick: My lips get psychotically chapped in the sky. So I’m gonna be rocking that Aquaphor 24/7, or some Labello if I’m feeling fancy.
Brush cleaner: I’ll be real, I don’t clean my brushes all that often at home. But when I travel, they’re getting mixed in with all my other grody stuff, and it is urgent that they be cleaned before touching my face. I don’t know if it’s the best on the market but I’m perfectly happy with my Sephora brush cleaner.
Misc.
These are some other bits and bobs that I’m always packing.
*One* book (I am looking myself directly in the mirror as I say this): Do not pack more than one book. I have made this mistake so many times. They are heavy, they take up space, and it is way more fun to buy a book at your destination should you run out of reading material. Plus, you never really know what kind of literary mood you’ll be in on vacay. The beauty of travel is letting last-minute whimsy be your guide.
The book I’ll be packing this time around is Robert Bolaño’s Last Evenings on Earth.
A highly-regarded short story collection. (B & N, $15) Downloaded movies/TV shows: I don’t know if this counts as *packing* per se, but do put something on your computer/device in case of emergencies. Since it is now what I watch in my every spare waking moment, I will be downloading several seasons of Mad Men.
Headphones: If you forget these, I wish you luck. I’m an Airpods girl til I die. Don’t tell me about how they’re not the best brand. I know that. I’m just in too deep at this point.
Sleep Aid: I don’t really take sleep aids at home, but when abroad, I always bring some just in case. My favorite is Dream Water powder, which I actually eat raw (sorry). This is great at helping you fall asleep, which is usually what I struggle with while traveling.
Can’t recommend this enough (Walmart, $41)
To Buy
Ok, so you’ve got everything laid out. Love it! Here are the things that have saved my disorganized ass again and again over the years.
Travel containers: Full-size hair products have been the death of me one too many times. And I think we all know by now that Sephora minis are a rip-off. I used to use a random pack of travel containers I picked up in some CVS years back, but they got lost during my last apartment move. So this time, I’m experimenting with this Amazon travel kit. I’ll let you know how it fares.
Cute, right? (Amazon, $12.99) If you are feeling particularly thorough, you could get these labels to indicate shampoo v conditioner, etc. If you, like me, are not That Girl, just distinguish the bottles with a Sharpie.
Packing cubes: Oh cubes, how I love thee. This is perfect for a trip with multiple destinations, one where you can never really settle down and unpack. This is my preferred set, but any variety will do. The only thing that matters is that they are partially mesh, so you can see what’s going on inside them.
A good dopp kit: This was the year I caved and stopped carrying plastic bags with my toiletries. It has made a world of difference. I no longer feel like a little raccoon scavenging through trash to get my goodies. I have this Everlane case that’s reasonably priced and does the trick.
A suitcase (duh): This is actually a screed against my current suitcase. I was gifted a BEIS for my birthday last year and mama — it sucks. Too heavy, wheels are fucked, the locking mechanism is annoying. In this household, we are anti-BEIS.
A portable steamer: If you’re going somewhere to stunt—say, a wedding—you’re gonna want this. Especially goes for those wearing suits; a wrinkled suit may as well be shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. I like this Conair one.
Shoe bags: I know I put these under ‘to buy,’ but you actually shouldn’t buy these if you can avoid it—just start saving whatever shoe bags you get from recent purchases. Shoe bags are vital not so much on the way there, but on the way back, at which point your shoes will be extremely dirty from dancing in the streets or whatever other silliness you got up to.
A portable light: Sorry to be so #LA but just…bring a portable light. This is not for selfies; if your life is anything like mine, you will end up having to do a last-minute Zoom meeting in a shitty hotel room with bad overhead, and you will be very happy you thought to bring this.
I think this is the model I have (Walmart, $27)
There is so much more I could write on this subject, but I simply must start packing. Wish me luck—I hate Ubers, airports and early mornings, so this is liable to be a very bad day for me. But then I get three fabulous weeks of NYC so hey, we’ll call it even.
Ciao!
For a reason I may someday get to tell you about…
At the risk of being a bitch, the traditional Country Mart caps are brown…just saying.
All I want to read are packing lists! Love the diametrically opposed pairs tactic
I’m going on a trip next week and completely overlooked bringing a hair brush with me! Epic timing for the post.
I need a bigger bag next time 😅