One month in Europe, 12 night cruise, all from a carryon? Am I crazy?

[mousey]

20" rolling suitcase - three + weeks in Europe, two + on a cruise, in November. I did it with help from ExOfficio shirts and tops. They're lightweight, fashionable, and layer beautifully. I coordinated colors with black. They have new items seasonally and a great web site if you want to order directly. The Seattle airport has a large airport shop dedicated to this brand.

Consider the weight and bulk of each item you are considering packing. There is a big difference in some "mix and match" department store items and clothing that is marketed for carry-on travel like the ExOfficio brand.

 

Thanks for sharing as I've never heard of the ExOfficio brand before. I checked out their website and love that they have items to wear to keep "bugs" away. I clicked on their "sale" and found a couple of things I like. Not that I'd get them to be able to pack lighter...I'm the oddball on this board that's still checking a large suitcase, carry on, and tote bag:eek:, because that's the way I roll...LOL! But I have been giving consideration lately to trying the "pack lighter" way of traveling. I just can't bring myself to do it yet. But, when I do...this brand, ExOfficio, has some great items that I would buy so again, thanks for sharing.:D

[Hoyaheel]

The same clothing I wear at home/office is what I wear on vacation or work travel.

 

This is true for me as well, but the difference is that I *do* have some Columbia, REI, Ex Officio etc clothing in my wardrobe. And I wear it to work. And I wear it hiking etc. I work in academic research so fairly casual:p And when I go to Tanzania for work, I want cool, wicking & quick dry fabrics. In the end, I am true to my style no matter where I am, but my style is somewhat casual.....(and preppy, and occasionally a little bohemian:p)

 

Mousey - Sierra Trading Post sells some ex officio stuff quite often at great rates (esp if you have one of their facebook 35-40% off coupons). And many other sporty brands. But some high end non "athletic" clothing as well - I've seen Hickey Freeman suits there for men....

[hrhdhd]

Thanks for sharing as I've never heard of the ExOfficio brand before. I checked out their website and love that they have items to wear to keep "bugs" away. I clicked on their "sale" and found a couple of things I like. Not that I'd get them to be able to pack lighter...I'm the oddball on this board that's still checking a large suitcase, carry on, and tote bag:eek:, because that's the way I roll...LOL! But I have been giving consideration lately to trying the "pack lighter" way of traveling. I just can't bring myself to do it yet. But, when I do...this brand, ExOfficio, has some great items that I would buy so again, thanks for sharing.:D

 

I am also an oddball, if that's what we now call people who check a suitcase (gasp--how socially awkward I now feel! [Not.]).

 

Anyway, it's certainly a disconnect that the same people who will chastise us for "overpacking" by saying that no one notices what we're wearing so we should wear things multiple times will also criticize people for wearing so-called "travel" clothing because they stand out in a crowd. :confused:

 

Looking at the ExOfficio site, I see multiple items I might wear even when not traveling, so maybe those cookie-cutter tourists are also dressing in their style. It just doesn't happen to be yours.

[PNW Traveler]

???

 

I don't need to buy special "travel clothes" to pack light. I buy my clothing in regular department stores as well as some boutiques, and have no problem finding easy to pack clothing that takes little space and is lightweight.

 

To be honest the people who dress head-to-toe in Ex Officio, Travelsmith, etc. end up looking like a bunch of cloned tourists on a pre-packaged tour. I'd rather use my own style and not spend money on special clothing for travel. I've been traveling light for years, and have never bought clothing from a "travel" label. The same clothing I wear at home/office is what I wear on vacation or work travel. I shop smart. The only things I've purchased for vacations were some rash guard jackets and board shorts (which I've also been wearing at home since I got back) and a pair of hybrid sports shoe/sandals for walking in Europe which worked great as reef shoes in French Polynesia as well.

