How to Actually Pack for a Summer Trip
Every summer, I tell myself the same thing:
This is the trip where I finally become someone who packs well. I mean someone who arrives at her destination with the things she actually needs. The sandals that work with every look. The dress I can style three ways. The simple white shirt that somehow doesn’t get dirty.
Instead, I arrive with six pairs of pants (I’ll only wear 3), wrinkly shirts, and the sudden realization that I somehow forgot every practical item I own. I will absolutely find myself standing in a boutique buying the exact same things I could have packed from home: a basic tank top, a cardigan and some variation of an oversized button down. But after years of repeating this cycle, I've realized the problem isn't that I overpack. It's that I pack the wrong things. So I’ve done some research to help you (and me).
Step 1: Start With The Trip You Are Actually Taking
Not the trip you think you should be taking. Not the fantasy version of yourself who wakes up at sunrise, wears a matching linen set every day, and somehow attends three glamorous dinners requiring a silk slip dress. The actual trip.
Fashion insiders consistently talk about building around reality rather than aspiration. Vogue editors often describe creating a travel uniform before they even think about statement pieces. I like to tell myself: the goal isn't variety. It's reliability.
Ask yourself:
Will I be walking?
Will I spend most days in a swimsuit?
Am I going out every night or telling myself I will?
Vacation packing is where delusion thrives for me, so I need to get my story straight.
Step 2: Pack The Boring Stuff First
This was sort of the breakthrough for me. I used to start with the fun pieces. The skirt that took 10 minutes to button. The vintage dress that always needed someone to zip up the back. The earrings that look incredible in theory but are heavy as hell.
Now I start with what I call my foundation:
a white tank
a black tank
an oversized button down
a pair of shorts
sandals I know I can walk five miles in
sweater for overly air conditioned restaurants.
These are basically the things I know I will reach for over and over again, because I already do at home! Travel writer Lydia Mansel recently called this a "travel uniform," built from dependable basics that work in multiple scenarios. It's significantly less exciting than packing your favorite vacation dress, but It's also significantly more useful.
Step 3: Build Outfits, Not Items
One of the best packing tricks I've borrowed from fashion editors is thinking in outfits rather than categories. Instead of packing:
7 tops
4 bottoms
3 dresses
I create actual looks:
Tuesday lunch
Wednesday dinner
Travel day
Beach day
Unexpected nice restaurant
This immediately reveals which pieces are pulling their weight and which are coming along just because. If an item only works with one other thing in the suitcase it probably shouldn’t make it.
Step 4: Follow The Two Fun Pieces Rule
Here's where I think most packing advice gets it wrong. Minimalism is wonderful until you're staring at vacation photos wondering why every outfit looks identical. There still needs to be some personality!!!
Fashion strategist Ramya Giangola and designer Joyce Lee have both spoken about relying on accessories and standout pieces to make a travel wardrobe feel fresh without overpacking.
My rule:
Pack two pieces that genuinely delight me
Give myself enough room for joy.
Just don't let joy take over the entire suitcase.
Step 5: Assume You Will Repeat Outfits
Because nobody cares and I love to repeat outfits (I tell myself it’s my character fit).
Fashion editors who travel constantly often rely on repeat pieces and systems rather than endless outfit options. The trick is versatility, not volume.
Step 6: Leave Space
This is probably the hardest step for me. Leave physical space for the unexpected vintage store. It’s only hard because I get nervous I’ll need the thing i’m not letting myself bring. BUT I’ve started to do something that Vogue editor Chloe Malle talked about on an episode of Women Who Travel: always travel with a foldable duffel. I don’t think I’ve ever gone somewhere and not purchased something to bring back, so I’ve started doing this now too and it’s seriously been a god send. I love the just in case Tumi bag which folds down so it doesnt take up space.
The Ultimate Packing Test
Before you zip your suitcase, remove three items. Not because you need the space, but because statistically speaking, you weren't going to wear them anyway.
If you're anything like me, those three items will probably be replaced by one tank top, a bottle of sunscreen, and the exact practical shoes you should have packed from the start.
I’m curious how you pack! Drop a comment let’s chat!!!
