We are heading to Europe at the end of the month, and I have been predictably maniacal about my wardrobe for the trip.
We will be gone for nearly three weeks and will hit several different countries along the way, each with their climate/fashion vibe. Packing will be quite the undertaking, but I, of course, am up for the challenge! I LIVE for this stuff.
I plan to document my packing process as much as possible–it seems like packing is one of those random subjects that a handful of people care about a LOT, so I’m here to serve.
In today’s post, I am going to just cover my own packing list for the trip.
Find Men’s Packing List For Europe here.
Spring Packing List
Call me shallow, but there is nothing I care more about than a travel wardrobe. I’m sharing some spring and summer fashion essentials that form what I am hoping to be a capsule wardrobe of sorts.
I have very much aligned myself with this “Coastal Grandmother” trend that’s run wild the last few summers, so if looking like Diane Keaton out for a morning beach walk on Nantucket is NOT your goal, maybe take this all with a grain of salt?
My vibe for this trip and this spring and summer is breezy, linen-forward, and–most of all–comfortable. I want to be able to wear these outfits all day long without a care in the world. There will be no need to unbutton my pants after dinner, if you catch my drift.
I am going with neutrals, mostly, with a few colorful pieces thrown in. I would like most of my stuff to be mix-and-match-able, so as to save space in my suitcase and minimize my morning decision-making each day. And I also anticipate wanting to layer, as a way to change up my looks and also out of necessity with the unpredictability of late spring weather.
I’ll also try to link multiple versions of each item with varying prices.
Here is a list of items I’m packing and plan to wear all spring and summer long.
White Linen Button Down Shirt
I’ve worn my white linen shirt a million ways this year: open over swimsuit as a coverup, buttoned and tucked into jeans, front-tied over a dress, or open over a tank top and shorts. I love that even when it’s wrinkly it looks put-together in a chic, effortless way.
I love this one from Gap–I think oversized is the way to go here. H&M also has a great linen button-down for less than $30.
Linen Shorts
What spring travel wardrobe could be complete with a pair (or two?) of linen shorts? I love both the smocked and drawstring version from Reformation ( The “dried herbs” color in the drawstring pair is so dreamy).
For a more affordable option, I have heard great things about this pair from J Crew Factory, and my friend just grabbed these from Banana Republic Factory yesterday and looks SO cute in them.
“Crinkle” Fabric Swimsuits
It’s been years since I invested in a good swim suit, so I decided to take the opportunity to splurge on a few high quality suits that I actually feel really good in.
I specifically targeted suits that have that crinkle/scrunchie fabric because I want them to be as comfortable as possible. I love the look of a scrunchie one piece paired with denim or linen shorts because it feels like an entire outfit, you know? I’ll wear these daily in Croatia especially when we are going from exploring an old town to picnicking on the beach and off to dinner, etc, etc.
The holy grail of crinkle fabric swimwear is Hunza G. The quality is the BEST and it really holds everything in. You can’t go wrong with the classic Pamela style (also linked here in the sky blue color). And I love the square neck version too (the light purple is gorgeous!). These one pieces are expensive but not any more than your total once you put an L*Space or Skatie set together, know what i mean?
BUT, a cheaper alternative is from YouSwim. These are almost as good as the Huna G one pieces, but the fabric is slightly less substantial. For $100 cheaper, though, I think that’s fair. I love the YouSwim colors too, all so fun and “instagrammable.” I love the Aplomb square neck style.
If you’re not ready to invest a ton in a style like this, this version from Target looks great! My friend was wearing this last summer one day at the beach and she looked so cute in it.
Comfortable, Flowy Pants
In case you missed my rant in last week’s newsletter, the basic gist is that I am stepping away from the rat race of trying to find trendy jeans that are also flattering and comfortable. For now anyway, lol.
My newest passion is finding FLOWY, COMFORTABLE pants that I can wear daily and still look put together.