 

My next European trip is a winter trip. I'll be taking a 3-pc skirt set, a skirt, six tops (a combo of lightweight merino wool, cashmere, and silk knits), a pair of casual slacks, a pair of jeans, a sweater, underwear, pjs, yoga clothes, and my coat/scarf/mittens/earmuffs. A few pieces of jewelry, some socks, and a couple pair of tights will round it out. For shoes I'll wear my riding boots and bring ballet flats as well. It will easily fit into my 20" with room to spare. And I won't look like a tourist.

 

I understand your point re travel specific clothes. I live in the pacific northwest and enjoy the outdoors as well as travel. I wear some ExOfficio, Columbia, The North Face, Patagonia, LLBean, and the Swedish brand Haglofs. I use Sierra Trading Post for some purchases and appreciate their 30-45% off coupons. Another good website is 6pm.com, which is the closeout/sale site for Zappos. I mentioned ExOfficio because some of their things adapt to dressier situations and they have varying fits for different body types. It's good to piece together travel clothes that fit well, are versatile, pack well and are comfortable. I just cobble together a collection of things that work for me and enjoy the vacation!

[slidergirl]

This is true for me as well, but the difference is that I *do* have some Columbia, REI, Ex Officio etc clothing in my wardrobe. And I wear it to work. And I wear it hiking etc. I work in academic research so fairly casual:p And when I go to Tanzania for work, I want cool, wicking & quick dry fabrics. In the end, I am true to my style no matter where I am, but my style is somewhat casual.....(and preppy, and occasionally a little bohemian:p)

 

Mousey - Sierra Trading Post sells some ex officio stuff quite often at great rates (esp if you have one of their facebook 35-40% off coupons). And many other sporty brands. But some high end non "athletic" clothing as well - I've seen Hickey Freeman suits there for men....

 

Same here. I may sound I'm doing "both sides of the fence" on the clothes. I guess I do. I have my "my town" clothes - a lot of REI, The North Face, Athleta, Ex Officio, Prana, Patagonia, Mt. Hardware. I have my "city" clothes - Eileen Fisher, Jjill… Not all my trips are cruises; most aren't. I wouldn't bring to Munich and Paris what I'd bring to a Kenya Safari or hiking the Julien Alps. Some of the newer Ex Officio stuff isn't "safari" stuff, but pretty decent-looking burnout patterns that are lightweight and wash/dry FAST. I pack what is appropriate for the trip I'm taking, but it's all from my normal wardrobe, not any specific "trip/cruise" clothes…

[Fogfog]

This is a great thread and am glad I found it.

we just got off a week cruise. I packed mostly Soma summer dresses.

My "what if" jeans, tops, sweater and jacket never saw the light of day.

 

Thinking about a River Cruise in cooler months/Europe so will consider how to get it all in one carry-on...and be warm enough/layers.

 

The toiletries/meds/ etc and flat iron take up a lot of space.

[ducklite]

I am also an oddball, if that's what we now call people who check a suitcase (gasp--how socially awkward I now feel! [Not.]).

 

Anyway, it's certainly a disconnect that the same people who will chastise us for "overpacking" by saying that no one notices what we're wearing so we should wear things multiple times will also criticize people for wearing so-called "travel" clothing because they stand out in a crowd. :confused:

 

Looking at the ExOfficio site, I see multiple items I might wear even when not traveling, so maybe those cookie-cutter tourists are also dressing in their style. It just doesn't happen to be yours.

 

I notice things that seem awkward--and to me, travelers decked out head to toe in "travel gear" stand out like a sore thumb. If someone is wearing a pair of pants from Lands End, a top from Tommy Hilfiger, and a pretty scarf, I might remember the scarf, but I'm not going to recall the other pieces.

[ducklite]

This is a great thread and am glad I found it.

we just got off a week cruise. I packed mostly Soma summer dresses.

My "what if" jeans, tops, sweater and jacket never saw the light of day.

 

Thinking about a River Cruise in cooler months/Europe so will consider how to get it all in one carry-on...and be warm enough/layers.

