Minimalist Packing Guide: 3 Days In Maine, 1 Carry-On

As I mentioned on Monday, Jason and I are headed up north to Maine tonight for a quick trip to see family (we come back Saturday afternoon). To say I'm excited for some last minute leaf peeping is an understatement and I'm packing up my favorite fall pieces to make the most of it.

Below, I've outlined the pieces I'm bringing to keep me super cozy and comfortable and I can't wait to share outfits pics once I get back. Anything marked with an asterisk* will make up my travel outfit, and I've linked the items shown (or some similar) in case you're interested. 

Tops

1. White Silk Shirt*

2. Plaid Shirt

3. Navy Tee 

Sweaters

1. Black Cashmere Crewneck

2. Fisherman Sweater

Jeans

1. Medium Wash Jeans

2. Dark Wash Skinny Jeans

Blazers

1. Grey Herringbone Blazer

2. Green Herringbone Blazer

3. Navy Blazer*

Outerwear

1. Barbour

Shoes

1. Chelsea Boots*

2. Riding Boots

Accessories & Purses

1. Fall Themed Silk Scarf

2. Green Print Silk Scarf

3. Red Shawl*

4. Classic Belt*

5. Thin Statement Belt  

6. Clutch

7. Crossbody Purse*

8. Simple, Everyday Jewelry*

9. Fedora 

I also filmed a corresponding packing video that you can view here or below. 

Before I go, I'd love to know if you're headed anywhere fun this fall? Have you gotten a chance to enjoy the foliage? Let me know in the comments below and follow along with me on Instagram. 

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Until next time,

Audrey

Chic & Comfy Travel Outfit

On Wednesday Jason and I are taking a quick trip to Maine for some fall fun. In preparation, today I'm sharing one of my go-to travel looks that keep me comfy but chic.

The base of this look is one that fits just about any destination I'm heading to and can be topped with a blazer for some added warmth and polish. For this trip I will be doing just that and will wear one of the three blazers I'm bringing - stay tuned for my complete packing guide and list later this week.

For footwear, I always like to wear booties because they go with everything and are super comfortable. Plus, I can easily wear socks with them to protect my feet from the airport floor when going through security. Also, I love to bring my travel Longchamp Pliage to store my personal items. To keep to the one carry-on and a personal item rule, I always leave enough room in my carry-on to store one of my purses. More on that to come in a post later this week.  

Below, I've linked the items you see here in case you're interested and I would love to know what you're go-to travel outfit is. Let me know in the comments below and I can't wait to share pics of Maine soon. 

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Until next time,

Audrey

Capsule Wardrobe Packing Guide - 1 Week In Colorado In A Carry-On

If you follow me on Snapchat or Instagram (my username is AudreyALaMode on both and I share restaurant reviews and tons of scenic snaps), then you know that I am in Colorado for the week enjoying mountain views and fresh air. To streamline my trip, I brought only 1 carry-on full of my favorite capsule items - with a few spring and fall items sprinkled in to suit the cooler temps. To help inspire you to pack light for your next trip, I have outlined the exact items I brought below. Also, be on the lookout for tons of pics and travel lookbook once I return! 

Tops

1. White cotton shirt from Brooks Brothers

2. Chambray shirt from J. Crew

3. Striped Tee from J. Crew

4. White crewneck tee from Everlane (a replacement addition to my summer capsule)*

5. White v-neck tee from Hanes

6. Cream cableknit sweater from L.L. Bean (borrowed from my upcoming fall capsule)*

7. Long-sleeve navy and black tees from J. Crew (borrowed from my upcoming fall capsule)*

Bottoms

1. White denim skirt from J. Crew

2. White chino shorts from J. Crew

3. Navy chino shorts from J. Crew

4. Denim shorts from Levi's

5. White jeans from Levi's (borrowed from my spring capsule)*

6. Classic jeans from Madewell (borrowed from my upcoming fall capsule)*

Shoes

1. Classic loafers from Gucci

2. Pointed toe flats from Everlane

3. Sneakers

4. Brown chelsea boots from Cole Haan

Accessories

1. Large scarf

2. Sunglasses

3. Fedora

4. Statement necklace

5. Classic brown belt 

Outerwear

1. Brown leather jacket

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I also put together a quick packing video on YouTube that you can view here or below. 

