On a 9-day trip to Germany, I brought one carry-on and a personal item (backpack). Even though I packed light, there were still multiple items I didn’t even touch. I usually bring one or two extra shirts because they’re lightweight and if you dump coffee all down the front of one (which TBH is a real concern of mine), I want to ensure I’m prepared. Of course, pants are another story. I only bring two pairs of pants. So if I stain them, it’s tough luck for me! I ended up wearing the same few pieces over and over again, which is the idea.
Last year, I posted “What’s in my carry-on?” and showed my packing system and what I pack. A few months ago, I posted “Creating a trip wardrobe” to show how I create my actual travel wardrobe. I have a system which starts with selecting the base color and adding from there. I select items that go with multiple other items. I have the system in place, but how did it pan out on an actual trip? Here’s a review of how I used my packing system on my last trip.
For the 9-day trip to Germany, I selected black as my base layer, and ended up bringing mostly black items. I added a few pops of color here and there, but for the most part, I selected neutrals. In Europe (and on most of my travels), I feel more comfortable wearing neutral colors. They’re easy and hassle-free.
Of all the items I brought, this is a collage of the items I wore the most:
As you can see, my wardrobe consisted mainly of black, cream, tan and brown. I layered all of these at times when it was chilly, but since the weather ended up being so nice, I didn’t need multiple layers every day. I ended up bringing everything I needed, plus a few extras. Here are some photographs of the ways I mixed and matched the items I brought:
Here, I have on a t-shirt, cardigan and short coat. Layers are important when you’re going from day-time sightseeing to night-time sightseeing. (Also worth noting are the men looking in my direction. Who knew a black cardigan could turn a head? 🙂 )
This is the same day. When we were walking around the town, I just needed a sweater. When we were up in the cold, I added a jacket. (It was actually quite warm at the top of the snowy mountain, and I wasn’t expecting that.)
Yes, I hike in black dresses and leggings. This was quite the climb, but it’s also the only picture I have of me in a dress! When we got to the city at night, I popped on my jacket:
It was chilly in the morning, and got to be in the mid-70s during the day in another town. So, I brought my cardigan with me and stuffed it in my purse as the day got warmer.
I brought my cardigan with me, although I really didn’t need it. On a walking tour, t-shirts and jeans are the way to go!
