Every time I travel to Europe for a week with just a carry-on and a purse, people ask how I do it. I’ve refined a packing approach that lets me travel light while still having outfits I love. I even filmed a short video showing how a week’s worth of clothes fits into two packing cubes. Here’s a clear rundown of what I packed, why I chose each piece, and how I made it all work.
I traveled with three friends—Elsie, Emma, and Elise—and our trip focused on art, food, and exploring Florence and Venice. We planned museum visits and lots of meals, and the clothes I packed were chosen to be comfortable, practical, and a little bit polished for city sightseeing and dinner outings. Below I explain my starting point, the full itemized list, how I packed it all, and the packing logic that made everything work together.
Where I Started
When our travel agent recommended “smart neutrals,” I took that as a guideline to pack pieces that read tidy and versatile rather than ultra-casual. Italy tends to lean toward a slightly dressier, put-together look—think nice jeans, tailored jackets, layered tops, and shoes that look neat even after lots of walking. I aimed for items that mixed easily together and could be layered for cool mornings and warm afternoons.
My mental mood board included dressier jeans, structured jackets, tanks, and sweaters that could be layered. I also prioritized classics and a few accents—leopard print being one of my neutral go-tos—which made it easy to create different looks without extra bulk.
Occasionally someone asked me a question in Italian—so at least my outfits didn’t scream “tourist.” Now here’s the exact list of what I brought.
What I Packed: An Itemized List
Note: Some original items are no longer available, so I reference similar pieces where appropriate.
- 1. Leopard coat (similar)
- 2. Tweed blazer (similar)
- 3. Leopard sweater (similar)
- 4. Red tank, black tank & tan tank (similar)
- 5. Black sweater (similar)
- 6. Blue sleeveless top (similar)
- 7. Floral mesh top (similar)
- 8. Denim wide-leg jeans
- 9. Brown wide-leg jeans (similar)
- 10. Wine maxi skirt
- 11. Leopard maxi skirt (similar)
- 12. Small gold hoop earrings
- 13. Large gold hoop earrings
- 14. Green sunglasses (similar)
- 15. Black leather boots
- 16. Brown suede zip boots
- 17. Small sling bag (similar)
- 18. Crescent sling bag
I loved having a couple of options in each category: a thicker blazer or a lighter leopard jacket, cushioned platform boots or low-heeled black boots, jeans or a flowing skirt, and a larger purse or a compact crossbody. That gave me flexibility while keeping things compact.
How I Fit It All In My Suitcase (on Video!)
I filmed a short clip showing how everything fits into two large packing cubes and shared a few packing tricks—like rolling delicate skirts and using small space-saving methods for socks and accessories. The video demonstrates how compact silk skirts and tanks can be when rolled properly, and how two cubes leave room to spare.
Note: You can also watch the video on YouTube.
Putting It All Together
I traveled wearing one full outfit—boots, jeans, a tank, and a jacket—so that saved space. Silk skirts and tanks compress extremely small when rolled, which freed room for purchases made during the trip. Everything I packed fit into two large packing cubes, plus a toiletry bag; adapters and chargers lived in my weekender personal item.
Below I outline how weather and style influenced my daily choices and why layering and coordinating neutral bags and shoes made mixing and matching effortless.
Packing For Weather
Traveling in mid-October meant cool mornings and sunny afternoons, with temperatures around 65–70°F midday. Layering was essential: a jacket or sweater in the morning that could be removed later. Most days included a jacket over a tank or tee, and on two days I wore thin sweaters with sleeves rolled up.
My red tank added a pop of color to an otherwise neutral mix and worked well under jackets. Layers worked seamlessly across our daily activities, from morning museum visits to afternoon wandering and evening dinners.
Five of the seven days featured jackets as a core layer, while the other two used thin sweaters—an adaptable approach for variable fall weather.