Until next time! 

Packing Light: The In-Flight Essentials

If I had it my way, I would travel constantly. Whether it be by plane, train or automobile I love all that travel entails from the preparation to the anticipation and of course the final experience. As you know if you saw my last two travel posts here and here, I prefer to travel light and only pack 1 carefully planned carry-on. I shared how I use versatile, classic pieces and multiple accessories stretch the longevity of these pieces but only touched on what I pack for the flight itself. So, today I want to share what I tend to pack on my person to save me from boredom, unpredictable plane temperatures and dehydrated flight conditions.   

Beauty

When it comes to staying hydrated on dry, congested planes I have a two pronged approach that goes beyond just drinking tons and tons of water. The first is to prep my skin before take-off with hydrating products like the new and luxurious Honest Beauty Everything Primer. This product is perfect for air-travel because it adds a touch of luminance and hydration to the skin and can be worn alone or under makeup to make your skin glow. I also load up on the gorgeous RMS Beauty Living Luminizer which instantly makes you look like you just left the best yoga session and followed it up with a tall glass of green juice. The next thing I do is to look after my skin during the flight by applying hydrating lip balm as needed, and spritzing my face with a delightful hydrating mist to wake up my skin and help me feel a little less claustrophobic. I have linked the products I rely on below in case you're interested but whatever you're loving at the moment will work perfectly as well. My only word of caution would be to avoid products containing alcohol because it can be extremely drying to the skin. The last beauty bit I always pack is my trusty Mason Pearson hairbrush and a classic hair clip so that I can freshen up before landing. 

Entertainment

To avoid boredom on the plane I always bring Kindle and sometimes a great picture heavy fashion or beauty book depending on how long the flight is and what kind of experience I want to have. Before every flight, I ensure that my kindle is fully stocked with a few different books just in case I want to change up what I'm reading. If the flight is on the shorter side and I'm looking for fashion or beauty ideas I will be sure to pack an amazing (not too heavy book) to flip through along with my Kindle. I like doing this to save me from buying a costly magazine at the airport in a desperate need for inspiration. 

Fashion

As you know from my last packing posts, I try and wear some of my heavier, multi-tasking items (like sweaters, jackets and belts) on the plane to save suitcase space. In addition to those I also like to wear a pashmina or scarf depending on where I'm headed. Not only do these look fabulous and make your travel outfit a little more special but they can also double as a blanket during chilly flights. For a purse, I like to bring a crossbody bag for hands free airport navigation and ultimately throw all of these items (and my purse when the time comes) into a larger satchel that can be easily stored under the seat. I love my Longchamp for this but any lightweight, durable bag will do. 

Until next time, happy travels!

Packing Light: 5 Days, 1 Carry-On

In a few days, Jason and I are headed out to Arizona for family, food and fun. If you saw my last "Packing Light" post you know that I prefer to travel with only 1 carry-on by packing strategically to get the most out of a few select items. For this vacation I will be bringing mostly neutral basics that I can dress up or down and jazz up with southwestern inspired accessories. Below I have outlined my detailed packing list in the hope that it will inspire you to pack light as well. 

T-Shirts and Button-Downs

The weather in Arizona is supposed to be wonderfully warm during the day and crisp at night so I will be packing only two t-shirts. The first is a basic white t that I can wear alone during the day and layered at night. Both are 100% cotton and will be breathable enough for both the warm daytime temps and cooler evening temps. As you know, I love button-downs for how versatile they are so  I will be bringing 1 chambray shirt, 1 long sleeve silk shirt and 1-2 short sleeve silk shirts because they take up practically no space in my suitcase and will serve me well depending on the weather and what we're doing. 

