Ingredients for a spontaneous trip
From a panic-packer to packing in 60 minutes
Tidying is an extremely satisfying exercise for me, but packing? It‘s on the other end, let alone when it comes to a spontaneous one. Last week, I packed all my essentials only an hour (don’t judge) before hopping on a train for a short trip, and guess what — my wardrobe was officially set up just the day before! Well, the thing is usually before you start (the long haul) packing, you have to know rather precisely what you own to further organise a so-called travel wardrobe. You have to go through the habitual process of touching and trying on pieces to get a complete picture of your belongings, seasonally if not monthly, to get that confidence. Having most of my clothing pieces stored in shelves and boxes however delayed the procedural manual labour of “shopping your own closet” and hence leaving a regretful soul tactically packing for an impetuous family getaway that implies:
95% sightseeing, 5% window shopping -> wear comfortable shoes
tight preparation time before going out -> basic outfits + more accessories
they are going to dress really casual -> opt for neutrals
Mapping out what I should/want to wear, I googled the weather (10 to 20 degrees) and started a list on my Notes app in front of the newly built wardrobe to vividly elicit pieces in mind:
The list is relatively short consisting of mostly basic pieces — solid t-shirts, knitwear, shirt and pants without much prints or patterns to save a professional packing procrastinator from spending extra minutes procrastinating. And right, I brought only a pair of sneakers, no loafers no flats for my good old Tiger should practically serve its purpose of handling 20k steps per day.
One thing I love about a quick trip is the extended opportunity to employ colour focus to simplify everything and minimise the likelihood of packing the wrong ingredients. Opted not to pick bright summer colours, my meekly neutral, dark neutral if you insist, travel wear palette safeguards against any mistakes made given the time constraint of an hour to mix and match pieces over one another. Happily picked the monotone trio of black, grey and white with some pop of patterns, et voila!
Another thing to love about a quick trip is the opportunity to add in new elements to recurrent styling practice. There may be a few ways to style a certain top, yet when the same item is worn a few times, you might leave feeling repetitive. I feel this most of the time when pieces owned since my younger years give out plain Muji vibe in exact correct sizing, lacking the fun of interplaying between texture and proportions, the key players which I learned years after. Some clothes from those eras stayed and moments like such call for a game changer to add dimensions to what I wear, transforming the basics not so basic: Jewellery (stacking).
Fancy some close ups?
#1: DOUBLE NECKLACE + VINTAGE BROOCH
As per usual, brooch is a good friend. Still fascinated by Le Marquis de la Mahieu with his earlier attempt of doubling beads necklace and pinning a vintage brooch, I have my take further on using non-colourful colours to draw attraction to the neck game. Juxtaposing the heaviness of rhinestone filled brooch and contrasting beads necklace, a clear choker was included for extra friction — it worked well!
#2: ABSTRACT RINGS + VINTAGE BRACELETS
If an arm candy guardian angel must be chosen, I would gravitate towards sterling silver over gold or bronze considering its cool tone blending well with light skin. Since collecting brutalist designs, jewellery with geometrical and substantial lines also fall into my search chore looking for the right design with the perfect size.
#3: STATEMENT NECKLACE
Statement necklace, a category that may not be everyone’s cup of tea turns out to be mine without doubt. From 90s punk chokers to dainty chains, my taste in jewellery evolve through exposure to a vast array of pieces while working for my shop. It is a blessing, allowing me not only to source but also to handle and appreciate jewellery spanning over periods, reflecting cultural and societal contexts in the past and bringing new meaning to the present. This faux pearl necklace gifted by another vintage shop owner who used to be a customer meant stories to remember. Far from just decoration, I love traveling with a piece that holds personal significance.
#4: RINGS WITH VARIOUS ELEMENTS
There’s no rules or equations on how to wear rings. Ditch the saying of being '“cohesive” — simply mix all ingredients in one big bowl and see how you feel! The joy and possibilities are endless.
#5: CHUNKY EARRINGS
Again, traveling with accessories made by a dear friend doubles the exhilaration! Last summer I received this pair from Le Looper and immediately came up with several outfits to go with them. It’s a flower, it’s tatting lace and it’s handmade. Irresistible.
Recounting the entire packing experience in 60 minutes is… wild. This probably would not (be allowed to) happen ever, ever. Salient reminder for a packing procrastinator? Carry-on luggage is simply not worth the stress! Check the weather, draw a short list, pack neutrals and stack your jewellery. Happy short travels!
NEXT TIME: Shall we get prepared for summer?
Until then,
Chris
Catch up on my previous posts:
Love this creative take on how to pack..my clothes are all kinda the same so for me, packing by colour palette is the most efficient way to choose what I want to bring (other than obvious practical requirements). Also, the abstract rings + bracelets combination is lovely :)
Accessories are definitely the germs