Collective for Good

I’d love to see the bell curve for the science of packing in a carry-on: are most people average and just pack what they think they’ll need plus a few extras, or does the curve skew toward the over-packer or under-packer?

I fall more in the latter of packing as minimally as possible, which sometimes mean I don’t have everything I need. The good news is I try to have an abundance mindset, that I will be able to find or borrow whatever gets left behind. One of my life mottos is ‘everything is figure-out-able’ and having the minor inconvenience of not having something I need is preferable to lugging 3 bags everywhere I go. 🙂

All of that said, here’s my minimal packing guide for a week in the midwest in December, though this exact packing list could be used for most fall + winter months in moderate-wintery conditions.

Cream Ribbed Shirt | Black Cashmere Sweater | Cream Cardigan | Striped Sweater | Cream Matching Set | Black Puffer Coat | Dark Blue Jeans | Mid-blue Blue Jeans | Black Trousers | Black Handbag | Almond Chelsea Boots | Black Hightop Chucks | Everyday Hoop Earrings | Pendant Necklace

The Pieces:

The cream ribbed long sleeve shirt is so easy to wear on it’s own (this one is a tad thicker than typical long sleeve shirts), but it also makes a great layering shirt because it’s more on the fitted side. I love to wear it with wide-leg jeans or trousers.

As for bottoms, my preference is to wear wide-leg pants so I packed two pair of jeans in different washes. These are high-waisted, loose through the legs, and the perfect length for me (at 5’4″). But for days when I want to be extremely comfortable, a pair of trousers like these makes me feel effortlessly chic.

For layering or to wear on it’s own, I brought a cashmere sweater, a cardigan, and a striped sweater. Each of these is so versatile, warm, and chic. I ended up wearing the cardigan buttoned on it’s own, and then layered the cashmere sweater (which feels SO luxe!) over the cream ribbed top. There wasn’t enough days to style the striped sweater, so I paired it with pajama bottoms and wore it on the 12 hour drive home. (shhhh ;))

While I could’ve fit more accessories, I decided to keep it simple so I had less decisions to make on vacation. Plus when you love your everyday hoops and pendant necklace, there’s no need to change things up. My black purse matches every outfit and is easy to grab-and-go! I love that Converse hightops can dress down trousers but also offer comfort, whereas the Chelsea boots are a bit nicer and warmer for evening activities.

As much as I love to travel, it’s not important to me to go out and buy a travel wardrobe. Instead, I appreciate that the clothes I love and wear on a daily basis get used on vacations, too!

I’ve shared more styling ideas and how I utilize these pieces here in my everyday Winter capsule wardrobe guide, but you can also head to Instagram to see these items IRL.

Love the clothes you wear, and wear the clothes you love. 🙂

Xoxo,

Kimberly

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy one of these:

50+ Outfit Ideas for a Winter Capsule Wardrobe

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10 Fall Essentials to Elevate Your Sustainable Wardrobe