Last week I was in San Francisco for 5 days and 4 nights, mainly for work but with a little fun sprinkled in. I shared some of what I packed on the ‘gram, but now that I’ve been back in the city for a few days I’m super excited to share a little bit about my packing process, plus a breakdown of what I planned to wear vs. what I actually wore and why!
If you don’t know me well, you might be thinking “girl, you plan ALL of your outfits?” and to this I say: heeeeckkkk yes. I’ve found that planning before packing is key to a successful trip – long or short, business or pleasure! Having a plan ensures that this former over-packer stresses less and takes a carry-on 95% of the time. Truthfully, my packing process deserves its own post, so for now I’ll touch on my main principles and how I applied them to this trip.
I always start with the following questions: Where am I going? What am I doing? What is the weather? What are my essentials? What is my color palette? Those five questions guide my packing plan and have simplified my traveling experience tremendously. I typically write them out in itinerary form, but forgot to take a picture this time around so here are my responses:
Where am I going? San Francisco for work; flying there and back; 5 days and 4 nights
What am I doing? Working during the days and going to dinner twice with friends; running errands outside; possible adventure day
What is the weather? 50s with a chance of rain
What are my essentials? Work appropriate, layers and a raincoat; carry on only
What is my color palette? Black + Camel
Since this was a work trip and I knew my schedule, deciding what to bring was pretty easy. For most trips, 3-4 tops, 2-4 bottoms, 2-3 layers and 1-2 dresses is sufficient. More on that later 😉 For this one I included my wardrobe heros – versatile, layerable pieces that I feel great in – in the same color palette, and from there I created outfits in advance for each day.
PRO-TIP: If something is going into my suitcase, I have to be able to wear it at least 3 different ways!
what I packed
Sweater Blazer | This camel sweater might just be the most worn item in my closet. I have it in cream and am lusting after the black and gray versions because I truly bring it on every trip, during every season. It’s cozy but classy, easy but refined. I love that it looks polished and professional with work pants but can easily be paired with a t-shirt and jeans, too! I am not one to say you need anything but I highly recommend this piece if its on your wishlist or would fill a hole in your wardrobe. Size XS, size down.
Cashmere Crewneck | I have this sweater in three colors and it is one of the softest sweaters I own! It’s fitted without being tight, so I can wear it solo or over button downs. I love the side slit detail, too.
White Button Down | Rule of thumb: always pack a button down! Why? You can wear them untucked, tucked, tied, buttoned up, under sweaters, over t-shirts and even as a cover up. You can never go wrong with white or blue and white stripes. I love J.Crew, Theory and Gap. Size 4, tts.
Silk Printed Button Down | This has all the advantages of the above but with an extra dose of fun. The button down style makes this top polished and perfect for work events, but the print adds some fun that can easily be repurposed for a night out. Old, similar here.
Graphic Tee | An unexpected twist! This fun t-shirt can be casual or dressy, depending on the pairing. The muted black fit well with my color scheme, too. Size S, tts for oversized fit, size down for fitted.
Black Pants | The holy grail of work pants: The Perfect Black Pant from Spanx. They look like pants, feel like leggings and hold you in like shapewear. Sara Blakely, you goddess you. Anywho, I wear these at least 3x a week and can’t imagine traveling without them! I’m 5’8” and they hit at my lower ankle. Size S, tts.
Polished Denim | Polished is key here – I always pack my most versatile denim in a cut and color that’s appropriate for all settings. This pair from Agolde is my favorite – it’s a slim cut with a slight crop (on me, lol) and a leg opening that works with boot and flats. Size 26, tts. Size down in some washes, though!
Joggers | I live in joggers, so this one is no surprise! I went with this cashmere pair for this trip because I like that they can be dressed up if needed. These are some of the warmest, coziest pants I own and I knew they’d be exactly what I needed after a long day. Size S, tts.
Statement Skirt | Honestly, this could be a mini skirt, midi skirt or whatever you feel best in! I love this leather mini because the black is more formal but the pleated leather material adds texture and a little spice! Old, similar here.
I also packed 1 trenchcoat, 1 pair of pajamas, 2 pairs of leggings, 1 sports bra, 1 workout top, underwear, 1 bra, 1 pair of tights and multiple pairs of socks. Workout clothes and undergarments are so easy to wash in the sink, so I didn’t worry about having multiples. For footwear, I stuck to the three fall/winter basics: 1 flat, 1 boot, 1 sneaker.
Flats | For this trip I went with my gucci loafers. They are the most comfortable flats I own and go with a wide range of outfits. Size 38, tts.
Boots | I wanted a comfortable but cute option for day and night, which means my Everlane ReKnit booties were a must. Size 8, tts.
Sneakers | This is the hardest decision for me! I always want to pack a “fashion” sneaker and an athletic sneaker but alas, I really only had room for one which means it had to be cute enough to wear with normal clothes and practical enough to workout in! Enter my trusty black adidas! I also love Nike and APL and stick to neutral colors like black, white, beige and gray. Old, similar here.
the plan
Once I laid out my clothes I created outfits to fit with my itinerary and I took PICTURES. This is a critical step that I’ll flesh out later, but it ensures that I remember my outfit combinations and avoid stress when getting dressed. The process of planning my outfits also means that I finess and refine my list and remove any and all unnecessary items! That white t-shirt I always include just in case? Didn’t need it. When I plan ahead those “just in case…” items become irrelevant. Only thoughtful pieces make their way into my suitcase!
Note: I totes recognize that my timeline and terminology might be a little confusing with days, dinners, nights etc. We arrived on Sunday afternoon and left Thursday morning and it all made sense in my head when I was planning, I promise! For my next post I’ll be sure to include the actual itinerary 🙂
packing list in action
And now, here’s what I actually wore! For the most part, I stayed on track. There were three exceptions:
- On night two I ended up going out to pick up dinner so I wore my black sweater / sweater blazer / black pants and sneakers – comfy, cozy and cute!
- On night four I was freezing and wore all of my layers: white button down / black sweater / sweater blazer / jeans / booties – warm, stylish and practical.
- On the plane ride home it was still freezing, so I swapped my button down for my black sweater.
Overall I was really happy with what I packed and was able to adjust outfits as needed, even with a small selection! This is where having versatile options in a complementary color palette is key.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more packing lists and a resource to help you become an efficient #purelypacker too!
SHOP THE POST
Love the tip about sticking to a color palette! That way, if you change up from your plan, you know all of the pieces work together. We went to Connecticut last summer, and I packed all navy, white, and a pop of baby pink. Worked like a charm!