i'm so excited to introduce Mr. Kate guest blogger Amanda Doll Sheppard who is a NYC based stylist extraordinaire. read her post below to learn how to pack for a summer destination wedding… or just a summer vacation in general! take it away, Amanda!
GET PACKING!
Hi, my name is Amanda Doll Sheppard and I have been working in NYC in personal shopping and styling for almost 10 years at Girlshop.com, Coup de Coeur Shopping Concierge and now my personal blog aprèszine . Mr. Kate has asked me to give the final answers on packing for vacations and it has been really enlightening for me to ask friends their packing tips and researching online. I’m thrilled to be sharing what I’ve discovered!
Packing for a fabulous vacation or destination wedding always poses the questions: What to pack? How much should I bring? Since my good friend and business partner Lucia Tait (taitandco.com
Rules of traveling light, always having ‘something’ to wear and never having to check your bags!
Rule #1: Know your schedule, dress codes and weather before you begin to pack!
- Put each outfit together so that you do not forget shoes and accessories. Here you see Lucia’s outfit for the rehearsal dinner, paired with shoes, clutch and jewelry.
Up next, the outfit to wear for the actual wedding. Since she is attending a daytime/outdoor wedding in Miami, the dress code calls for a short cocktail dress. Be sure that bare shoulders are appropriate and if not, carry a scarf or cardigan to wear during the ceremony or opt for a more covered ensemble.
Rule #2: Must haves for every trip…pack these in your carry on!
- Ballet Flats
- Pashmina or large scarf
- Change of intimates
- One swimsuit (If you are traveling to an exotic location and checking your luggage)
- Phone Charger
- Umbrella
- Make up essentials and toiletries (all must meet airline regulation sizes of course)
- An iPad updated with your favorite magazines and videos is a great travel companion and cuts down on carrying all of those magazines!
Rule #3: Pack your luggage with items that can be easily mixed and matched. If you are traveling for a long period of time, laying out your planned wardrobe and hanging tops/bottoms and accessories together will help you see what you are missing and what you may have duplicates of.
- For a week long vacation, I would suggest 4 bottoms (skirts/ pants or shorts), 2-3 dresses (casual and cocktail depending on your plans), 5 tops (casual and dressy), 1-2 outerwear (lightweight for exotic local and 1 heavy for colder climates) and 3 pairs of shoes (flat sandal, closed toe flat (sneakers for those who work out) and one heel).
- Jewelry should be safe in velvet or cloth bags (as seen below) and shoes packed in shoe bags to prevent staining your other items.
Rule #4: Technicalities
3-1-1 for liquid carry-ons = 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3.4 ounce (100ml) container size is a security measure.
Extra Tips:
- Save Room for purchases!
- Go wrinkle free when you can. When you can’t, roll up your garments instead of folding. Pack extra bags to store your dirty laundry.
- Bring a tide-to-go pen for any mishaps!
Bon Voyage!
Xx
Amanda Doll Sheppard
Twitter: @areszine
