Monday, May 3, 2010

Let the packing begin!


Since I have known that I will be leaving for Europe for a year I have been researching everything pertaining to packing / knowing what to bring / how to pack / what not to pack / ect. This has enabled me to hopefully have travel wisdom beyond my 22 years. I found that there were a lot of sites that would let me know how many pairs of pants or long sleeve shirts to bring but didn't go into any more detail. I found this site really helped me to collect a capsule wardrobe that will allow me to bring a minimal amount of clothing and be able to match a lot together. I'll show you what I'm planning on bringing with me in this post!


Jackets / Coats
I tried to bring relatively lightweight coats that will allow me to layer for winter and wear alone in the spring. I also brought different colors with me so that I have different neutrals for different occasions. I am bringing my north face shell for rain and snow weather, my north face fleece that can layer beneath the shell or be worn alone, my coach navy trench coat which I will be wearing on the plane because it's quite heavy and would take up a bit of space, my tan trench coat because it's nice in the spring and does well in the rain, and my knit navy J. Crew blazer because it can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. It's also very comfortable but has a structured look!

Pants
I tried to stick with comfortable pants that will allow me to move to keep up with kids but also look put together enough for the city. I am bringing my dark AE boot cut jeans, Dark AE skinnies, (I decided against the light jeans) my brown cords, my new black skinny jeans from Urban Outfitters, khaki shorts and black leggings.

Skirts
I decided on four skirts that are each very different. The black short skirt is a little longer than a mini skirt and is a nice silk flouncy material that is fun for going out at night! The cream BCBG skirt is a favorite of mine because it is so versatile in that it can be worn both during the day and at night. The pink skirt will probably not be worn that often but I love it so much that I had to bring it. It's a J Crew Pencil skirt I got off of Ebay for about $10! The last one is a J. Crew dress / skirt that I am in LOVE with! It can be worn 3 different ways, as a skirt, a long dress or a short dress just by folding the top! It's a lovely gray color that can also go well during the day or night :-) I love these skirts!

Tops
I brought so many tops! Many of these are just T-shirts or camis so I can layer them. Among them is a Cream Corsage shirt, Green sheer tank, pink sequin tank, pink button up, floral button up, and a green / navy floral T.

Dresses

I only decided on three dresses. I am bringing my thrifted Vienna dress that I got in a flee market in Austria. I had to barter for the price but even so I still feel like I got pretty ripped off cause it's 100% polyester but it still feels like silk and moves well. It has so many colors though I can wear any cardigan over it with a belt and look pretty pulled together. I also have my Target LBD which I can wear so many different ways I love it! The last dress is also from Target. It's a nice pattern that will look nice in the winter or early spring.

Sweaters / Cardigans
So I have a sweater fetish. I am bringing probably close to 15 sweaters with me. Extreme? Yes. BUT I can wear a sweater with pretty much everything I own and they help to keep me warm and put together! I am bring a cardigan in red, navy, black, cream, purple, blue, magenta, gray, gray and gray. (I also love gray). They'll help to layer in the winter too :-p Also I'm bringing my gray zip up hoodie (even if it's a little stained and dirty) because it's super cozy and I wear it a lot!

Running Clothes / PJ's
I plan on running a half marathon in Europe so I had to bring these along with me! I'm bringing 3 pairs of shorts, Under armor pants and top, 3 T-shirts, 1 fitness tank, and yoga pants. I also have my lone PJ pants :-)

ACCESSORIES!!
So I am bringing a whole slew of scarves that will help me accessorize my many neutral clothes. Also, Europeans love scarves (or so I hear) so my goal is to at least try to fit in! Fortunately I also love scarves so this shouldn't be a daunting task. Also belts are wonderful for creating a waist among what will be the many t-shirt and cardigan ensembles I'll create!

Shoes!
Recently I've decided I love shoes! I am bringing 12 pairs because I love them so much! I'm bringing two pairs of boots because during the winter I'm really not sure what else I'll wear! Also, my navy birkenstocks, Clarks gladiator sandals, black wedges, black flats, running shoes, white flip flops, pink moccasins, yellow flats, cream flats, and my black sandals.

Well then, hopefully this post will help others who may be traveling for a year. I'll post more on how I packed later!

- B

2 comments:

  1. I tried to text you today and then i remembered you probably dont have your phone, but i hope your first day is going really well!! :)

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  2. You took way more shoes than I did. Smart move! We're lucky to have you Britt, looking forward to spending more time with you.

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