 

The toiletries/meds/ etc and flat iron take up a lot of space.

 

I don't bring any hair styling devices, just use the blow dryer from my cabin.

 

For toiletries, I don't bring everything. I use the soap/shampoo from the hotel/cruise. I refill my small promotional sizes of face cream, face wash, etc. as needed. I dump out my makeup bag and only bring what I know I will need. Will I need four eyeliners? No, one will do. Will I need six lipsticks? No, one or two are fine. Will I need three eye shadow compacts? No, I bring one with neutral colors.

 

As far as layers, bring tights to wear under pants if it's super cold, and bring silk knit t-shirts or long sleeved shirts to layer under warmer cashmere or merino wool. The silk knits can be work with a scarf or shawl in the evening, and hand wash/drip dry in hours. Also your sweaters can be worn several times if you are wearing something under them.

[critterchick]

Mousey - Sierra Trading Post sells some ex officio stuff quite often at great rates (esp if you have one of their facebook 35-40% off coupons). And many other sporty brands. But some high end non "athletic" clothing as well - I've seen Hickey Freeman suits there for men....

 

I was going to suggest Sierra Trading Post, too. They send me those coupons regularly now that I've ordered from them.:)

 

The toiletries/meds/ etc and flat iron take up a lot of space.

 

I don't know what your "etc." is, but they don't have to take up a lot of space. I won't travel without my flatiron (I lived without one for 50+ years but it's my savior;)) and if we are sailing on Princess, I will bring my travel dryer as their hairdryers spit out lukewarm air and take forever to dry my ridiculously thick curlyness. My rollerbag has wells in the bottom, and I pack the dryer and flatiron there, along with 2 pairs of shoes and other items that will create a relatively flat surface on which to pack the rest of my things.

 

Count out your meds and just take an extra Rx label (your pharmacist should do that without an argument). I bring my own shampoo and conditioner - two ounces will last me two weeks. I buy lotion once I get to my destination - I don't like the feel of body oil and, although I will sacrifice a lot of items, I won't be uncomfortable. For makeup I only bring face powder, blusher, mascara, eyebrow pencil/brush combo, lipliner, stick & gloss. (I don't wear much at home, either). All in small sizes. If I run out, the ships sell some nice stuff at decent prices.

 

Ducklite, what do you do for formal nights? I plan to bring two dresses instead of the broomstick skirts you have on your packing list. Both roll up into tiny balls (and they are size 12 or large, full length). I can dress them up with jewlery and sparkly shawls - they won't be true formal, but close enough. I have nice pair of strappy black flat sandals that I may use for day and evening, but we love our ballroom dancing and they tend to stick to the floor. I guess I will sacrifice something (the Kindle, likely) in favor of my dance shoes....

 

DH will rent a tux instead of bringing his own. Yes, it's more expensive than checking a bag, but I'm about saving time and bag-dragging hassle. He'll bring his own ties/cummerbunds/cufflinks to personalize it. Oddly, he's less enthusiastic about the carryon only idea than I am.

[ducklite]

Our last few cruises didn't have formal nights, they were elegant casual every night. I would have packed a pair of black silk trousers and a couple sparkly or lace tops to go with them, or maybe a long black crepe skirt with the same tops.

[critterchick]

So, lacking anything better to do the other day, I pulled out my equivalent to Ducklite's packing list to see how I would do with it. I tweaked it a bit for my preference (e.g. a couple of maxi dresses instead of the broomstick skirts). I was 1000% certain that my bag would be bulging, since I'm a size 12 and I would bet she's smaller.;) But everything fit with room to spare! (The "spare will be taken up with toiletries and electronics, but still). My bag is 22", wheels to handle, but I was surprised and thrilled.

 

This weekend I'm going to try the DH list. That will be the challenge, since he likes what he likes. But I'm pretty sure I can prevail on the tux rental.:D

 

And I'm experimenting with toiletry options over the summer to see what I can manage with if I can't find a good body lotion in the Italian village where we're staying pre-cruise (a city would be no issue). I'm probably spending as much time on Travel Light as I am on planning excursions!

