Packing In Style

Last week we found ourselves headed to the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado for a Founder’s Rally. With travel being a huge component and perk of my job as Founder & Creative Director of a Midwest based fashion brand, I’m constantly trying to find wardrobe hacks to help with the problem I always have: over-packing.

Let’s be honest, there are many reasons why over-packing makes travel more of a hassle…added baggage costs, heavier bags to lug around the airport, and more things to forget or leave behind in a rush out of your hotel room. As I’ve stepped into the role of jetsetter, however, I’ve found some great ways to overcome all of those packing headaches and minimize your carry-on to one single bag for an entire week’s stay away from home. The best part is you can still be stylish!

I’ve put together some similar looks to that of the core pieces I took with me on my trip to Denver last week, along with three of my tried and true tips for mastering the art of packing in style. All of these pieces are perfect for mixing and matching and business and play, all in one suitcase.

Clockwise from bottom left: Leopard print booties: Saint Laurent, Boyfriend jeans: J Brand, Stud earrings: Kate Spade New York, Gray pocket tee: T by Alexander Wang, Floral print tie neck blouse: Proenza Schouler, Mesh choker: Hide and Seek, Blazer: River Island, Pencil skirt: Max Mara, Sneakers: Nike, Leather backpack: Rag & Bone.

1. Keep your shoe selection to 2 pairs.

Shoes are always the tricky wardrobe item for me to decide on and as a result, I’ve spent many trips with 4-5 pairs of shoes taking up valuable real estate in my suitcase for just a few day trip. My suggestion: bring versatile and comfortable footwear. This will make it easy for you to get around the city while taking in the sites and saving money on Uber fares. Go for chunkier heels which are perfect for long days on your feet and walking on uneven sidewalks or cobblestone alike. Boots are great at wearing casually or dressy so you are also able to get a variety of looks from just one pair of shoes. We are also seeing sneakers and trainers worn with workwear for a trendy street style look. Take advantage of it and wear your tennis shoes with skirts or jeans for that “cool kid” vibe while your feet love you for it!

2. Bring an assortment of both tailored and flowy pieces.

Tailored jackets can spruce up any outfit and make it business meeting ready in seconds. They can transform a t-shirt and jeans, or serve as old faithful with a pencil skirt (see how we did that). Always pack one in your suitcase to throw on at a moment’s notice. With unpredictable weather, a tailored jacket can also do double duty as serving up fashion while fighting off the night chill.

Flowy blouses can easily be worn over pieces like t-shirts for a layered look, or worn on their own as a feminine and slightly dressier style too. The best part is, they are super lightweight so you can pack two different options without creating heavy lifting for yourself.

3. Leather backpacks are a “thing” right now, learn to love them!

Leather backpacks are everywhere right now and for good reason. They are hands down my must have bag while traveling for soooo many reasons: They look sleek, they can hold a lot of stuff, you can get away with them as a personal item on a plane, and they are great for day to night activity. I’ve made sure to pick styles that are large enough to hold my MacBook Air, this way I don’t have to make multiple trips back to my hotel room to load and unload throughout the day.