The Ultimate Packing Challenge

26 days. 2 continents. 5 countries. 7 cities. Long flights. Business meetings. Work. Play. Hitting the town.  And did I mention a temperature range of up to 33 degrees between coolest (winter in Sydney) and hottest (summer in Shanghai) locations.  How on earth do I pack for this adventure?  And to really up the ante, I refuse to check baggage and I need enough extra room for the inevitable items I'll pick up along the way...

I started by calling in my expert consultant, Allison. My BF/stylist/fashion police/partner-in-crime all rolled up in one and the only person on the planet who would give up a Friday night to come over to my apartment and watch me try on clothes.  I lured her with copious amounts of wine (I've recently ordered a case of a delicious Rose that I discovered last Fall when visiting Napa Valley with said BF) the promise of style credits (officially noted!) and of course, eternal gratitude.  We determined that the packing challenge - while definitely a big challenge - was doable.  I just need to be willing to recycle outfits, stay within a color palette to allow for as much mix & match as possible, refrain from bringing all of the shoes I originally wanted to pack, and do a little dry cleaning along the way.  Oh, and try not to spill on myself.

The truth is, I LOVE packing.  I love to imagine outfits for planned adventures, I love playing "fashion show" and digging through my closet for the right thing to bring, and most of all, I love travel/vacation wardrobe shopping.  For me, it is like the the amuse-bouche of the trip, getting me all jazzed up for the main course to come.  Unpacking on the other hand, is one of my all-time least favorite activities...

The suitcase:  A Titan 20" Roller that I bought last year after my high school-graduation-gift-luggage finally gave out.  I love this little guy and highly recommend for anyone looking for a new carry-on roller.

After reviewing lots of options, trying on a lot of combos and polishing off two bottles of wine, this is what we ended up with:

Work Wardrobe

City Break / Weekend Wardrobe

Hitting the Town Wardrobe

I focused on tailored basics for my work outfits.  Paring a goes-with-anything black skirt or black pants with different tops & a smart black blazer makes for lots of different outfit combinations so I don't feel like I'm wearing the same outfit every day.

Clockwise from top left: Helmut Lang blazer (similar here), this striped dress goes easily from work to play, ballet flats, stacked heel sandals, leather transport tote (holds my laptop, cell, business cards, etc and is perfect to have all my essentials while in flight or on the train), cotton tops for under a blazer, Joie crochet top, silk blouses to pair with skirt or slacks to (hopefully) wow during client visits, black crepe skirt & black J-Brand jeans go with everything, a black leather belt, and my Baume & Mercier black croc-strap watch, my all-time favorite wrist candy.                                                        





                                                                                                             




For casual options, I went with comfortable & breathable (for those 95+ degree Shanghai days), but still put together enough so I feel like I can stop into a classy spot for an afternoon cocktail (and hopefully cross paths with some intriguing, international man of mystery...hey, you never know..and a good outfit certainly won't hurt).

Clockwise from the top left: vintage Coach bag, Kindle (as much as I love books, I have become a Kindle convert when traveling) , iPod (yes - I'm old school), my favorite passport wallet from Allison, Lonely Planet pocket city guides, Panama Hat, Toms, T-strap sandals, short-sleeved cotton maxi-dress in the most amazing colors (modest enough for temple visits), cotton tanks (loving these), boyfriend jeans for travel days, eyelet shorts, chambray shirt (I never travel without one), sun dress and a jean jacket.










When I go out, 9 times out of 10, I wear black.  This works well when I travel since I feel like black always looks put together, chic, a bit dressed up and hides spills.  To spice up my all-black ensembles, I added in my favorite neon heels (they screamed Tokyo to me), a white blazer, and my new baby: a vintage Chanel clutch I found in Paris last spring (happy 31st to me!).

Clockwise from top left: Claire Vivier woven black clutch (doubles as a pouch to hold all my stuff and toss in my tote), Maje maxi, neon heels, Rag & Bone white blazer (similar here), black Adam romper, black J-Brand jeans,  Joie crochet top, 3.1 Phillip Lim black silk blouse, & Coco, my vintage Chanel clutch.











I'd like to thank my 3 years working at the Gap in high school with providing me with the opportunity to perfect my clothing folding skills.  After lots of folding, rolling, and sitting on the top of the suitcase to zip it shut -- mission accomplished!  With my bag packed to the gills, I threw in my BRICS duffle for any goodies I pick up during my travels.  And yes, of course, Ra-Ra is making the trip.

All packed!  T-minus 3 days until I hit the road.  First stop: Hong Kong!!!