It’s summer. It’s time to party – or at least, time to get out of your routine and go somewhere new. If you’re on a budget, however, then you’re taking every cost-cutting corner you can take, and sometimes that means going with carry-on luggage online. Sometimes still it means only bringing a personal item to save big on those flights.
When it comes to your travel vacation wardrobe, you may think your option is to either rough it out and save, or splurge and bring a big suitcase with you.
Neither option is true.
There are very simple, very effective ways to pack light and still look fabulous; you just need to follow these top tips:
Choose Quality Basics That Pair Together
You want the clothes you take with you to work with everything else. Simple, but beautiful basics that pair easily with everything else you’ve brought with you means you immediately have more available outfits and can keep your summer looks fresh without overpacking. If you’re going on a long trip then yes, you may find that you run out of clean clothes, but a quick trip to the local laundromat can freshen them right back up.
If You Need to Narrow Down Options, Toss the Synthetics
If you have a large collection of clothes that all work together, but don’t fit in your bag, then it’s time to create a process of elimination. A good place to start is to remove any synthetics from the list. Polyester, nylon, and other plastic-based products don’t breathe and they don’t absorb. This means if you go somewhere warm in summer, you’ll end up sweating right through them and feeling incredibly uncomfortable.
The Ultimate Checklist
If you need an even faster way to dress well on vacation in as few pieces as possible, use this vacation checklist that will support you through a week’s worth of travel:
- Three shorts/skirts
- One pair of jeans
- Two dresses
- A sweater
- Four shirts
From there, pack all the undergarments you need, a bathing suit if you’ll be swimming, and your toiletries.
Use Smart Packing Methods
You have two options when it comes to packing more economically. The first is to use the cube packing method. The second is to put your clothes in a plastic bag of some sort, and pressing it down to remove the air (like easy vacuum-sealing) and tying it closed. If you have access to an iron at your accommodation, this second option will save you so much space.
Wear Your Thickest Pieces on the Plane
If you want to maximise the space in your personal baggage or carry-on, then always make your ‘travel out’ your heaviest pieces. This can be a thick dress, or it could be a pair beautifully designed jeans from Carve Designs. Either way, wearing your thickest (in most cases, your warmest) pieces means you take up less space in your luggage, all while being more comfortable on the plane itself.
Jeans in particular are a great choice, since they can take a few wears between washing. You will need to give the rest of the clothes you wear a quick wash (which can even be done in the sink by hand) but this method has been tried and true for a reason. It works.