We celebrate our anniversary every October and are lucky enough to travel to some cooler weather destinations than what we get here in Sacramento this time of year (it is still pretty warm in October)! We base our travel around our anniversary and have lucked out that it is usually the off season wherever we have gone so far. This means better deals and often lovely cool weather. We get plenty of sun and are just a few hours from the ocean at home so we are very happy to put on our coats a month early and see the leaves changing a little more quickly while on vacation.
Now that we have a few fall themed trips under my belt, I thought I would share some tips on creating a simple but stylish wardrobe for the fall season that can withstand long flights and plenty of walking. After our trip to Paris (see what I packed here) I learned a lot about what worked for lots of site seeing while still fitting in to the culture (and looking my best for all our photos!) - all the while only packing a small carry on bag!
My husband and I both packed four outfits for a week long vacation, with intentions of wearing a few things twice. We pack a laundry line (string and clothes pins) and detergent to wash undergarments, socks, and anything else that needs a little refreshing. Most of the items are interchangeable giving us options based off of where we are going (fancy vs. casual) and the weather (raining vs. sunny).
- OUTFIT 1 -
Trench Coat: London Fog from Burlington Coat Factory
Dress: TJ-Maxx
Blanket Scarf: DSW
Boots: DSW
For all of my outfits, I wanted to be able to wear them with either bare legs or leggings. I also chose the outfits based on changing out between boots and flats. I found that in Paris, changing shoes each day put less wear on my feet in specific places. So the plan this time around was to not wear the same shoes back to back.
- OUTFIT 2 -
Kimono: TJ-Maxx
Dress: Victoria's Secret
Boots: DSW
Flats: Steve Madden from DSW
This dress and kimono combo was one of my favorite summer time combos that I wanted to continue through fall. With leggings and boots, this light and comfortable outfit is ready!
- OUTFIT 3 -
Coat: DKNY
Trench Coat: London Fog
Dress: Victoria's Secret
Boots: DSW
As you can see, this is just like outfit number one except the dress is different. Such an easy and comfortable look!
- OUTFIT 4 -
Top and Undershirt: Sears
Jeans: American Eagle
Shoes: Converse from DSW
Now when it comes to walking, this year my goal was for less blisters. In combination with my Good Feet arch supports, my feet had a much better vacation this time! I found and purchased two pairs of Darn Tough Micro Crew Cushion Hiking Socks after some extensive foot and sock friction research.
The main factor for long walks (or hikes) is a wool wicking sock. I tried a few brands out at REI and landed on these. These socks are game changers people. And at $20 a pair, they better be! But they are so worth it to be able to wear the shoes you want while still preventing blisters. I am a believer!
While we were on our trip I switched out my shoes either half way through the day or every other day. This allowed me to be able to wear my boots at least once every day with this sort of rotation without any blisters or pain. I could tell that there was some rubbing on one of my toes but it was nothing in comparison to what I experienced in the past.
Now that we are home I tried wearing them one day with my regular socks and I could immediately tell the difference within an hour of light walking. I am getting rid of my old boot socks! These Darn Tough socks are now my only go to!
I do need to mention that we also both brought a pair of flip flops. This definitely helped in letting my feet be free for a few hours in between boot wearing. Plus we were still on the west coast in Victoria so I didn't feel the same social pressure that I did in Paris about running around in sandals!
After I had all my outfits picked out, we used air saving bags to get it all into each of our small carry on bags! I also packed my smaller shoes inside my boots! We had a lot of walking our first day (in Seattle) so we ended up packing my boots and our large jackets inside our suitcase which surprisingly all fit. While it is often recommended to wear your largest clothing items on the plane, we were able to work out a system that worked for our specific travel plans.
We have grown to love traveling light but it is mainly due to necessity. We had to walk about a mile from the light rail in Seattle to the ferry that would take us over to Victoria and then again from the ferry to our hotel. In Paris we also had to walk from our public transportation to our hotel. Sure we could pay for a cab, but that can often be pretty expensive (like $50!). So we save on transportation and luggage fees which allows us to spend that money on vacation instead! Plus we are able to get off the plane, ferry, and light rail much quicker without checked bags (and easy to maneuver small bags).
And here I am (in my pajamas!) showing you how it all fits in this tiny DVF suitcase (found at TJ-Maxx!). The clothes on the floor was what I planned to wear on the plane.
For my husband, he got four shirts, two jackets (one lighter and one heavier), and a pair of jeans and shorts (he lives in shorts!).
Jacket: Armani from Macy's
Shirts: TJ-Maxx
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Nike Outlet
Jacket: Calvin Kline from Burlington Coat Factory
Henley: Walmart
Long Sleeve Shirt: Gap
I was pretty happy with what we packed this time around. I did not feel like we lacked anything or brought to much. Our goal is to pack as light as possible so finding simple combinations of casual and dressy clothing makes preparing for travel a whole lot easier.
Related posts:
Read packing for Paris here.
Read dressing my husband here.
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