[RedHeadTexan]

So, lacking anything better to do the other day, I pulled out my equivalent to Ducklite's packing list to see how I would do with it. I tweaked it a bit for my preference (e.g. a couple of maxi dresses instead of the broomstick skirts). I was 1000% certain that my bag would be bulging, since I'm a size 12 and I would bet she's smaller.;) But everything fit with room to spare! (The "spare will be taken up with toiletries and electronics, but still). My bag is 22", wheels to handle, but I was surprised and thrilled.

 

This weekend I'm going to try the DH list. That will be the challenge, since he likes what he likes. But I'm pretty sure I can prevail on the tux rental.:D

 

And I'm experimenting with toiletry options over the summer to see what I can manage with if I can't find a good body lotion in the Italian village where we're staying pre-cruise (a city would be no issue). I'm probably spending as much time on Travel Light as I am on planning excursions!

Great Job! At some point I need to do a trial run as well and see if there are any gaps that need to be filled (building up the neutrals).

 

Lisa

[5326jan]

I did the "Travel Light" version on our last trip of 3 weeks. I had plenty of mix and match outfits and never felt that I was over wearing any one item, but I have to say, I got sick of the same color scheme for that long! :rolleyes: My color scheme was black, white, royal blue. Next time I will add tee shirts or tops in periwinkle, pink and light blue to give me more variety.

 

As it turned out, I had to bring a checked bag anyway. We went to the Arctic Circle and I needed coat, hat, gloves, umbrella and other items I wouldn't have needed for a warmer itinerary. The good news is that I would have had a complete wardrobe if my big suitcase was lost. :) This time I noticed that I didn't need or use a fair amount of "stuff", so it will be eliminated next time.

 

I am moving in the right direction! :D

[SunDapple]

.....

 

Large pashmina--used as blanket on plane and wrap several times when it was chilly in the dining room, on deck in the evening, and even on the overcast/rainy day we spent in Venice where there was a chill in the air.

 

Hi Ducklite,

 

Just wondering, what color pashmina did you take? My guess is black, but a nice colored one would be a good accessory! :)

[ducklite]

.....

 

Large pashmina--used as blanket on plane and wrap several times when it was chilly in the dining room, on deck in the evening, and even on the overcast/rainy day we spent in Venice where there was a chill in the air.

 

Hi Ducklite,

 

Just wondering, what color pashmina did you take? My guess is black, but a nice colored one would be a good accessory! :)

 

Actually it's a medium pink!

[bookishsort]

Thank you for the detailed list. I'm trying to create my own must have, want to have...lists and this helps.

[Bookish Angel]

I notice things that seem awkward--and to me, travelers decked out head to toe in "travel gear" stand out like a sore thumb. If someone is wearing a pair of pants from Lands End, a top from Tommy Hilfiger, and a pretty scarf, I might remember the scarf, but I'm not going to recall the other pieces.

 

 

Whenever possible, I make sure I do not advertise for anyone. I do very well except for running shoes - I have yet to find a pair that fit my small, narrow feet that don't have a logo somewhere.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Bookish Angel

[ducklite]

Whenever possible, I make sure I do not advertise for anyone. I do very well except for running shoes - I have yet to find a pair that fit my small, narrow feet that don't have a logo somewhere.

 

 

There are a lot of better quality brands that have no "advertising" on them. Most of Tommy Bahama women's line, Lands End, Gap, Banana Republic, Eileen Fisher, Chico's, BHWM, a lot of Brooks Bros, most CK, some Lauren, etc.

 

I don't take running shoes, to me that is a big flag that a person is a tourist. We wear shoes, boots, or sandals, depending on where we are visiting.

