Last week I shared my essentials for a long international flight. Today I am sharing how I packed for our 10 day Italian adventure into one backpack. All pieces are shown (and linked) here. In the coming weeks I will share specific outfits and how you can style these 15 or so pieces into a versatile, adorable, and comfortable wardrobe to make you feel effortlessly beautiful while on those dream vacations.

The last thing you want while you are on such an adventure as this is to be overwhelmed by extraneous amounts of luggage. We planned our trip to include multiple cities, a crazy number of train rides and even a few bus rides. Our luggage needed to be super mobile for this specific type of trip. And I needed to be able to carry it myself. (Side note: Just my own rule, if you can’t pick your bag up on your own, no matter where you are traveling, you have most likely overpacked and you will quickly become a danger to yourself and those around you. :)) 

HOW TO BUILD A PERFECT TRAVEL WARDROBE (in a backpack!)

Rule 1. Determine what type of trip you will be taking.

• Where you will be going? Know the culture and know what is appropriate for the culture you will be heading into.
• What will you be doing while you are there?
• Ask yourself: Will I need to carry my luggage for significant distances or amounts of time? 

Rule 2. Determine when you will be taking your trip. Know the season. Know the weather.

• Layering was super important for our trip. The mornings and evenings were chilly for this Floridian, as were many of the museums and cathedrals we visited. I packed two sweaters and one lightweight jacket and I used all three multiple times. In fact, the gray sweater was rolled in my purse and within arms reach for the majority of the trip.

Rule 3. Determine how you will spend your days. Loosely plan your days so you can determine ahead of time:

• Appropriate clothing. (For example, we visited multiple cathedrals that require women to cover their shoulders and their legs. Be prepared so you don’t wait in a long line just to be turned away because you are wearing a tank top.)
• Appropriate shoes. (We did A LOT of walking, about 100 miles total. I knew we would be walking a ton so I invested in shoes that were super comfortable and appropriate for our adventures. I also brought a pair of flip flops in my purse and would slip those on from time to time.)

Rule 4. Plan your outfits ahead of time. Try them on. Make sure all items fit, are comfortable and make you feel gorgeous. Lastly, only pack items you know you will be able to wear at least twice. Make the most out of your wardrobe and packing space by thinking in terms of layers and getting multiple uses of each item.

Now let’s take a peek at what I packed! 

WHAT I PACKED IN MY BACKPACK

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Tops

1. White Tank
2. Vintage Tee
3. Sweater
4. Sweater
5. Gray Tank
6. Black Tank
   
7. Gray Blouse
8. Pink Blouse
9. Striped Dress
10. Cargo Jacket

Bottoms

1. Pixie Pant
2. Skinny Jeans
3. Shorts

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Shoes

1. Booties
2. Sandals
3. D’Orsay Flat
4. White Slip-Ons
5. Flip Flops

Accessories

1. Necklace
2. Earrings
3. Hat
4. Scarf  (Pictured)
5. Black Belt

Active Wear

1. Running Shorts
2. Pullover
3. White Tank
4. Running Shoes

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What are your most favorite travel tips for the perfect carry-on?