Advice from former travelers told me one thing… depend on cardigans, layering and accessories to change an outfit to avoid packing tons of different clothes.
In the end, I repeated several clothing items, but felt like my outfits looked different enough every day.
Same black dress:
Same cotton dress:
Cardigans, belts, scarves and jewelry were the key to my outfit “changes.”
For our trip, I packed four different cardigans (one extra-long to be worn with leggings for travel), two colorful scarves and three different belts. I wore every single cardigan (often multiple times) and found them not only comfortable but also important to have on hand, as many of the churches and historical sights in Europe require that your shoulders be covered.
I kept my jewelry relatively simple and packed bangles, three bracelets, two watches, two delicate necklaces and one long gold necklace (unpictured). I was also lucky in that I could borrow some accessories from my sister’s stash which helped me change things up a bit as well.
Cotton Dresses
Cotton dresses were my go-to outfit on our vacation because they allowed for easy layering, were comfortable and didn’t have a waist band, which made them ideal for copious gelato consumption.
I packed two cotton dresses and bought one from H&M in Switzerland. I also packed one “dressier dress” that I never wore.
(Note the use of the same pink wrap cardigan from the second picture with the black dress.)
Pants
Though Italy and (surprisingly) Switzerland were quite warm, Paris and London were significantly colder, making me very happy I packed some warmer clothes.
For pants, I packed a pair of comfy skinny jeans that were short enough to be worn with flats, a pair of leggings for travel and a pair of army green ankle pants.
This worked well for me, but I was ready to burn those jeans when I got home from wearing them so often. Had it been colder in Italy, I definitely would’ve wanted another pair of pants on this trip.
Shorts and Skirts
Now for warmer-wear bottoms! I packed one knee-length pink skirt, a high-waisted black skirt (that I never wore) and a pair of orange shorts.
Though the knee-length skirt was a great decision, I wouldn’t pack the shorts again. My sister and I wore shorts on the same day and we both felt like that was the only time we felt like we looked like tourists and a bit out of place. It felt like people were looking at our legs (not in a good way) and we just felt a bit uncomfortable.
Shoes
I packed two pairs of sandals (one gold and one brown), figuring I could wear the strappy gold sandals to a nicer restaurant if need be. I also packed a pair of TOMS (so fugly, I know, but so comfy) and a pair of black flats that I borrowed from my sister (I replaced them with a pair of my flats for the sake of the picture).
I was advised not to pack gym shoes because no one in Europe walks around wearing Nikes, and that was very true! Since I didn’t plan on working out on my trip, I didn’t pack sneakers at all and was completely happy with that decision.
Before leaving, I tested out my TOMS on a 3-mile walk to make sure they really would be comfortable for miles of walking. They definitely passed the test and I was glad to have them along on the trip.
Tops
I packed three solid and neutral-colored tank tops which were fantastic for layering.
I also packed a comfortable long button-up blue shirt for traveling and a white shirt that could be worn two different ways for alternate looks.
Same white shirt, two ways:
Jackets
I made sure to pack three jackets – one fleece, one lightweight jacket and one raincoat. Don’t forget the raincoat! It was imperative for the dreary London weather and the texture of the coat also helped with wind resistance.
Bags
I used the exact same purse every single day.
My Michael Kors cross-body purse (purchase on sale through RueLaLa) came in handy because it allowed me to have free hands and kept my belongings close to my body and in front of me, which made me feel safe from the all-too-prominent pick-pocketers.
I also bought a Longchamp bag (great suggestion from Kristen) before we left using some money I received for my birthday and was so glad I had it.
It was a great travel bag and held everything from my laptop to books, a sweater, my camera, my wallet and more.
Other Key Items
- Makeup (I packed only the makeup I wear daily – nothing fun or fancy)
- Shampoo/ conditioner (if you’re picky like me and have to have your favorite shampoo)
- Face wash
- Lotion (I like self-tanning lotion and hotels haven’t hopped on that bangwaggon yet)
- Converters (you can’t charge anything without a proper converter
- Hair straightener I didn’t care about (many U.S. straighteners have been ruined in Europe due to the converters)
- Sunglasses
- Book(s)
- Camera, charger
- Hand sanitizer
- Toothbrush, toothpaste
- Kleenex
- Passport + a photocopy of your passport (just in case)
Love the pink wrap around cardigan, do you remember where you bought it?
Melissa
banana republic!
peanutbutterfingers
Just found this on Pinterest and it has been very helpful! Thank you!
My husband and I are traveling to Europe in two weeks and I’m nervous about packing light! After reading your article, I’m eliminating my shorts and tennis shoes and adding a few more cardigans.
Thanks again.
Krista
Krista
What size is your Longchamp tote?
Thanks!
katya08
large!
Julie @ Peanut Butter Fingers
Hi there – I stumbled across your blog just before leaving for Romania and Budapest for 2 weeks and you advice and pictures were invaluable! Thank you so much for the detailed descriptions and guidance you provide here – I definitely had a range of outfits perfect for 45 degF – 95deg F weather that fit in my backpack < 33 pounds! So thanks a bunch!
Poma
What company did your company tour with?
Kie
I know this blog isn’t too recent, but I’m glad I stumbled upon it! I’m going to germany/france in two weeks, and I will definitely be utilizing your advice! Especially about the tennis shoes part, i’d rather not be pick pocketed just for looking like a tourist. Thanks!
Ana
I am so happy to have found this! I’m headed to Europe for the first time this summer! I’m definitely using your list as a guide. Thank you!
Jan
Thank you so much for the post! I’m going to Italy and France for two weeks this summer and feel much better about packing. I was wondering about your footwear. Were your sandals comfortable? I’ve been researching sandals to wear but a lot of sightseeing, but they are all bulky (and well, pretty ugly). Any thoughts would be wonderful. Thanks!
Anne
Were your feet okay in the flat t strap sandals? Those are my go-to shoes but I thought I might not be able to wear them walking all day long!
Amanda
I’m so glad you linked to this post in today’s post! I’m going to Europe in July for a month and needed some good tips! I want to still look cute & fashionable but be practical. You definitely seemed to achieve that
Julie
Oh my gosh, thanks for writing this. My husband and I are going to Europe for two weeks and I’ve been totally been stressing about packing. I am a horrible packer. So I was absolutely thrilled to read this. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Julie Miller
I have the same pair of Toms that you do, and I wore them throughout a 21 day journey through Europe (including Greece). I found they were so comfortable even on cobblestone streets! I switched up between those and my Converse tennis shoes. I liked the Toms better!
Shelley
Where did you get your brown studded sandals? I had a pair like them a few years ago but I haven’t been able to find that style since!
Megan
i will be visiting europe at the end of may and early june, but ofcourse northern europe like Germany, london, Belguim, etc. And im visiting for 2 weeks. This was very helpful! i appreciate you making this page!
katie butler
THANK YOU for this post! Your ideas are perfect – casual, elegant, and completely sensible. I’ve been scouring the web trying to figure out what to pack for my upcoming 2 week trip to Europe and I am so glad I found your site!
Deb
Hihi this is funny. I’m dutch. Holland is not on top list for US tourist but in my country loads of people walk on nikes, adidas, puma or simalairr sport shoes. I wear my black pumas almost daily, even to work. But offcourse were not very fashionable
. Hope you liked your trip. Good luck traveling.
You have a great style and good advice. Europe weather is changeable. The south is warm, hot in summer and the north rainy and cloudy but also therefor very green
Gwendolin