Next week I am off to California to see my sister and husband, my older daughter at college and help my younger one figure out which college there she wants to commit to (in the near future, I will, willingly, be spending a lot more time out there). I am a plan-ahead packer, so I am working out in my head what pieces I want to take. I also want to be concise in what I bring, and am a fan of choosing pieces that can multi-task—everything here goes with everything.
My list includes:
- One jacket: My Nili Lotan motorcycle jacket to wear with everything when it’s chilly.
- One sweater: An Allude gray cashmere one. To wear with jeans, or over my slip dress.
- Three tops: A white shirt (I have a Vince from last year, but am still looking for another can’t live without; when I find it I will let you know), another everyday shirt (I have my eye on this Nili Lotan denim), and what I call a date night shirt (again I have a leopard chiffon Nili Lotan similar to this paisley).
- Three pairs of pants: Two jeans—one super beat up pair to wear when I’m at my most casual, and a nicer pair to wear day and night. (Though I like the beat up pair at night with the leopard blouse too.) One pair of cotton pants like these Re/Done cargos.
- Three pairs of shoes: Adidas, these new ATP Atelier sandals, and I haven’t decided on my third. Maybe flats (though they always give me blisters) or a kitten heel pair. Birkenstocks?
- Three T-shirts: My black Frances de Lourdes, a Jungmaven stripe and a Karla x Hanes white one.
- One slip dress. I have a navy one I bought last year from Khaite. To wear more casually with sneakers and a sweater, and sandals and moto jacket for dinner.
- My new Celine bag. I haven’t bought a bag in a while, but this one is exactly what I’ve been looking for. It’s small and has a cross-body strap, but roomy enough to fit my glasses, phone, Leica camera and more. I plan on wearing this one till it’s completely beat up and beyond.
- The extras: Pajamas, two sets of running clothes, Nike’s for running/hiking, Uniqlo Airism camisoles to go under sheer tops, an Eres bathing suit (just in case), and underwear (natch). I will share my beauty travel items later.
Clockwise from top left: Lee Mathews slipdress, $430; Nili Lotan paisley blouse, $575; Isabel Marant white shirt, $385; Nili Lotan denim shirt, $375; Toteme jeans, $270; Re/Done black cargo pants, $215 ; Jungmaven striped tee, $72; Adidas, $80; ATP Atelier sandals, $360; Celine bag, $1750; Iro leather jacket, $1405; Allude sweater, $408.
The only sensible packing list for California I’ve ever seen. A pair of something like Jenni Kayne mules would be a great third shoe.
I just returned from visiting my son in California and a version of this worked well for me, black and white and some denim and khaki and just three pairs of shoes (including the ones I wore on the plane, soft mens loafers from Paul Stuart).
The Toteme jeans look amazing! Would you say they fit true to size? Even though they’re 100 percent cotton?
I would go one size up. I usually wear a 27 and got a 28.
Thank you so much for letting me know!