Monday 6 October 2014

Two Weeks in One Carry On - The Outfits



I'm back from Italy!  If you've been following me on Instagram, you had in inside look on my incredible trip - and how I managed to create a number of different outfits from the contents of a carry on luggage. 



I have to say - I'm a carry on convert.  Traveling light came in handy all throughout our trip - from not having to pay extra baggage charges in cabs, trains and airplanes, to being able to sail from one destination to the next without wasting time waiting for our luggage.  The hotel rooms in Italy, as all throughout Europe, are fairly tiny and traveling with one small carry on luggage was invaluable when trying to save space in tiny living quarters.  I just really enjoyed the time saved by traveling light, as well as the simplicity - I never had to think too hard about what to wear, since there were really only a few options!


What would I have done differently?

There isn't really much that I would have packed differently from the items that I brought - however, I did slightly underestimate the amount of tops that I would need.  I had no idea that it would still be so hot in Italy, so most of my colder-weather options did not get much use while my warmer weather skirts, t-shirt and tanks were on heavy rotation.  Thankfully I did do laundry halfway through my trip, so it wasn't a huge issue - however, packing more tops could have tided me over from having to do laundry at all.  It did force me to get a little creative throughout the trip - throw on a skirt on top of a dress and you have a substitute top!



What was I most happy to have with me?


Hands down, my boots and my hat were the stars of the packing show!  Italians love their boots, so packing my own helped me fit in substantially.  Boots are also crucial for walking on uneven cobblestone, as they provide a thick sole and lots of support for your feet - perfect for the streets of Rome and Florence!  My wide brim felt hat was also a lifesaver as it shielded me from the glaring sun during the day, and disguised my messy hair -  as we got more into the trip, my straightener was used less and less so a hat was a godsend!



I'm very happy that I chose to do a European vacation with only a carry on luggage, and I definitely encourage anyone else who has travel plans in the future to do the same.

In case you missed it: check out this post to see exactly what I packed for over 2 weeks in Italy in my carry on suitcase.



Happy to be back in Toronto, and back to blogging!

Have a great week,

xo Joëlle
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16 comments

  1. Joelle is back! The blogging world missed you :)
    So glad you're a carry on convert now. It really does change your life! I'm going to Hawaii in a couple weeks and I have 3 connections. Definitely doing carry-on only to avoid lost luggage.

    Kris | www.love-loft-life.com

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    1. Hawaii, you lucky girl! I can't wait to follow in photos and live vicariously through you - I've always wanted to visit!

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  2. Welcome back! You're so good at mixing and matching. Looks like you had a ton of different outfits and didn't just use a carry-on. Good on you :) Hope you had an amazing trip.
    Cheers!

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  3. Your outfits were gorgeous!! I am a serial overpacker so I would probably get anxiety with only having a carryon. But you did it perfectly!

    xx,
    La Joie de Vivre by Alecia Mariana
    Facebook//Twitter//Instagram // Bloglovin

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    1. I totally used to be an overpacker - and still have to fight the urge to stuff my suitcase with the entire contents of my closet! I definitely think I will be doing carry on only for now on though, so worth it in the time saved! Thanks for your sweet comment :)

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  4. Just stumbled across your blog because I'm about to take a two week trip to Europe, and Italy for a lot of it! i'm trying to see if I can get through two weeks with just 15 clothing items...wish me luck!

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    1. Definitely do-able! I'm so excited for you, have a great time in Europe :)

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  5. So glad I saw this post! I'm planning on going to Italy next year (August, September, or October) and I've been desperate for stylish ways to not look like a tourist. My question is about taking a maxi dress or skirt. Is it a good option or would it be too cumbersome? Thanks for any advice!

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    1. I think a maxi skirt or dress would be a great option - especially if you're going anywhere South or to the coast! A maxi dress with a light jacket/scarf overtop would also be great for when you're visiting Churches and Cathedrals since they have a very strict and modest dress code.

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  6. Your outfits always look so put together! I'm actually going to Italy (Rome and Florence) for 2 weeks next month and I've been stressing about what to pack. I'm determined to only pack a carry-on and I'll definitely be using this for inspiration!

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    1. Lucky you, what a great trip! You can definitely do the entire trip in a carry on - let me know how it goes!

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  7. So glad I found this! I'm a desperate overpacker and will use this to help me pare down! I also love your boots! Where did you get them?

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  8. This will be so helpful for me! I leave for Italy next week (1 week trip) and I have been going back and forth with myself on whether or not I should just use a carry on or not. I do have a question though, did you use packing cubes at all to conserve space?

    Thanks (:

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  9. Hi! Do you have similar tips for colder weather?

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