Today I’m sharing a men’s packing list for Europe. I first put this together last spring in anticipation of our trip to Spain and Portugal.
My husband, by nature, has a capsule wardrobe, meaning it is pretty simple and everything goes together. But let me be clear: he is not a snazzy dresser (no offense, Ty). Tyler is one of those guys that gets kind of panicky when he has to wear jeans and has a meltdown if he gets caught in long sleeves when the temp rises above 65.
I can’t blame him: he values comfort above all. But if Vuori and Lululemon didn’t exist, I’m not sure where we’d be today. This list is perfectly suited for the athletic guys who can’t be bothered to change out of their Nike’s before heading to dinner.
I have broken this list down into two sections: spring/summer and fall/winter. At the end of the post, I’m going to share some packing tips and Tyler’s favorite luggage pieces.
Check out my men’s packing list for Europe:
Men’s Packing List for Europe: Spring and Summer
*Slightly* Elevated T-Shirts
I always make sure to get Tyler stocked up on some t-shirts that look a little better than the ones he works out in, knowing that those are what he’s going to reach for the most on our trips.
Lululemon makes the best t-shirts–these jersey ones look so soft, and I love these slightly oversized heavyweight cotton shirts (very on trend right now).
Tyler has a few of these henleys from Vuori. The fit is great and the material is really soft.
He also has a bunch of Vuori’s Tuvalu Tees which are really soft and fitted. The colors are screaming European Summer.
Comfortable Shorts
Tyler has worn his Kore shorts from Vuori more than any other clothing item he owns. He has them in a few different colors and wears them daily. Somehow, they look great with tees and short sleeved button downs alike. These also come in an unlined version and a shorter 5″ version.
He also love Vuori’s Banks shorts–they are unlined and have a curved trim detail on the hem.
I love these shorts paired with a short-sleeved button down (linked a few below).
I got these corduroy shorts for Tyler this year, and they look great with button downs and henleys for a slightly elevated version of “t shirts and shorts.” (Looks like they have a few colors on sale here!).
Short-sleeved button-downs
I got him this super comfortable short sleeve white button down for dinners out. It’s giving “give this man a spritz”?
He also has a couple of these Bridge button downs, and they always come in handy during warm weather. And you can’t go wrong with a comfy polo.
Sweatshirts
He won’t pack a ton of layers, but he will bring this pullover from Lululemon for the plane and if it gets cold at all at night. I got this for him for his birthday a couple of years ago, and he still wears it constantly.
If you want to bring a second layer that’s a little nicer than a hoodie, consider an collared over shirt to wear over t-shirts (I also like this one).
Swim trunks
Back to Vuori for swim trunks. They have the best styles, and the colors this year are so cute.
Tyler has a pair of the Volley shorts and the Cruise shorts. Both are super comfortable and look good with t-shirts for the rest of the day after a morning at the beach.
Shoes
I wasn’t kidding when I said that this is a Nike’s only situation. I’ve basically given up on getting him to wear anything nicer, so I’ve learned to hack the system.
I recently got him these Nike Killshots which are a great casual shoe that pair well with both shorts and pants. He tried on these all white On Clouds Cloudnovas a few weeks ago and they were SO cute–going to surprise him with them before our next trip in June.
He’ll also pack his Hokas for longer walking days.
One of my life’s great achievements is getting Tyler to try Birkenstocks last year, and I’m pleased to report that he chooses these over his ratty flip flops on hot days. If you’re on the fence, just TRY them. They are perfect for long walking days, most notably in the summer. Pro tip: always get the oiled leather, never suede (suede gets destroyed). Also available at Zappos.
Men’s Packing List for Europe: Fall
High Quality Basic T-Shirts and Long Sleeve Tees
If you’re headed to Europe this fall, you’ll want to pack layers. I’m starting with the basics: the Fundamental tees from Lululemon make a great base for any outfit. I also like the pocket tees from Vuori.
You’ll want to pack a few thin long sleeve tees. Tyler loves the Fundamental long sleeve tees from Lululemon too. These will be easy to layer under overshirts or bomber jackets (more on those below!). And his to-go long sleeve in the winter is this black henley from Vuori.
