The Art of Packing (and Then Editing Everything Out)
Packing is really just styling with weight limits.
Every trip starts with the same fantasy: I’m going to be disciplined. Strategic. Efficient. One suitcase. Thoughtful outfits. Nothing unnecessary. Every Trip ends very differently.
But I always start with a list. This list was made for my recent trip to Paris.
I’m going to Paris for five days and five nights for a little bit of Fashion Week, a little bit of work, a little bit of a girls trip and a birthday to celebrate (mine). There are shows, dinners, flea markets, shopping, meetings. The outfits need to be pulled together, but I also can’t arrive looking like I’m relocating to Europe with five trunks and a garment rack (although I did set up a rolling rack in my hotel room, because “once a stylist, always a stylist”). The goal is to either use one large suitcase or 2 medium sized and not be over the weight.
We’ll see how that goes.
Step One: Map the Trip
My first step is always mapping the rhythm of the trip.
Day one: land → flea markets → dinner at Caviar Kaspia.
Day two: shopping → dinner at Billie’s.
Day three: Louis Vuitton show → dinner at Diep and after party.
Day four: lunch, shopping, dinner at Cibus.
Day five: more shopping → dinner at Tarantula.
Once I understand the rhythm of the days, I start building the wardrobe around that. The biggest rule I try to follow when packing is the same rule I follow with my closet at home: pack pieces that play well with others.
Certain pieces always do the job. The MVP’s of your closet- button downs are a big one. You can tuck them in, wear them loose, layer them, tie them, or wear them under a jacket. They quietly do a lot of work. Same with the classics: jeans, black trousers, high sport kick pants, cargoes. Those are the pieces that can realistically be worn multiple times on a trip and styled differently each day.
Then there are the statement pieces. The fun pants. The interesting tops. Those are usually one-time wears. They’re great for giving an outfit personality, but they don’t always play as nicely with the rest of the suitcase. So if you’re trying to pack strategically, you have to be a little disciplined with those. A couple go a long way.
The goal is to build the suitcase around the pieces that can work overtime, and then sprinkle in a few things that make the outfits feel special.
Step Two: The Piles
As I’m looking down at the piles on my closet floor right now, I’m realizing something. Without even thinking, I’m basically packing by the plays well with others concept.
There’s a very clear theme happening. Blue and white stripes. Black. Red. Velvet. Denim. Texture. I didn’t consciously plan it that way.
I’m just pulling things I instinctively like together, but when I step back and look at the piles, everything already works with everything else. The colors make sense together. The textures make sense together. Even the patterns feel like they belong in the same conversation.
Which I guess proves my own point. If your closet is built around pieces that play well with others, packing becomes a lot easier. Even when you’re not consciously trying to follow the rule.
For shoes, I try to take a shoe from each category. I choose shes that are versatile and can do a lot of walking.
Step Three: What Actually Made the Cut
Okay. Here’s where we landed.
Five pairs of shoes: my Tigers, Nike V2Ks, my Row boots, and my Liisa pumps.
For bottoms: High sport kick pants, black trousers, cargo pants, two pairs of jeans, and a few skirts — my vintage Chinese wedding skirt, a black velvet vintage Jean Paul Gaultier skirt, and my long black Row skirt.
For sweaters: a red sweater, a blue striped polo sweater, a black turtleneck, a black cardigan, and a black V-neck.
Button downs obviously made the cut. Black, white, gray, and a vintage blue-and-white striped one.
Then a couple fun tops: a velvet embroidered top and a Celine sailor knit with the red sleeves (maybe it’s too on the nose and will need to be sacrificed).
For outerwear: my red Toteme trench coat, my black Loewe leather jacket, a vintage black trench and a silk embroidered dust jacket… and I plan to buy a couple more shells and outerpieces while I am in Paris, so I will go light with packing here.
And because trips are real life and not just outfits, I added sweatpants, pajamas, and a stack of T-shirts. Some plain, some vintage.
Now here’s the thing…I feel like I’m forgetting something. I always feel like I’m forgetting something when I pack. But I’m also looking at this pile thinking… this is already basically a full suitcase, and I haven’t even put the shoes or toiletries in yet.
Which means the next phase of packing is about to begin: Editing.
My suitcase and I are about to have a very honest conversation.
The Paris Factor
And the truth is, Paris always makes me pack a little differently.
In Los Angeles, I dress pretty practically. My wardrobe is built around the rhythm of my real life: school drop-offs, fittings, installs meetings, errands.
But Paris brings out a slightly different side of me.
It’s where I reach for the pieces that feel a little more dramatic. A little more playful. A little more fashion. Things that might sit quietly in my closet at home suddenly feel exactly right there.
So the suitcase always ends up being a mix of both versions of me.
The practical one, and the more fun one.
Update: I went for 2 medium size suitcases with room to spare, that way, I could easily fit all my new purchases in the suitcases on my return trip home. Everyone wins!
xo, Simone
Love this!