CD That's Me

Before I left for Europe, I wrote about the freedom of packing light. It sounds great in theory. And now that I had put in on paper and out in the universe, I had to do it IRL.

So the real test. Did I follow my own advice? I'm happy to report... yes. The biggest lesson wasn't that I pack less - it is that I pack smarter.

And this trip became my unofficial experiment of a new way of packing. I am going to call it bundling (more on that later – wow it works!) And of course sticking to one color palette. Instead of throwing in every "just in case" outfit (because we all know that's really code for I might feel bloated or like a completely different person on Day 6), I committed to one simple color story: neutral with a touch of animal. Truly that is the color palette of my life.

It turns out that when everything works together, getting dressed on vacation becomes wonderfully boring and fun, in the best possible way. Every top worked with every bottom. Every layer made sense. I even had the right outfit to wear riding a camel on the beach (neutral, light, airy, covered) and I had room to throw in a couple of fun colorful pieces too (which I tend to wear more on vacation or in the summer).

Here's what made the final cut:

• Tops: black & gray tanks (from Amazon and so great!), Mango white eyelet ss blouse, Daydreamers bikini tee


• Bottoms: Le Bop satin stripe, vintage market find linen stripe (didn’t end up wearing), Deiji cream cotton (love this brand), Rag and Bone Miramar (wore on the plane. . . RT)


• Dresses: DIISH black sundress, Mapoesie pucci like caftan (didn't end up wearing), Mapoesie brighter caftan, Monrow white two-piece strapless set (pants), Raquel Allegra black two-piece satin set (again pants), Ganni leopard cover up, Lemlem black cover up


• Layers: Ulla Johnson pareo, Zara black and cream striped sweater, Saint NY black ls sweater, Bathing suitx (throwing into this category) – J Crew black strapless one piece, Andie black tank one piece, Lisa Marie Fernandez black and gold tie suit


• Accessories: Mansur Gavriel black raffia cross body, black raffia clutch, Matta neutral woven tote, Diega silk fringed pareo (picked up in May when in Italy), Wyeth chocolate brown raffia bucket hat (which I lost in some car ride on the way back from Morocco but don’t worry I already replaced it. . . ), Julietta shell necklace (statement piece) and a few bangles and big earrings (I definitely wear more jewelry on vacation).

And then... the shoes. This is where most of us lose the packing battle. I normally convince myself I need shoes for sightseeing, dinner, rain, beach/pool, cobblestones, cocktails, emergencies, and apparently some imaginary red-carpet event.

This time I packed just 3 pairs:

• Gaia brown jelly kitten heels


• Black leather wedges


• TKees neutral flip flops


• Brown raffia Birks (wore on plane)

Guess what? I wore the same pair about 80% of the trip. Another surprise? I didn't miss the clothes I left behind. Instead, I appreciated having a lighter suitcase, more room for a few treasures we picked up in Morocco and the ability to move through airports, train stations, and charming little European streets without dragging what felt like a small appliance.

Packing this way also made me realize something bigger. The older I get, the less interested I am in having more options and the more interested I am in having better ones.

The same goes for travel. More experiences. More spontaneity. More room - for souvenirs, for memories, and maybe even for a few new outfits!

Will I still overpack a little next time? Let's not get carried away.