29 October 2023

10 days in England! Here’s what I packed

10 days in England: Here’s what I packed! ✈️

I’m off to England, and I’ve got outfits for exactly 10 days! Since both my parents are British, I’ve traveled to the UK throughout my life. It still gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling and reminds me of my childhood 😌 This trip feels extra special since it’s a reminder of my sweet dad. Last year at this time, my dad got sick, and within four short weeks, he came home to live with me on hospice. I’m most grateful for the time we had together, and I miss him every day.

A little family history: My father was born in Ramsgate and grew up on the Kent seaside, which is where most of our family still lives. He met my mom in the library at the University of London while he was studying for his Ph.D. She told me how proud he was of his degree, and that without it, he would have never ended up in the US. I’ve always had a strong connection to England, and am very happy to be here.

Today’s post is about what I packed for several types of events during 10 days in England. Preparing for a trip like this can be tricky since the weather here is cooler, and fall clothing takes up a lot more room than summer clothing. We’re spending the first five days in London staying at the Ham Yard Hotel. After that, my girlfriend is heading home to Portland, and I’ll go visit family in the Isle of Sheppy for a few days. For packing inspo, I selected pieces from some recent style boards — I’ll share my tips below! Thank you for following along 🙂

Full disclosure: I’m not a packing expert, and I realize there are some things that probably should have stayed behind 😬 But, that’s what happens when you pack the night before, and don’t take the time to think through every outfit! I’m just like many of you — figuring it out as I go. So, the bottom line is, try not to overpack. Just do the best you can!

Style board inspo

I packed pretty much everything on this board. See specifics down below 🙂

Top row: Green coat, Trench, Black blazer, Rails jacket, Sweatshirt, Graphic tee, Stripe sweater, Blouse

Accessories: Sunglasses, Hat, Earrings, Ring, White loafer, Chanel shoes, similar, Black boot, YSL black bag, Gucci bag

Jeans: Mother Hustler, Mother Insider, Frame Le Pixie in grey

The best travel day outfit

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

On long airplane trips, I always wear either leggings or joggers. But this time, I decided on new Frame Jetset coated skinny jeans … crazy I know! Also, since I’m always cold, I layered up with this hoodie, this new Varley quilted coat and this tank, and I can always wear these warmer pieces for chilly nights in London! Layering is a great trick for bringing along several items that go together, but that you can also wear separately. I’m all about packing these key pieces. Finally, these Golden Goose sneakers keep everything looking stylish, so I’ll wear them pretty much every day.

The basics you need for perfect packing

Start with great luggage, a cozy scarf and compression packing cubes

I managed to squeeze 10 days worth of outfits into my Briggs & Riley suitcase 😳 The one trick that made it all happen? Compression packing cubes! Thanks to an Insta friend, I decided to try them, and even my skeptical engineering brain son agreed: they’re amazing. As a matter of fact, there’s no way I could have fit everything in my bag without them. I went with this suitcase, and of course, the Beis Weekender as my carry-on. With the Beis Weekender, the trick is to not overpack it so it doesn’t end up being too heavy!