How to pack a classic spring capsule for your next trip

As I mentioned earlier this week, we had to race off to another state so we could say goodbye to my father-in-law. While this gave us several challenges, the one I didn’t mind so much was what to pack. I quite enjoy planning outfits and seeing how many different looks I can get with the minimal number of pieces. I hate having to lug heaps of gear around when travelling, but I also hate having to wear only one or two outfits for months on end.

I’m sure that’s a feeling shared by many of you. But it can be hard to find the balance between packing too little and packing too much. So far I’ve been pretty happy with my choices and the variety it gives me. Below I share some tips on how to nail that holy grail of the chameleon carry on.

Also a note, I am a real newbie when it comes to collages, so please bear with my somewhat dodgy looking first attempt!

Consider your destination’s weather and journey length

We are travelling in early spring, and I expect we’ll be here for at least two months. Spring weather is changeable, so I needed to make sure I had things to layer and stay warm in, as well as cooler clothes as things heat up. Given it’s a longer trip, I have packed more items than I would for a weekend, so that I don’t have to wash every day and I can have far more variety of outfits.

Think about what events/activities you have planned

I find it helpful to think about what events you’re likely to attend while on the trip as well. It can be tempting to throw in a cocktail dress or bathers, but will you really need them? If you’re not going to any fancy events, save your space. That said, don’t get caught with only casual hiking gear when you might want to hit the town.

Be honest about what you’ll be doing and how often. I plan to work out during my stay, but I know that I don’t need more than one set of work out clothes as I won’t be doing regular high intensity stuff. I also know I’m not going to any big events, although I have got some pieces I can dress up if need be.

What’s in my classic spring capsule

Outerwear

I packed my winter coat, my denim jacket and my puffer jacket. These three items give me a range of warmth for different weather, and go with all my other items.

Tops

I packed three tee shirts, two tank tops, four jumpers and two cardigans. These tops give me a range for both dress codes and weather. They go with all my bottoms, which was very important in order to achieve a wider variety of potential looks.

Bottoms

Four skirts will provide me with a range of comfortable options, which can be dressy or casual but always feminine. I also packed one pair of blue jeans and my black wide legged pants for extra variety.

Dresses

One and done dresses are the best, but they aren’t as easy to mix and match. I decided on three dresses for this trip. One midi dress with long sleeves for cooler days, with two knee length dresses with shorter sleeves which can be mixed with jumpers when it’s cold. All my dresses are from Boden, which I highly recommend for comfortable, high quality dresses. Their jersey dresses are to die for.

Shoes and accessories

Not counting my Ugg boots (which absolutely made the trip), I have four pairs of shoes. My black ankle boots, my white sneakers, my navy espadrilles and my running shoes. These shoes go with all my items, but also allow me to swing between dressy and casual events with ease. I can also walk comfortably in all of them, which is a big plus.

My other accessories include one straw hat, a black wool beret, two silk scarfs and one light wool scarf. I also brought a small selection of my favourite jewellery. You can do so much with a scarf, so I highly recommend packing at least one wherever you go.