[slidergirl]

There are a lot of better quality brands that have no "advertising" on them. Most of Tommy Bahama women's line, Lands End, Gap, Banana Republic, Eileen Fisher, Chico's, BHWM, a lot of Brooks Bros, most CK, some Lauren, etc.

 

I don't take running shoes, to me that is a big flag that a person is a tourist. We wear shoes, boots, or sandals, depending on where we are visiting.

 

Kind of hard to trail run on vacation without trail runners ;)

Many of those "travel" brands do not have logos on them. I have a standard stock of shirts from TNF, Prana, etc., that I wear daily and travel with and there is either no logo or it is discreetly placed (like center of top collar like Prana). None of the pants I travel with have a name or logo on them, and they are from your "offenders" list. I can't think of any of my clothes that have a logo or name big enough on them that would call out. I do have some Eileen Fisher for my "fancy" wardrobe and have some Gap for business dressing and a pair Gap jean shorts and a pair of Gap khaki shorts. Where you live also has a big factor in what you buy. No one in my town would be caught dead with Brooks Brothers, BHWM, Chicos, as their daily wardrobe. Tommy Bahama in town is relegated to the guys over 40 at the country club or at dinner in town in the upscale restaurants or at any concert.

I take what I wear normally at home when I am on vacation. I guess I look like a tourist in my own town, along with everyone else who live there, then ;)

[Korimako]

e.g. a couple of maxi dresses instead of the broomstick skirts

 

Sorry if I appear totally dim, but what on earth is a broomstick skirt???:)

[Hoyaheel]

Sorry if I appear totally dim, but what on earth is a broomstick skirt???:)

 

Crinkle fabric long skirt

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=broomstick+skirt

[NorthernLite]

I think I have just found another travel staple for myself. J Jill has a blouse they call a "soft button-down top" that is very lightweight polyester but has a silky crepe finish. It is barely off white so will go with just about everything I own. It is slighty translucent so I need to try it on with a pale beige bra or take a tank. Easy to sink wash and hang dry. Now that it is on sale I may buy a second to have hemmed straight across and shortened a bit to wear on the outside of slacks. Love that crepe finish and the neckline doesn't button all the way up so very jewelry and scarf friendly.

Edited June 10, 2016 by NorthernLite

[NorthernLite]

Yea! The beige bra worked wonderfully so I'll get the second for 25% off and have it shortened. Finally trying on the linen stretch trousers tomorrow and if they fit I will either get those again in black or the wide leg in black. This takes a bit of juggling packing for the Arctic and for the Panama Canal at the same time. That J Jill blouse I can wear for business casual too during peer review and definitely date night. So easy to pack.

[LaraTiara]

Love this thread and the detailed packing ideas mentioned. This is how we pack to travel and cruise also, and depending upon location and climate of ports, it can be a challenge... formal night always takes up most of my space, it seems - and shoes.

 

Oh those shoes!! For me it's a pair of birks, fancy blingy flip flops, fancy flats, running shoes for the gym, and formal heels - and I rarely end up wearing the heels [emoji79]

 

SUCH ship problems [emoji44]

 

But in the end, I'm with all of you light packers - it's truly worth it to travel with only a small carry on roller Board and a hand bag... Never an issue with lost luggage, no slowing down in transit at bag claim or enroute, etc etc...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sweetpea222]

Hello all! I am the OP of this thread! :D Hard to believe I started it before our 2013 vacation and now I'm back again planning a return trip to Europe (and 11 night Adriatic / Med cruise!) for another month in July 2018. So glad to see that the thread is alive and well and so many people are offering helpful advice on packing light. I can tell you that I managed fine doing everything in a carry on and we will do the same for the next trip. This time I will pack even smarter though, with more items that will do double duty (think black swing dress or sheath that can be worn in port while sightseeing and then also to dinner). There were a couple of things I took that did not really get worn but some things (black maxi skirt, travel dress, knee length skirt) that I wore A LOT so will have to really plan the next trip well so I maximize the value of every piece I take.

 

Happy planning!