How to Pack Part DEUX: pre-packing and planning

This is part {DEUX} of my How to Pack series! Part {UN} can be found here, and is all about having a consistent color palette. This time, I'll be sharing some tips that will prevent some of the stress you'll be feeling on the departure day.


Since my departure is exactly one week away, I thought I'd get a head start on packing. Here are some important things to pack for very long trips! I suggest packing these a week to three days before your departure.

{FIRST}, Plan your airport outfit. Comfort and layer-ability come before everything else. Who wants to sit for millions of hours in a tiny, cramped airplane seat, wearing too-tight pants and a shirt that has to be adjusted every 5 minutes? And who wants to walk through confusing airports, carrying heavy, awkward luggage wearing shoes that, although score high on the fashionable scale, pinch at your feet and make walking extremely uncomfortable? NOT ME! Go for comfort, ease, and casual elegance.


{outfit planning: comfort}


{SECOND}, gather up any important documents, and photocopies of documents, you will or might need while abroad. When in doubt, bring it. It's better to be over prepared than not prepared enough. Some examples of documents to bring are:

- Passport
- Student, Work, or Travel visa
- Birth Certificate
- ID card(s)
- Any other documents from your visa application you feel would be necessary or helpful
- Flight Information and/or boarding pass
- Extra Passport-sized photos
- About 100 in foreign currency, which I ordered through my bank here in the States (make sure you call your credit card people to let them know you'll be abroad)
- List of practical info including:
* Important addresses and/or phone numbers
* How to travel from Airport into the city (train numbers and station names)

These documents you should keep in your carry-on bag, as they are extremely important to have just in case anything goes wrong, or your luggage goes missing.


{copies and originals of important documents}
{calendar and passport-sized photos}


{THIRD}, pack some little things that you won't be needing for the rest of the week before you leave. This can include:
- Airplane beauty products (keep liquids at 3oz. or less in a clear plastic bag)
- Versatile nail polish colors you plan to use often
- Journaling supplies
- Small mirror
- Small paper scraps, postcards, and photos to make your new home feel like home
- Pouch full of jewelry
- A carry-on full of shoes. Shoes take up A TON of weight, so I'd rather not pack them in my checked luggage. You don't want to pay a huge extra fee for overweight luggage. This only applies, of course, if you're taking more than two pairs. I'm taking 7 pairs... most likely WAY too many. But hey, I gotta be stylish in Paris, people!

{pouches with airport liquids, nail polish, and jewelry}
{mirror, journals, washi tape, photos, etc.}
{Carry-on full of shoes}

I hope this helps! If you have any questions, please comment or email me at hannah.wilson27@gmail.com

Airport Outfit & One Top, Two Ways

The best thing to wear on long flights is something comfortable and simple. It's also good to wear a few thin layers, including one quite bulky item such as a trench coat, to save space in your luggage. This is especially helpful for me, as I'll be packing just ONE suitcase and ONE carry-on for a 5 month trip, and I don't want to pay the extra fee for overweight luggage! I've decided to put all my shoes and my laptop into my carry-on bag, since those are items that weigh quite a bit.

I plan on wearing my new flat oxfords and some comfortable, rolled-to-the-ankle pants. This outfit is a contender, but I don't think it'll take the Airport Outfit Gold Medal (Olympic pun?!).


I scored this great backpack at TJ Maxx. I was resisting buying a backpack at first, afraid it would look juvenile in Paris. But the leather paneling brings it up a notch in sophistication, I think. Plus, it'll save my back a lot of aches and pains when I go to class everyday. For the flight, I'll put a few choice beauty products, my camera, important documents, and a scarf inside. Perhaps I'll do a post on packing soon.




Here's this top styled in a different way! Sheer cream tops are the best wardrobe staple I've come across so far, in addition to a neutral trench coat. I may do a post on basic essentials soon, having purchased so many for Paris lately.

Pants: Urban Outfitters BDG cigarette high rise jean // Top: TJ Maxx // Shoes: Born // Backpack: TJ Maxx // Skirt: Forever21 // Belt: Thrifted

How to Pack Part UN - Consistent Color Palette

This is PART UN of my how to pack series! This one is all about packing clothing that is versatile and easy to wear.



I think I have found my Paris color palette! I was organizing my closet yesterday, and suddenly realized a common color theme. Black and dark gray items with corals, pinks, salmons, and rusty medium brown leather or bronze accessories. After seeing this packing guide on Pinterest, I've been mulling over what accent color to choose. I will be in Paris for 5 months, bringing only one checked bag and one carry-on! For me, that is a really frightening prospect. I figure that If I keep everything I bring within the same color family, focusing mostly on neutrals (like black), I can mix-and-match almost anything.

I've really been wanting an iphone lately, but since I'm going to be abroad, buying and committing to it now wouldn't make any sense, so I borrowed my mom's iphone (my Mother is cooler than me), created an Instagram account, and quickly took these photos! It saved me OODLES of time. Using my Nikon, I'd have to take the picture, plug in the camera, upload the picture, edit the picture, export, and then upload once more. Instagram just took twenty minutes off of my normal routine. I think the time it takes me to take and edit photos for this blog have been a major factor in my posting less and less often. Or maybe this simply bears testament to my laziness. One day, when I have my own iphone, I will use the crap outta Instagram!

I bought two new pairs of shoes that I'm super happy about. The only problem is I can't wear them yet because it's usually too hot outside, or I have nowhere appropriate to wear them! I'm all about flip flops and sandals in this desert heat (In case you didn't know, I moved back home to the California desert recently for the summer).

I thought I'd also share with you my favorite perfume: Marc Jacobs Daisy. Also here is my favorite waist belt, which I thrifted at a Goodwill for $2.


Check out Part DEUX of the How to Pack series here!