lists, layers, layovers: what to pack and how to pack it
Thereās a scene in Austin Powers: International Man of MysteryĀ where Austin and his colleague/eventual love interest Vanessa Kensington, are newly arrived in Las Vegas, hot on the trail of Doctor Evilās number two, Number Two. Posing as a married couple, they check into their suite and begin to unpack. Vanessa opens her suitcase to reveal a tidy assortment of clothes, accessories, and spy gadgetry packed neatly and divided into plastic bags.
Yes, the kind of bags you fill with cookies or vegetable scraps before tossing into the freezer for that vegetable stock you may or may not actually make.
This was in stark contrast to my own method, which was to pack clothes -- some of which might have been clean -- into a decrepit suitcase WITHOUT WHEELS -- and cross myself before hauling ass to the airport.
Yes, Miss Kensington, I am disappointed in past me, too.
But I never forgot about Vanessa and her freezer bags. It was so in character for the organized, utterly prepared Miss Kensington. And also because itās such a great idea. Everything is easy to see and find, and can be left in their bags until they are needed. You can press the air out of bags to compress the contents, and thus you can fit more stuff into your bag.
It took me a while to adopt this method, because I am a messy beast and a procrastinator. And there was something sort of glamorously messy in running off to the airport, as though I were always on the road, and on the run.
This was a terrible method. Iād leave behind items I wanted to bring, and what stuff I did bring would look terrible, be inappropriate for the occasion, or be not as clean as Iād thought. But what choice did I have?
I guess I could have shopped at my destination but if youāre not wearing straight sizes it might still be a crapshoot depending on where you go. Even if you did find a place that could sell you clothes that fit and, even better, you liked and could afford, thatās still time youāll have to spend buying clothes when you could be, I donāt know, drinking vinho verdeĀ at a bar located on top of a multi-story parking garage in Lisbon.
A few times I tried rolling my clothes, which is supposed to make them less wrinkly and afford you more room in your bag. That only works for skinny people, I am convinced. A pair of XXS yoga pants will roll into something not much bigger than a falafel wrap. My XXL cargo pants from Old Navy will not get any smaller than, say, a steak burrito. And shoving underpants into a pair of Toms doesnāt say packing technique or hack so much as utter desperation when your knickers are typically bigger than a tortilla.
Freezer bags, thatās my number one piece of advice. Treat yourself to the kind that zip, as they are just a few cents more than the kind that donāt. Fold or even roll your clothes up. Insert into bag, compress to get the air out, then zip shut. Theyāre also handy for packing liquids -- dressing, foundation makeup, and lube which, should they spill, should be pretty well contained.
Make a list of what you intend to bring, and cross each thing off as you pack it away. The internet abounds with packing list generators. I donāt have a specific recommendation, but the ones that ask you where you go and when you are going tend to be decent because they can give you the weather forecast and perhaps even recommend places to eat lunch.
We can have a long discussion about carry-on luggage and maybe one day we will, but for now let me say: whatever you pack make sure it fits in the overhead bin. If it doesnāt, check it like a good girl and vow to do better next time.
But if youāre like me and do only carry-on luggage,Ā do not pack any more than you yourself can carry. If you have mobility or health issues that prevent you from doing so, remember to thank whoever ends up managing your bags for you, at your direction. Iām trying to find a way to express this without sounding like an ableist shithead so weigh in if you had advice on that point.
I think when it comes to figuring out what to wear, I say this: wear whatever you want.* Layers are key, thatās what everybody says, but those layers need to breathe no matter where you are.And check the weather before you go. I didnāt before a nine day trip to England when it always seemed to be on the verge of raining without actually providing the relief of precipitation so I felt like the entirey city of London was sweating upon me, all while wearing jeans with long sleeved cotton t-shirts, and I was miserable. But worse than that I was too stubborn to just go to the Evans in Oxford Street or the Selfridges, also in Oxford Street, and buy myself something.
*The one thing I will do, in following the advice of travel professionals and those travel bloggers who post shit like text posts that say āNot All Who Wander Are Lostā without any kind of irony, is keep my travel wardrobe in the same color family. Pick three colors, neutral or not, and just go for it. When I went to Lisbon in 2016, this is what I packed:Ā https://www.instagram.com/p/BDfeHemRuUk/.
I once spent nine days in Ireland with no trousers/pants except these fancy hiking pants I got at Columbia. I hiked exactly twice during that trip, and the rest of the time I walked around Dublin and Galway and Dingle and Killarney looking, and sounding, like a sentient windsock. I got stuck on the hiking part instead of focusing on the fact that Iād spend most of my time walking around cities, drinking and eating and occasionally sitting before eating and drinking again. I could have used a pair of jeans, a warm sweater, and ankle boots. I solved part of my problem by buying myself a beautiful Irish wool cardigan at the Aran Sweater Market in Killarney. I love that thing.
Last spring I went to England for nine days (what is it with me and nine day trips to the UK?) and did more hiking but instead of bringing proper hiking boots I brought LL Bean boots. They were okay for tromping in mud. Not so much for going up steep hills as I am passed by surly French teenagers wearing Adidas.
I think the moral of the story here is I should give up on hiking as an activity. That, and I need to be more honest with myself about what I can and am willing to do when I got on vacation.
But for, say, three days in New York over Easter weekend? This was my last trip, and I packed:
light coat or jacket
scarf to layer with coat -- make it big enough to use as a blanket on the plane, or shawl for modesty
handbag or purse -- crossbody or GTFO
special outfit or dress -- I went to Le Bernardin with my brother for lunch on my birthday, and I wore this Target x Victoria Beckham collared shift. There were rabbits embroidered on the collar tabs. It was the best.
two shirts -- both were long-sleeved
black Old Navy pixie pants -- no pockets but comfortable, and more elegant than jeans
sneakers -- Converse seems to be the default for everybody ever, and I am not special so of course I have owned many pairs though I am down to one pair at the present -- mine are Comme des Garcons because while I am not special I am for sure quite extra
flip-flops for wearing around your hotel room/AirBNB/friendās guestroom
black leather ankle boots -- sturdy sole, a heel if you care for one
underthings (bra, underpants, garters, slips, socks, hosiery)
jewelry -- just a few things that you might be able to wear at once or put away in an Altoids tin. I wear a watch, stud earrings, sometimes a silver button or a brass heart from In God We Trust that saysĀ ābitch pleaseā.
makeup/toiletries
My next trip is London (yes again shut up I love it) and Venice (babyās first trip to Italy) in September. I have no idea what Iām going to wear. Maybe a trench coat, Hunter boots, and not much else.
The whole reason I wrote this was because @rosamundt asked me on twitter to write her a post about what to pack for some trips she had coming up. I probably should have done this before today, as she has already embarked on trip number one. Trip number two is still forthcoming, a short trip to a large city for a family celebration. My packing list above should suffice, though she may be able to get away with not packing a jacket. And instead of the black leather ankle boots maybe some sandals with a stiff sole. I know she loves those Saltwater sandals but I donāt think Iād want to wear them on the subway. Just as long as itās not Yoga Slings -- I think those are kind of gross.