Sweaters and Jackets

For this post I have lumped sweaters and jackets together because I consider both of them toppers. Because we will be in the dessert and the change in temps from day to night can be drastic, I will be bringing 2 jackets and 2 sweaters. For jackets I will bring my rich brown leather jacket that I will wear on the plane and basic jean jacket for the perfect southwestern touch. For sweaters I am bringing my white cotton crew neck that I will likely wear on the plane and my cream cashmere cable knit crew neck sweater. 

Shorts, Jeans and Pants

When it comes to traveling I like to take only a few pairs of bottoms because they can be mixed and matched really easily and tend to take up a lot of space in my suitcase. For this trip I will be bringing my white Levi's 501 CT jeans, white J. Crew shorts, LOFT Skinny Jeans (that I will wear on the plane), an old J. Crew jean skirt and Massimo Dutti printed skirt. 

Accessories, Purses and Jewelry

This is the fun part! I LOVE accessories for how much they can change up a look and take up little space in my suitcase so I will be bringing 1 purse and a variety of jewelry, scarves and belts to add the perfect touch to each outfit. Below, I have outlined some similar options to what I will be packing.  

Shoes  

To suit the wide range of activities we will be doing I am bringing 4 pairs of shoes. 1 pair of brown gladiator sandals that are super comfortable, 1 pair of pointed toe flats that I can wear to dress up any of my looks, my new Madewell Billie boots that I will be wearing on the plane and are insanely comfortable and so versatile, and 1 pair of sneakers.  

Until next time, happy packing!

Packing Light: 2 Weeks Of Outfits In 1 Carry-On

Christmas is next week and I couldn't be more excited! To celebrate the most wonderful day of the year, I will be heading out of town to be with family. All-in-all, my trip will span 2 states and just under 2 weeks but I will only be taking 1 carry-on suitcase. To help inspire you to travel light too, I have rounded up the items I will be taking with me below, along with how I plan to mix and match them for endless outfits. Plus, I will of course post some of my looks on here and Instagram so you can see how it all comes together.  

Packing List

Before I jump into the specifics of each item, here is a quick run-down of everything I am bringing. 

• 1 black long sleeve t-shirt
• 1 navy long sleeve t-shirt
• 1 striped 3/4 sleeve t-shirt
• 1 short sleeve black t-shirt
• 1 white button-down
• 1 white silk button-down 
• 1 black silk button-down
• 1 black short sleeve silk button-down
• 1 red plaid button-down
• 1 blue and white striped button-down
• 1 chambray button-down
• 1 cream cable knit cashmere sweater 
• 1 cream cashmere cardigan
• 1 red cashmere sweater
• 1 navy cotton cable knit sweater
• 1 navy blazer
• 1 plaid blazer
• 1 pair of dark wash skinny jeans
• 1 pair of black pants
• 1 pair of navy shorts
• 1 pair of leggings 
• 1 plaid pencil skirt
• 1 a-line plaid skirt
• 1 black a-line skirt
• 1 pair of ballet flats
• 1 pair of loafers
• 1 pair of printed flats
• 1 pair of dressy flats
• 1 pair of boots
• 2 Faux pearl necklaces - multi layer and single strand
• 1 statement frog necklace
• 1 festive crystal necklace
• 1 gold seashell medallion necklace
• 1 pair of statement crystal earrings
• 1 pair of basic pearls
• 1 pair of diamond studs
• 1 pair of light blue drop earrings
• A selection of vintage brooches
• A selection of silk scarves
• 3 belts
• 1 basic black purse
• 1 clutch

T-Shirts

I will be spending the first half of the holiday in Florida and the second half in Charleston, SC. To suit the two different climates - cooler Charleston temps and unpredictable, warm Florida weather - I am packing four t-shirts (1 black long sleeve, 1 navy long sleeve, 1 3/4 sleeve striped and 1 short sleeve black t). The first two long sleeved t's are from J. Crew,.the third basic 3/4 sleeve striped t is from Forever 21, and the short sleeve t is one I have had for years but cut the tag out of. I don't wear t-shirts too often in my day-to-day life but I love them for traveling because they act as the perfect base for printed scarves and statement necklaces, and can easily be paired with blazers and sweaters until my hearts content. The ability to mix-and-match is critical when packing light, and layers like t-shirts are an effortless way to do that without adding weight to your suitcase. 

