This trip is for vacation -- 11 days, including 4 day stopover in Iceland and the rest in London visiting my DD who's doing a semester abroad. I've been watching the weather and I know it's going to be highly changeable for London.
I really really really want to limit myself to my 22 inch carry-on spinner for this. It's just easier to lug around, and also DH and I plan to buy a lot of stuff in Iceland at the North66 store as we need to refresh from our last trip; he'll bring a second bag for this. To make this work I've been plotting and planning how to save space, such as only bringing silk long johns to sleep in (wash out overnight and take up zero room) and only 3 or 4 pairs of undies that wash & dry overnight.
I think I can do this in a 22 inch carryon but I'm finding I'm second guessing a few things and could use some help here.
1. Coat!
I recently added a black wool Burberry trench which is totally awesome, and will completely work for Iceland, and probably for London -- unless it heats up. So I'm tempted to try to squeeze in my regular Burberry trench too... just in case. Remember I run warm. I've taken the trench along on several business trips and it does pack relatively small -- but still takes up valuable room, so I'm unsure here if it's worth dragging along? Dilemma!
2. Dress!
Most of the trip will be casual but I always like to bring just one dress, in case we go out to dinner or whatnot. I'm thinking the midi dress which works with booties and reads casual or dressy, but I got to thinking that if it rains heavily, I might appreciate a knee length dress I can wear with flat boots, because what if the part of the midi dress that isn't covered by a knee-length trench coat (either one) gets all wet because it's raining? If so then my other alternative is a black jersey knee length dress which actually takes up a bit more room... and reads a bit more dressy. Dilemma.
3. Third pair of shoes!
I'll be wearing tall flat boots on the plane and packing black flat super walkable booties. I want to bring one other pair of shoes, for rotating purposes. I'm stuck here. I don't want to waste space for heels I may only wear once or twice, so it needs to be flat pair. I am debating between: 1) cognac monk straps; 2) metallic loafers; 3) Trouve pointy toed slip ons. #1 I can wear with or without socks but without socks I can't walk in them all day because blisters. #2 I can wear with or without socks and can walk all day. # 3 seem to be without socks only (would just look goofy with socks) but also seem so far to be the most walkable. Alternatively, I could bring #4, black Naot sneakers which aren't all that fashion forward but if my feet get sore, I'll be so thankful I brought them along. Oooh dilemma!
4. Tops!
I've pared down to just two cardigans, but it's the under layer tops I'm stressing over. How many long sleeve, how many short sleeve?
5. Bottoms!
Black 5-pocket ponte knits are a given. Can wash out & dry overnight. My travel-go to. Will also bring skirted leggings + fleece leggings to layer as needed. Question is about jeans. Debating between dark wash AG skinnies OR R&B printed sweatpant jeans. The AG's are dressier but the way I look at it, the black ponte knits can play exact same role, so maybe the R&B's are just more interesting? Alternatively I could pack a wild card like white & black windowpane BR Sloans -- just not sure they go with enough stuff.
6. How many scarves?
I tend to go overboard on this one. Most of what I'm packing is black, grey, white, so I need interest or I'll get bored. Definitely bringing light blue scarf. I could go crazy and pack 5 scarves, but they take up as much room as tops, so do I pack more tops and less scarves, or the other way around?
7. Hat!
So if I take the black wool trench, and / or the stone classic trench ... do I bring the grey hat or the white one?
For bag I'm bringing white R. Minkoff leather backpack, and if room, I may bring cognac clutch, but I fully expect to be using the white backpack 90% of the time.
