Packing a suitcase for two weeks in France

When a travel pro packs for holiday

Personal stylist Margo Passadore travels a lot, sometimes for just a few days and sometimes for two to four weeks. This summer she and her family will spend a couple of weeks in the Loire Valley of France, where it will probably be quite warm and where she really doesn’t want to stand out like too many American tourists do in sneakers and shorts.

As someone with bright Spring coloring (wearing no makeup here – but that’s how I do a color analysis), she can have fun with color blocking, bold prints and complementary color combinations.

For those not fluent in the language of the color wheel, complementary colors are those that are opposite each other in the circle, like red and green, yellow and violet, orange and blue. To use complementary colors together in an outfit, it’s often kinder to the eye to avoid using both colors full strength, as in the outer ring. In Margo’s case she won’t look like a refugee from last Christmas because both the green and reds she’s  using are softer and more muted.

What’s going in Margo’s Carry-on Bag?

Decisions, decisions! Here are a few tips.

#1. Decide on a minimalist color scheme, like a dark neutral, a light neutral, and two colors that would go well with both the neutrals and each other. She’s using only 4 colors this trip: navy (her dark neutral), cream (her light neutral), pinkish-red and sage green.

#2. Lay it all out so you can see everything at once and play with arranging it. Margo happens to have a stylist’s rack to hang things on, which makes it easy. Below she’s deciding on tops. Most of her tops are simple cotton knits, but the one she’s looking at here is a silky pleated navy print that adds elegance to any pants or skirt.

#3.  Dress comfortably for the long flights. On the right is a sleeveless nylon knit maxi dress she often wears out for dinner with the cream sweater or navy shawl if it gets chilly. But her favorite use is on the long intercontinental plane ride. For that she may add navy leggings as well as the sweater or shawl. The loose fit of the dress never binds uncomfortably as she sits and sits and sits in Seat 17F. Many travelers find their feet swell on the plane; the sandals allow for that. Margo also carries socks in her hand luggage just for the plane.

Below: Margo, making tough decisions: what stays, what goes? and what to wear on the plane?

Margo’s Carry-on Capsule Wardrobe

What you see above:

• 5 tops: 3 cotton t-shirts (navy, sage, cream), 1 ruched knit navy & white print sleeveless shell, 1 cap sleeve pleated navy & white print blouse
• 2 knit cardigan/jackets: lightweight cream cardigan, and heavier navy and cream striped jacket
• 2 wide scarves/shawls: lightweight cream, green and pink print, heavier navy knit.
• 2 pairs of chino pants (navy and pinkish), 1 pair of navy shorts, 1 pink-red skirt
• 2 dresses: lightweight sleeveless polyester navy & white knit maxi, 1 sleeveless green cotton knit wrap (shown below)
• 3 pairs of shoes, all well-tested for super comfiness, all in light neutral colors to more or less disappear: metallic slip-ons, nude sandals, tan sandal heels.
• 3 necklaces: 1 long pendant, 1 multi-colored enamel, 1 short silver pendant
• Not shown: a navy and white bathing suit, undies, handbag.

#4 Make combinations: top + bottom + over/outerwear + shoes + accessories. For example, starting with the navy t-shirt, it can go with four different bottoms, 2 different outer tops, 2 different scarves, all three shoes and necklaces. Then try the sage t-shirt… etc etc etc. The mind boggles with how many combinations you can create. Try it yourself! Here’s Margo’s stab at a chart to count:

#5 Be willing to let go of a few items en route. You may come to despise a piece out of boredom, or you may find something you love much more in a little French shop or at a street bazaar.

#6 Organize by category and pack it small. Margo uses Ziploc bags designed for this purpose for undies and tops. (Left, all her tops in one bag.)

#7 In the heat go loose. When it’s hot, nothing is more uncomfortable than wearing close-fitting clothes, especially around the waist. If you aren’t into the maxi-dress thing, the loose knit dress below works well. For a more modest look you can wear the shawl over your shoulders or around your waist for when you go into cathedrals or mosques.

That’s all for now, folks. Next week: Before & After of Heather, an hourglass shaped Dusk Summer.

For more info on getting your colors done so you can travel lighter with less stress contact me.

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