How to pack (light) for a trip
Curating the travel capsule wardrobe.
The phrase “capsule wardrobe” is ubiquitous in fashion articles and guides to minimalist living. But for anyone unfamiliar with the concept, it is a wardrobe consisting of 20-30 versatile, timeless, and high-quality garments meant to complement one another. The purpose is to make dressing—and dressing well—simple and straightforward by eliminating decision fatigue and excess clutter. It’s about being honest about what you really want to wear.
The word capsule is derived from the Latin for box or chest, and has many dictionary definitions relating to pharmacy, biology, anatomy, and botany. Once you sift beyond the synonyms for pill and the description of “the spore-producing structure of mosses and liverworts, typically borne on a stalk,” there is a definition much more intriguing:
capsule (adj.): shortened or condensed but retaining the essence of the original.
I would add to that “capsule (noun): the distillation of a larger body of work; the concentrated synopsis of a rich collection.”
I enjoy assembling these wardrobes when I take a trip
because the steps are fun:
1. Create a character: identify who is traveling.
Understand the person who is going on the journey. An itinerary is a good starting point to paint the picture; it’s important to know, for example, if there will be a lot of walking, hiking, or riding horses, what the weather is like, and how much free time there will be. Beyond that, think creatively about this person traveling. What shade of lipstick does she wear? What’s her drink order at the bar? Is she sitting there alone? Is she waiting for someone? Someone she knows? Or hoping to be surprised by the arrival of someone new, or by an evening alone with her thoughts and observations? What is she wearing to coffee, to the museum? Where is she going, by day, and by night? Does she take the train or rent a car? Is she bringing work or leaving it all behind? Don’t overthink it, but do give it some thought.
2. Sketch it all out: create a visual shadowbox of the clothes and attitudes of this person.
Draw the clothes she wears. Include accessories, shoes, earrings. The aim is to pack light; use your imagination and draw anything that comes to mind if it fits the style of the shadowbox, but retain a handle on your conservative nature; that is, be realistic about the size of your suitcase and be prepared to cut something if needed. Keep your emotions surrounding clothes light and pliable.
When it comes to packing, my rule of thumb is:
3 tops, 2 bottoms, 1 warm thing (sweater), 1 jacket or coat, 2 shoes, and 1 dressy outfit for 7 days. And enough underwear and socks for each day. Any trips longer than 7 days, make a plan for laundry.
This is slim enough to leave room for a few extra fun things, like a vest or a third pair of shoes.
And in the sketches, don’t refrain from including song lyrics or the stray excerpt of poetry if you feel compelled. Include any colorful phrases that illustrate your intentions, words can be very useful here.
3. Realize the capsule: identify the steps to curating these pieces desired for the trip.
How many of the pieces on the list are already in your regular rotation? What needs to be shopped for? Can it be easily procured via Amazon or will it require a long day’s hunt at the thrift store circuit or local mall?
Of course, I write this as a clothier who tends to make at least one new thing for every new place. But this activity is not about designing everything from scratch or even about shopping for an entirely new wardrobe. Plenty of what I sketch into my capsule is already in my closet, and almost always my closet includes some great thing I found at the thrift store. Great style is never limited to expensive designer pieces, trends, or constant reinvention. It’s about knowing who you are and how you want to convey that to the world.
Other pieces of advice:
· Plan ahead: if this person has a certain nail color or a fresh haircut, get an appointment on the schedule when you book your flight.
· Pack light: leaving a piece or two behind is almost always preferable to being heavily weighed down during the commute. Be a little cutthroat. Anyway, an excuse to buy a new thing or two on the trip is always welcome.
· Don’t break the bank: the point of this is to bring to life what you already own or enjoy wearing by assembling it well. It’s not about splurging, so set aside concerns about spending your entire travel fund on a new wardrobe. Look creatively at what is already there in your grasp. However, if one piece will really bring the whole thing together, do take this opportunity to acquire it!
· Be reasonable, but be bold: allow yourself to identify a single piece as the foundation of the capsule, or even as the muse for your character. Build everything in support of that one piece and the person who wears it. But don’t pack a suitcase of uncomfortable clothes that are only fabulous and not functional. Think about the activities of the travel, the more casual moments of restoration at a coffeeshop or strolls through the park. Unless you’re only going to galas, temper the soloist with a supportive chorus, not a suitcase full of divas.
My final note on it:
The same way the costumes on a stage subtly support the emotions of a play, ultimately, everything in the suitcase needs to support the person traveling. This exercise is not about being fake, playing a part, or putting on a performance. The goal is simply to pack an elegantly small and lightweight bag and to have only wonderful things to wear. The character you identify may very well be the exact same person you are every day, and she may dress the same. But she may also be the person who wears that great dress hanging in your closet with the tags still on. What better time than this? My theory is that if it doesn’t work abroad, it was never going to work anywhere, and you can ditch it with total peace, leaving it behind in your hotel closet. But you might also find it’s your new favorite; it just needed a different place to come alive. What better time for a little lighthearted risk?
Travel light, keep your spirit lighter, and take this piece of wisdom from Simone de Beauvoir in her memoir All said and Done:
“When one is abroad, one is nobody. No one knows you, and in consequence, you can be whomever you like.”
Really enjoyed this! Inspired to pack a capsule for my next trip.