Calgary Fashion
March 5, 2025

The Only 3 Packing Rules You'll Ever Need for Vacations

Going on vacation is obviously one of the greatest things on earth, but packing can oftentimes add a little stress to the preparation.

I’m sure you can all relate to the feeling of overpacking like crazy and still feeling like we have nothing to wear when we get there, or feeling like the us who was packing our suitcase decided to go a little too bold with her outfit choices.

I have found myself in these situations many times in the past, and I wanted to share some of the ways that I have been able to change up my packing game.

Here are some tips on packing with intention, and actually wearing all the clothes we packed. 

The first issue I always had was that I would pack way too many ‘options’ for outfits. I would bring my favourite pair of black trousers and 3, 4, maybe 5 tops to go along with them, just to be sure that no matter what mood I'm in, I would be able to have an appropriate outfit.

This made it so I had a ton of items in my suitcase taking up a ton of space, and most of them were never worn throughout the trip. 

My advice is to plan outfits ahead of time, bring just one top out of all those options, one that you love and you know you will feel good in no matter your mood. For each day, plan out an entire outfit, try it on beforehand, and make sure you will definitely want to wear it while you are away.

By planning full outfits instead of a ton of random options of outfits, you are able to pack only the clothes you are going to wear, and not take up a ton of room with random pieces that won’t be worn. 

Another word of advice is to pack based around a neutral colour palette. For example if you tend to wear a lot of black and white, base the majority of your outfits around these colours, so that you are able to easily mix and match the majority of the items you bring.

You can of course bring some fun colours and patterns, but by keeping a neutral base, you have a lot more options than if every piece is a bold statement piece. 

My last piece of advice is the one that changed my packing game the most, and is the one that took me the longest to finally implement into my life.

The trick is to not bring a ton of items that you never wear at home, thinking this may finally be their moment to shine.

Don’t bring the see-through dress that you can never quite feel ready to leave the house in, don’t bring the rhinestone heels that you have never taken out of the box, and don’t bring the bold patterns that ‘never fit the occasion’.

I have been here a bunch. We feel like we will be a more confident and bolder version of ourselves on vacation, and sometimes we have moments where this is true, but most times, these same pieces that we never wear at home will be the same pieces we never wear on vacation.

Instead bring along the red dress that always makes you feel sexy, bring your black heels that are comfy and trustworthy for a night out, and bring maybe one or two small items that you have been wanting to have a chance to wear. 

By following these three rules for packing, I have been able to pack lighter, wear everything I have packed, and feel confident in the outfits I wear on vacation.

I hope these tips help you to pack stress-free, and enjoy your trips to the fullest without feeling like you have nothing to wear!

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