Fashion

How to pack for a city sightseeing trip

How to pack for a city sightseeing trip

Author: Canadian Living

Fashion

How to pack for a city sightseeing trip

Almost no one likes packing, or so I hear. I, on the other hand, have mastered how to pack for weekend and weeklong getaways after years of trekking between divorced parents. I can pack in 30 minutes flat, exactly 30 minutes before I have to leave for the airport. Like I said, I’m a master.

If I was going on a weeklong sightseeing trip to a large city—say, New York, Paris or Vancouver—here are the clothes and accessories I would pack. Unless you’re a toiletry fiend, you should be able to fit all of them in a small suitcase and a carry-on tote.

Packing list: Clothing
1. 1 blazer
2. 1 dress (not too formal but can still be worn to a nice dinner)
3. 1 pair of dark-wash jeans (no rips)
4. 1 pencil skirt
5. 1 pair of long shorts, Bermuda shorts or capri pants
6. 1 light denim or leather jacket (if you’re visiting a somewhat unpredictable climate)
7. 3 T-shirts
8. 1 long-sleeved shirt

In terms of colour palette, I would choose neutral hues (a mix of white, black, tan and denim). I would then add one accent colour; for these outfits, I chose red, which you can see in the striped T-shirt and the cross-body bag below. A neutral palette with only one accent colour means every single piece below goes with every other piece.

10 clothing items to pack for a city sightseeing trip
Clockwise from top left: Talula Kent blazer, $85, aritzia.com. Striped T-shirt, $12, joefresh.com. Collared top, $40, zara.com. Pencil skirt, $60, winners.ca. Shadow Bloom mono dress, $98, canada.frenchconnection.com. Lambskin biker jacket, $499, danier.com. Denim shirt, $29, joefresh.com. 424 Fifth blouse, $79, thebay.com. Shorts with side frill, $46, zara.com. Levi Strauss & Co. skinny jeans, $88, aritzia.com.

When choosing accessories, you’ll need no more than two bags (one small and one large) and two pairs of shoes. Add pizzazz with a few other pieces, such as a statement necklace or a belt to cinch your blazer or a fuller top.

Packing list: Accessories
1. 1 tote bag (use as your carry-on)
2. 1 small cross-body bag
3. 1 pair of comfortable flat sandals or sneakers
4. 1 pair of dressy oxford shoes with a low heel
5. 1 belt
6. 1 pair of sunglasses
7. 1 fedora
8. 2 or 3 pieces of jewellery

Accessories to pack for a city sightseeing trip
Clockwise from top left: Tote, $40, aldoshoes.com. Fedora, $62, bananarepublic.ca. Shoes, $175, rudsak.com. Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses, $160, clearlycontacts.ca. Ear jackets, $28, oliveandpiper.com. Belt, $62, bananarepublic.ca. Bag, $160, bananarepublic.ca. Leather-inlay hinge bangle, $58, anntaylor.com. Necklace, $124, bananarepublic.ca. Jess Pascale sandals, $50, sears.ca.

I styled eight outfits with these clothes and accessories, but you could probably throw together 10 to 12 ensembles without wearing any one piece of clothing more than three times.

8 outfits to pack for a city sightseeing trip
There’s an outfit for everything: the plane ride, a fancy dinner, a day at the park and shopping and gallery-hopping. There are also options for hot afternoons and chilly evenings. You don’t need to own these exact pieces to make it work; just follow the basic guidelines above, choosing items by colour palette.

Read more:
Cut down on suitcase space with these multiuse beauty products
How to find the best blazer for your body type

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