Everything I wore in Italy
And my carry-on only packing method
Packing for a trip can be a fun challenge. I like to do carry-on only so that requires a little bit of thinking and planning. I’ve done my fair share of living out of a suitcase as evidenced by reaching 1 Million miles on Delta earlier this year. I have developed a bit of a strategy and it’s helped me pack for anywhere from a week to 4 weeks in a carry-on! Last year there were quite a few people invested in how I managed a month across Greece, Denmark, and France in just a carry-on. So I thought I’d share an update on how to do it. Plus, links to everything I wore in Rome and Puglia!
Step 1: Make a List
About a month or so out, I start thinking about what I’ll need on this trip - Is it a beachy trip? Fancy dinners? City time? Multiple climates? All of the above? I think about looks I want to bring and make a list in my notes app which I add to anytime inspiration strikes. This list starts pretty wide and includes things I already own and things I might buy. I then start making categories like pants, swim, dresses, shoes, basics, etc., and then narrowing down if there are duplicates. If I’m going to a specific event like a wedding or birthday, I’m figuring out what I want to wear and importantly what shoes I need to bring. Now is the time to order anything you want to bring - We are all familiar with the classic waiting til the last minute and then packages arrive after you’ve left. Happened to me on this trip! Learn from my mistakes!
Also - I am a big believer in shopping your closet and it’s totally cool to go to Europe or wherever without buying an entire new wardrobe. I find that if I have all brand new things, I don’t really feel like myself! But of course, a few new pieces are fun and sometimes essential!
Step 2: Fitting
As packages arrive in the couple weeks before you leave, try things on and take pictures! Make sure things fit, you feel good in them, and that the pieces have versatility so you can wear things more than once. Try to make some cute outfits and make sure you put on shoes, hats, belts…and take pictures! You can start making notes of your plans and what you want to wear. For example here are some categories I had for my trip - Rome daytime x 5 Rome dinner x 5, Puglia dinner x 6, Beach Club x 2, Boat day, Birthday Party Look, flight look. This helped me a lot when I was jet lagged and couldn’t figure out what to wear. Also nice to have the photos handy so you can remind yourself how cute everything is!
Step 3: The Pack
Get ruthless with your editing. Sometimes we have to leave behind things we love because you can only wear them once or it requires a specific shoe. Know in your gut if you feel good in these outfits. If you don’t feel good in it at home, you won’t feel good in it on vacay. Sometimes this even means things we got specifically for the trip won’t make the cut! Brutal, but this is my process.
Step 4: The Carry-on
These are some guidelines for carry-on life. I realize this ain't everyone’s cup of tea, but a lot of you seem very intrigued and I’m happy to report, I’ve never regretted doing carry-on only. Especially in the summer, obv winter is a lil harder with sweaters and whatnot but it can still be done. Still mulling this theory over, but you need more than you think for 5 days, but less than you think for 2 weeks. The worst thing you can do is start the trip with an overstuffed suitcase and have to deal with that your whole trip. Leave a lil room for souvenirs and shopping. It is bound to happen!
Hot Tips
You get 3 pairs of shoes, 4 if one pair is tiny like a velvet slipper or Havianas. Wear sneakers or boots on the plane.
You don’t need a t-shirt for every day of your trip. Use your list and narrow down. I usually bring 1 white t-shirt, 1 black t-shirt, a striped t-shirt, and a graphic t. These usually get worn on flights.
Make sure you have something comfy/cozy for chilling out. Also, I personally love wearing a nice pair of pajamas, so I bring that or a nighty.
Pick a compact purse - you can prob get away with just one. My trusty Prada Cleo never fails and I love it because it’s slim and can fit in any tote easily.
Bring your own shampoo and conditioner. I used to be cool with whatever the hotel provided, but I once showed up to work with the fluffiest, poofiest hair so that really made me step up my game. I love ROZ’s products and they have the cutest minis.
I have a pouch that comes on every trip that has my in-flight essentials that can help me feel better if I get stressed, delayed, canceled flight, lost luggage or whatever. Lip balm, gum, hand lotion, a small face lotion, hand sanitizer, Advil, activated charcoal, tampons, a pen, eye drops, my passport, portable charger, CBD drops, melatonin chews.
If you’re staying in a house, take advantage of laundry!
Packing cubes help me stay in control and avoid overpacking. I like these Paravel ones.
Bring a blazer. I wear mine on the plane, even in Europe, you can have some chilly, windy evenings and I was happy to have a chic jacket!
Get yourself a great tote to go on top of your suitcase! Here’s 9 great ones. Also, bring a lil net bag to take to the beach or the market. Takes up zero space and is very useful.
Now for the fun stuff, what to put in the suitcase! I am happy to report that I wore every single thing I brought. Even with a carry-on, sometimes you end up not wearing something!
Here are some of my faves that I brought on this trip!
Clockwise from top left:
Got so many compliments on this cute n comfy yellow striped short sleeve sweater dress by Ciao Lucia.
My beloved Janessa Leone Felix hat has come on every summer trip with me for years. I pack mine then use a little water and leave it out in the sunshine to reshape if needed upon arrival. Use MICHELE15 for a discount.
This Polka dot top and skirt by Ciao Lucia was great together and separate. Plus elastic waistband was very welcome during these long Italian dinners.
Obsessed with my Sessei striped sets the quality is SO good. I brought the red one for a boat day and wore the light blue sets around the house. LOVE.
This was my take on the Italo Disco theme for our friend’s birthday bash. I already had and love this Gil Rodriguez capri and crop top look and added a bunch of gold jewelry. So much fun and very comfortable!
For a chill night cooking at the house I wore my trusty Levi’s and this nice thick striped shirt and my new fave shoes.
Wore this amazing shirt from Alix of Bohemia to the beach with my fave shorts and Lido swim. Of course had a silky pareo in my beach bag.
Also, the most worn item on my trip was this perfect oversized white button down. Somehow looked great and fresh after 2 weeks of being lugged around. Take your regular size as it’s very oversized.
I’ve linked everything else I brought here! And if I was packing today, I would add these cutie shorts, this amazing anklet, this beautiful necklace and matching bracelet, these jellies, and this dress which arrived the day I left!
I hope you enjoyed my TED talk. Wishing you wonderful summer travels and a suitcase that’s never lost and filled with gorgeous things that make you feel fabulous. Also - do y’all want me to make a Puglia guide? LMK!! If you have any packing or travel questions, you can find me in the chat or leave a comment! Thank you for reading Amuse Bouche. It means so much to have you here. You can also find me on Instagram @kissser.
XO
Michèle
P.S. If you make a purchase using the links above, I may make a small commission, grazie!
In case you missed it…
This is incredible, thank you for all the detail! Can we talk more about how you pack your Felix hat? I have it, but always end up wearing it on the plane because I'm so nervous to crush it! Do you fold or roll and stick it in your suitcase? Helppppp!
yes pls to a puglia post ! 🫶🏻