I’ve been wearing these tailored linen blend wide-leg pants from Z Supply all spring, and I’m sure I will wear them several times on our trip. I have the “moss gray” color which is a muted olive that goes with most of my wardrobe. These are both beachy and polished at the same time. I found these to run true to size.
I used my birthday discount at Anthro last week on these fabulous wide leg printed pants. These are so fun and so, so comfy. The waistband is super flattering and I feel like I can style these a million ways: with a knotted t-shirt or a dressier bodysuit or a black crop top. I am so thrilled about these. These run true to size but are a bit long, FYI.
For a more affordable alternative, try these linen pull-on pants from H&M or these breezy gauze split hem pants from Aerie.
Chambray Denim Shirt
I absolutely love this denim “big” shirt from Gap. It’s the perfect oversized fit, and it goes with everything. I’ve been wearing this over basically anything as a second layer this spring–over my traveler dress, with any of the pants and shorts I linked below, and even a tank and leggings.
It looks like there’s a 20% off sale going on at Gap this week too!
White T-Shirt
I’ll definitely need a fresh white tee to pair with the above pants and shorts. There’s nothing more classic than a front-tucked white tee. This shrunken tee from Gap is perfection because it isn’t see-through and has a whispy but structured feel (this felt impossible to explain but I’m happy with my adjectives). I bought it a couple of months ago and have been saving it for our trip so as to not have it ruined by makeup, self tanner, and/or toddler snot.
I’ve tried this one at Reformation a few times and it is also great. $38 for a t-shirt is not bad but I don’t like to spend very much on white tees for the reasons listed above, lol.
Madewell’s whisper cotton has never failed me either–this crewneck version is classic.
Smocked midi dress
I will take any–and I do mean any–excuse not to wear a bra, so this style is right up my alley.
I love this effortless, beachy style from Z Supply. It comes in this pretty brown color and black.
The detail on this white dress from Zara is stunning. I returned it because the white didn’t seem practical enough for a trip with young kids but the fit was amazing and it wasn’t see-through!
This smocked midi dress from Gap comes in a bunch of cute colors too, and it’s is on sale for $35 right now!
Crochet Cardigan Sweater
I’ll definitely want something to layer over these outfits on cooler evenings–or to simply wrap around my shoulders to add a little dimension to an outfit. I decided on a crochet sweater to go with the summer weather. This style will go with everything else that I’m bringing. I LOVE this version from Gap in both the white and tan.
This H&M pointelle sweater is screaming “South of France” and looks just like Sezane if you ask me.
Neutral tanks and bodysuits
Last summer, I stocked up on a bunch of tanks and bodysuits that I’ll pack for the trip. Abercrombie just does basics so well–this 3 pack of my favorite scoop-neck style is awesome, and this 4 pack has a few different styles included.
This seamless bodysuit has never steered me wrong and comes in a ton of great neutrals.
I also thought I’d mention this Love Letter Cami from Free People–so flattering and has the prettiest details.
Black Workout Dress
You’ve likely seen my post about my traveler dress from Abercrombie at some point this year. It’s comfortable, flattering, and downright practical with built in shorts underneath. It folds up to about the size of my fist and will be so easy to throw on when the girls and Tyler are rushing me out the door. I’ve already worn mine way more than I thought I would–with my chambray shirt or with a sweatshirt thrown over. It’s cute with Birksinstocks and tennis shoes, and I imagine I’ll wear this several times in Europe.
I have heard great things about this version from Target. And though the reviews are all over the map, I think it’s definitely worth trying for the price?! Love that it has a racerback too.
Shoes
I’ve been debating about this for months, but I think I am going to bring my new white Birkenstocks that my mom gave me for my birthday, these platform Sorrels for “dressier” outfits, and my white Hokas for travel days.
A Note About Packing Cubes
I plan to pack all of this up in my new packing cubes from CALPAK. Packing cubes are the only way I stay sane when we travel, especially now that I’m packing for the girls too. If you’re shopping CALPAK this spring and summer, use my code RUTH10 for a discount at checkout.