Button-Downs

When it comes to button-downs, I am packing seven because I tend to wear them more than any other top and they can easily transition between formal and dressy settings and the two climates by rolling and unrolling the sleeves and layering them. The first of four button-downs I am bringing is my white Ralph Lauren oxford that is light and airy for the Florida heat and also perfect for more casual days. The next three are my white and black long sleeve Everlane silk blouses and short sleeve black silk blouse that I love for dressier occasions and because they're incredibly light weight for packing - they roll up to practically nothing in my suitcase but add the perfect polish to any look. The final three are my blue and white striped Ralph Lauren oxford, red plaid Ralph Lauren button-down and J. Crew chambray shirt. I love all three of these for traveling because they are more memorable than the plain ones and can stand alone if need be in the Florida heat. Plus, they add just the right amount of visual appeal when paired with basic skirts, pants, sweaters and more. 

Sweaters

Because I will be heading south for the holidays and it won't be too cold, I am bringing 3 cashmere sweaters and 1 light weight cotton one because they can be rolled to take up as little space as possible, and are the perfect weight for Florida winter nights and cooler Charleston days. The first cashmere sweater I will be packing is my cream cable knit one. I love this sweater for travel because it is luxe enough to stand alone but also pairs beautifully with any of the tops I am bringing and all of my accessories. Next, I am packing my cream cashmere cardigan for throwing on over all of the tops I am bringing, and a new Talbots red cashmere sweater for a festive pop. The last sweater is a navy L.L. Bean cable knit crew neck one that I love for adding texture and warmth. 

Blazers and Jackets

For blazers I am bringing a versatile one and a fun festive one. The neutral blazer is my Brooks Brothers navy one and the festive one is a fun plaid offering that I recently got for the holiday season. Both of these are great for throwing on over my tops and sweaters and for keeping me warm during the cooler (but not too cold) Charleston nights. To save on suitcase space though, I will be wearing one of them for travel and I'll share how I do so soon. 

Jeans

I am only bringing one pair of jeans - my trusty high waisted, dark wash skinny jeans from LOFT that I have raved about countless times. They are super comfortable and versatile and I can't imagine traveling without them. 

Pants, Shorts and Leggings

This trip I will be bringing 1 pair of black pants that can be dressed up or down, 1 pair of navy shorts perfect for the Florida sun and 1 pair of leggings for lounging around the house. 

Skirts

Like button-downs, I love to bring skirts when packing light because they can easily be dressed up or down and they take up very little space in my suitcase. For this trip, I will be bringing 1 plaid pencil skirt from J.Crew, 1 vintage a-line plaid one for Christmas festivities and 1 a-line black skirt from LOFT. 

Shoes

When packing light, I think it is critical to limit the amount of shoes you bring because they take up a lot of valuable suitcase space and can weigh you down. With this in mind, I am bringing 1 pair of ballet flats, 1 pair of loafers, 1 pair of printed flats, 1 pair of dressy flats and 1 pair of boots that I will wear on the plane to save space. 

Accessories

As you know, I love accessories because they can completely transform classic basics and stretch your wardrobe. For this very reason, I will be bringing a ton of accessories on this trip. For necklaces, I will be packing my favorite faux pearls from J. Crew and Brooks Brothers, my statement J. Crew frog necklace for a fun pop, crystal necklace from J. Crew Factory for festive looks and gold seashell medallion from J. Crew. For earrings I will bring my statement crystal earrings from J. Crew, basic pearls, diamond studs and light blue Julie Vos drop earrings. I will also be bringing a few of my favorite vintage brooches, silk scarves and belts. Finally, I will be bringing along a basic black bag and 1 clutch. 

Until next time, happy packing!