I’ve always been something of a light packer. As someone who’s an Aspiring Minimalist at home, I love the idea of only bringing what I absolutely need for a trip. In the weeks leading up to a vacation, I begin to pare down my beauty routine, carefully shop for pieces that serve multiple purposes, and create Pinterest boards of styles inspired by my destination. For our five-day trip to Copenhagen (we left Tuesday night!), Jonah and I pared our packing down even further—we only brought one carry-on for the flight there, including a foldable bag we plan to fill and bring on the flight back, so that we don’t have to check any bags but can still bring home souvenirs.
When packing for a trip, I start by pulling out my absolute favorite pieces and printing out our itinerary. I then cross-check my clothes by my plans and write down what I plan on wearing each day as I match additional basics to my plans. Because I don’t want to feel restricted, I always bring neutral items so I can mix-and-match if I want, and pack enough items so that I can make last-minute swaps depending on my mood—or if I spill coffee on my pants. See my full list below!
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I plan my ‘beauty maintenance’ around trips so that I’m able to look and feel my best by takeoff. This makes me even more excited for my upcoming trip and helps me pare down my beauty routine during my trip to a bag tiny enough to fit in a small purse. For example, if I get a facial and am careful about skincare the week before, I don’t need to bring cover-up, and if I get my brows tinted, I don’t need to spend an extra five minutes each morning penciling mine in. Here’s how I approached my beauty routine for this trip :
Denim jacket: I love a denim jacket and have worn my own nearly eight-year-old jacket from Madewell so many times it’s actually distressed, with holes forming on the elbows and front. It’s the perfect, versatile layer (it works for multiple weather situations, as well as multiple outfits) so I always make sure to pack one for trips.
Chunky knit sweater: I purchased a chunky knit sweater from Doen earlier this year that has a slight pink tint so it looks great paired with other mostly neutral pieces and can mix-and-match if I need to throw on an extra layer (similar available here). Black tank top: I think my tank is from Target circa 2005, but it’s really important here to wear something super soft since it’s going to be against your skin for a long flight! It makes a difference.
Got a facial and started to be really careful about skincare (i.e., used face masks and limited dairy in my diet, which makes me break out)
Got my brows shaped and tinted
Got my nails done Got a blowout (my hair is really greasy so I need to wash it everyday, but can get away with not washing it for several days after a professional blowout. This helps save time during my trip!)Dresses are your friend, a tip I got from Emily’s friend
Stacie. Worn with sneakers, they can easily go from daytime to evening plans. I’m bringing a short dress as well as a super-versatile flowy dress. While I’m also bringing jeans, I’m comforted by the fact that I have two easy all-in-one outfits, should the weather get unexpectedly warm.
A few years ago I flew to New Zealand and purchased the cheapest possible tickets. As a result, I only spent close to $500 on my tickets, but my travel time there and back included an 18 hour flight from New York to China, a nine hour layover in China, and a 13 hour flight to Auckland, each way (not advisable). I panicked and packed seven (seven!) books plus a computer packed with movies. Instead of enjoying any of the entertainment I so carefully selected and packed, I ended up lugging half my weight in hardbacks back to New York, and binge-watching all four Jurassic Park movies on the tiny seat-back screen. Lesson learned! The fact is: You don’t need to bring that much for a long flight—the movies are usually pretty good, and you can fit most of your entertainment onto a phone or iPad.