Packing For Style
I packed mostly neutral basics and added a few statement pieces for personality—a red tank, a blue sleeveless top, a floral shirt, and a bold leopard skirt and jacket. These accents gave each outfit a subtle lift without adding unnecessary pieces. I kept bags and shoes classic so everything stayed interchangeable.
To add a small, unexpected touch I packed a pair of green sunglasses. They were neutral enough to pair with most outfits and added a little playful contrast. I also packed two sets of gold hoops for quick jewelry changes, stored in a small pouch inside my toiletry bag to avoid tangles.
Choosing classic bags and shoes that match most outfits made daily dressing much simpler and reduced decision fatigue while traveling.
Packing For Comfort
Comfort guided every footwear choice. The pointy-toe boots have a very low heel, and the suede zip boots are platform-style with rubber soles that feel almost like sneakers. Since we walked long days—often 8–10 miles—packing footwear I knew I could walk in was essential.
I alternated shoes throughout the trip to give my feet a break. For a long walking day, I paired comfortable platform boots with a breezy silk skirt for both style and ease. Silk skirts pack tiny and are surprisingly comfortable for a day of sightseeing.
Overall, I prioritized tried-and-true shoes rather than testing new pairs on a trip. That paid off: everything stayed comfortable and wearable through long days of exploring.
Silk skirts compress so small that packing multiple skirts doesn’t take the same room as a pair of jeans, which is why a few skirts were a smart choice for compact variety.
A Quick Thesis On The Pitfalls of “More Options”
Bringing many distinct, showstopping pieces can feel like having more options, but it often reduces usable combinations. If each item only pairs with one or two others, you end up with many single-use pieces instead of mix-and-match possibilities. That’s why packing seven standalone outfits usually won’t fit into a carry-on without sacrificing flexibility.
Instead of packing many one-off pieces, aim for items that pair with multiple others. Choosing two neutral shoe colors and a consistent bag palette helps tie looks together so every top can work with multiple bottoms and layers.
With pieces that share tones and are deliberately chosen to mix easily, you get more real outfit options for less luggage space.
Why I Aim For “Harmonic Packing” Instead
I prefer “harmonic packing”: selecting items that can pair with nearly anything else in the suitcase. For example, four tops and four bottoms already create 16 combinations; add jackets and accessories and the number of viable outfits grows quickly. The point is to maximize useful pairings rather than pack unrelated statement pieces.
This approach gave me roughly 30 workable outfit variations with the small addition of two shoe choices and two bags boosting the possibilities even further. It’s an easy system that minimizes decision fatigue so I could focus on enjoying the trip.
Packing & Travel Must Haves
Besides clothing and shoes, I always bring a handful of travel essentials that keep things efficient and comfortable:
- Hard-shell carry-on suitcase
- Weekender bag used as personal item
- European outlet adapters
- Portable charger
- Compact umbrella
- Plane snacks (nuts and protein bars)
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Toiletry bag
- Packing cubes
- Jewelry pouches
- Sleep mask
- Airtag
- Pashmina for flights
I keep small comforts like a sleep mask, snacks, and a pashmina in my personal item. Packing cubes, a reliable toiletry bag, and jewelry pouches help me stay organized and compact. European adapters and a portable charger are practical must-haves for phone-heavy travel days.
On this trip I even had space to buy a leather purse in Florence—another benefit of packing compactly. The bag matched my neutral palette and worked with everything I’d brought.
Other Trips & Travel Tips
If you enjoy travel posts, there are many other guides and trip recaps available in my travel archives that cover family trips and weekend getaways, which may offer more packing and planning ideas.
- How I Packed Light For France
- Our Trip to Mexico with Kids… and a Dog!
- Costa Rica with Kids
- A Weekend in Charleston, South Carolina with Kids
- Palm Springs, California with Kids
- New Orleans With Kids
- A Girls’ Trip To Sedona
- 5 Things We Loved In Dallas, Texas
- Hawaii with a Toddler
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