Many climates, one carry on...
 

Hey ladies, I get so much help from the FT forums, so reaching out for your input. I've got a couple trips planned for this year that will take me through climates with an 80 degree (F) variance over a week or two, and I like to travel carry on only. Layering is the key for sure, but I'm not great at creating capsule wardrobes that manage to look "put together". What are your secrets for packing light while travelling through different climates? My problem areas are, of course, coat and shoes, but would love input on all items. I'm a leisure traveller, so no business meetings, but I like to be able to go into any situation without feeling awkward.

I do cotton and black, white, pink etc. thinsulate coat. I just got back from NYC and I wore and spot cleaned one pair of black pants. I wore one black knee length cotton dress. I just bought some cadence capsules because my biggest challenge is hair and face serums. I haven’t received them yet, but their reviews are excellent. I also have a thin scarf that is a large square that I use for plane blanket, scarf, head covering if it gets cold etc.

Cadence capsules: https://keepyourcadence.com/products...RoCh6AQAvD_BwE

No particular ideas on wardrobe but here are some for packing.
- Be sure you are using packing cubes and/or rolling your clothes. Lots of YouTube videos on this.
- Consider packing in your personal item a rollup bag. Wear your coat and perhaps a bulky sweater onboard. When you feel comfortable, remove those items and place them in your roll-up bag and store in the overhead if there is room.
- Bring detergent pods and maybe a travel clothesline, so that you can launder clothes, allowing you to pack lighter.
- Limit yourself to one pair of nice jeans- good for evening wear and can be dressed up/down.

Good luck!

I always had a hard time envisioning a capsule - I'm usually not visual but for packing, I had to be. I read the blog The Vivienne Files for years - she has a couple ways of looking at wardrobe & packing capsules that make sense for me. I typically use the 4X4 for packing, but the 13 item "Whatever's Clean" also works. I have photos of my clothing (I mostly order online so I just save the website photos of clothing when I order - which reminds me I need to do some updates because I haven't done a ppt packing file in a while ;-)

Pick a palette. PLAN the clothing, activities (potential, at least) and know the weather - I find doing a packing list and FOLLOWING IT is the only way I can pack light - otherwise I add "this might be helpful" items and that's bad for light packing ;-)

TONS of visual ideas - by color, by type of trip, by style etc. Very helpful for me https://www.theviviennefiles.com/fou...our-wardrobes/

As for the temp differences, I personally run hot so if it gets a little cold every so often, it doesn't typically bother me - I pack for what I'll be experiencing the most. But I always fly in pants so that helps with colder temps. I like to have at least a couple items from the "opposite" temps I'm expecting, just in case. Short sleeve tee I can wear a sweater over when it's cold, just in case it gets hot. The pants. Maybe tights, a fleece cap & gloves if I need to be outside in cold temps. I too have thinsulate LE coats that are great - but for me, I wouldn't bring unless I knew I'd be outside in cold temps for more than 30-45 minutes regularly. Again - I run hot, so adjust based on your norms. But lightweight warmth -in a packable coat, large scarf etc - definitely better than anything heavy wool....(I also never travel with denim - I don't wear it at home very often so I don't travel with it either - slim fit black pants work much better for my personal style, and are easier to dress up (esp for business meetings - I'm often combining work & leisure trips).

Thanks, so many good ideas! The Vivienne capsules look awesome and have given me some new inspiration - love that site. Women that travel are a special breed of practicality, comfort and style.

Any links to good thinsulate coats, and do you find them warmer than a puffy, if I layer? One of my trips goes from a football game in Munich (November) to Singapore fancy dinner out a few days later, so hoping to find a warm but thin coat that layers well. Also searching for a good quality silk slip dress, a "plus" for stretchy silk blend.

Well, I wore a different land’s end ultralight packable down coat (it folds up into itself in a little bag) to NYC in December 2019 and I was surprised at how warm it was given how light it. I just tried to find it in my order history but it says it’s no longer available. Same idea: https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-ultra-lightweight-packable-down-coat-with-hood/id_349471?attributes


it folds up like this:


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a17a2885e.jpeg
and yes all the way to packing cubes….

im going to check out that site linked earlier

Thanks for linking this website— super helpful. I’m an overpacker and struggle with just carrying on.

Yes to the packing cubes. I have picked up a set of Monos collapsible packing cubes and those can compress to half of their size if you zip them. I have a uniqulo packable down liner that compresses to about the size of a paperback and it works as an insulating liner as well as a windproof jacket all it's own.

I have 2 down puffer coats and 3 thinsulate lands end coats (quilted). (I have been buying them for years - they still have options now, they're just slightly different shapes than I bought 10 years ago, and perhaps some of the tech has improved). Most coats have the temps they're good for posted online. Thinsulate works fine for me from slightly below freezing (esp if I'm moving - like walking around a city). I brought a long puffer coat (recent lands end purchase) on a December trip to Vegas and it was too much for me - only time I wore was sitting on our balcony for a long time, and even then most days I really preferred to sit with my coolmax travel blanket instead. For a sporting event, I'd say thinsulate plus maybe some chemical hand/foot heaters in case it's REALLY cold would be fine for me.

What I do is layer better. Uniqlo heattech tee under a merino sweater with a thinsulate coat, scarf & gloves is MUCH easier for me to pack and wear than multiple coats.

My favorite silk is Eileen Fisher. She has a GREAT slightly stretchy silk - I have a long sleeve knee length dress that is AMAZING and a tank as well. Would love more but honestly it's a little fancy for my current life :cool: so I'm not buying more. But if you can find it, try it!! (also try Eileen Fisher RENEW - they recycle their own clothing - I adore it because I love EF but I'm cheap ;-)
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...33a75127a2.jpg

I use vests to help extend an outfit's temperature range. Plus, the zipper pockets are nice. I have a warm Eddie Bauer one in black that packs very small and fits under a coat. For my next trip, I am using this utility vest from Amazon: WonderFlex Women's 8908 Utility Zip Fashion Vest.

I do have the LL bean silk long underwear and the top has traveled with me to many places (the bottoms too for instance when we went to Whistler). https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/5030...ut_test05&SS=B

I know it's a symptom of running hot all my life, but I honestly think many light layers are better (esp for packing!) than one "BIG" layer - and you pick the flexible layers that work with your style, with your packing list, and with YOUR regular internal temperature!

EF is my favorite travel brand! I almost always travel with her straight leg ponte pants and several of her tops. Agree that her silk charmeuse is lovely - thick and slightly stretchy, but can't find a tank dress with that fabric. EF with a good scarf is my current capsule staple but I thought I'd try to branch out - everyone suddenly turned so stylish over in Europe while I was sitting at home in my sweats! Uniqlo is also a good source, love your layering ideas.

On to shoes - though with the name Hoyaheels I'm not sure I should be asking! I'm very comfort oriented but always envy those stylish looks. My feet swell when travelling despite my sockwell socks, and we walk miles a day when in cities. Any recommendations? I'm pretty happy that the current trend in Europe is upscale tennis shoes, but one has to have more than that in their bag.