Comfortable Button Down Shirts
Depending on how long your trip is, I would pack 2-3 button down shirts. Tyler’s favorite is the Commission shirt from Lululemon. I also got him the Ace button down from Vuori and it’s super soft.
Overshirts
I feel like the t-shirt + overshirt combo is perfect for a fall trip to Europe because it gives you the option to layer over either a short sleeve or long sleeve t-shirt, depending on the weather. I love this corduroy overshirt from Sézane’s Octobre line that you can wear as a standalone shirt or unbuttoned over a white tee.
Lululemon and Everlane both have great “overshirt” options too.
Sweaters + Sweatshirts
Tyler tried on this sweater hoodie in the Vuori store the other day, and he looked so cute and cozy in it. I love this textured crewneck sweater from Lululemon.
He wears his Smooth Spacer hoodie ALL the time. It’s the perfect second layer for the airplane too.
Pants
Tyler hates jeans. Over the last few years, I have managed to find two (yes, two) pants options that he will actually wear again and again. The first is the ABC pant from Lululemon. He has these in three colors and wears them on rotation throughout the fall and winter. He has the “slim” style in these.
The other style that he likes is the AG Graduate “SUD” pants. These are super soft and come in a bunch of fall colors.
He always wears these joggers for cold travel days and on the airplane.
Outerwear
Depending on the forecast, you might want to bring 2 or 3 outerwear options. I love this cotton blend bomber jacket in the Artifact color. This insulated collared jacket looks really warm. And I like this quilted jacket option from J. Crew. If you might encounter rain, I would throw this packable rain shell in your suitcase too.
Shoes + boots
For a fall Europe trip, I would pack one pair of running shoes for travel days, one pair of stylish/trendy sneakers, and one pair of boots. Tyler always wears his Hokas on long walking days and in the airport. I love, love, love these Spezial Adidas.
For boots, you cannot go wrong with Red Wings. I bought some for Tyler like 8 years ago and he wore them into the ground and is just now starting to talk about replacing them with the exact same pair.
If you want something a bit dressier, Thursdays has a bunch of great leather options. Tyler has the Captain style in “Brandy.” These look amazing for dinners and such, but for long walking days in the cold, he still opts for the Red Wings.
Hats
No matter the weather, Tyler loves to wear hats. His new favorite brand is Huega House. They are based in San Diego and make the cutest styles. They actually gave me a code last week too! Use RUTHNUSS for 15% off at checkout.
Another brand he loves is Siegelman Stable.
Packing tips:
Tyler always packs everything in his Away Carry On suitcase, even for longer trips. We are going on 5 years now with ours and they have held up amazingly well! The trick to keep the lighter colors clean is keeping a half of a magic eraser in a plastic bag in the inside pocket for emergencies. We both have the Bigger Carry On size.
He too is a Packing Cube Person, so he’ll keep things organized with these packing cubes from CALPAK. We also love our tech organizer from CALPAK.
He loves this toiletry bag I got him from Away last year. It opens up completely flat so he can see and organize everything better.
For his carry-on bag, he’ll use a backpack. He has the older version of the Cruiser Backpack from Lululemon, and it’s awesome. It has a few big compartments including a laptop sleeve. And then on the outside, it has a bunch of zipper pockets for easy access of his phone, sunglasses, passport, chapstick, etc., and a water bottle pocket on each side.
I also highly, highly recommend the Dakota backpack from Dagne Dover. it comes in a ton of great colors, and both Tyler and I LOVE ours. We have the Large size. (Check out my full review here).
If you’re looking for a good duffel bag, I recommend the Luka from CALPAK for a more compact, overnight size. This one fits under an airplane seat and qualifies at a personal item! (Full review here).
And if you’re needing something bigger than that, I recommend CALPAK’s Stevyn duffel which holds a lot more and has a big dedicated shoes department on the bottom. (Review here).
On that note…
My tips for surviving a long haul flight
International travel checklist- 23 things to do before traveling abroad
