Two weeks ago I flew back to the Netherlands to see my Dad and this is what I packed. I do the same trip every few months and have prepping for it down to a fine art. It takes me half an hour to decide what to bring after I’ve studied the weather forecast and finalized which pairs of shoes make the cut. I keep things simple by creating a daily outfit formula, and slotting my current favourite wardrobe items into the formula.

The weather was a wet and windy 2 to 11 degrees Celsius (35 to 51 degrees Fahrenheit). The wind and damp make it feel colder than sunny, still and dry weather at the same temperature, especially when you’re on foot and taking public transport.

I opted for the following practical outfit formula to wear each day:

Trendy Jeans + Fun Pullover + Coat/Jacket + Comfy Shoes + Bright Bag + Scarf/Hat/Umbrella

A few things upfront before I delve into the details:

• I visited family, saw dear friend Inge, did errands, organized, shopped, ate out, and went to appointments. I hung out with my Dad in his home town of Velp, with daily trips to nearby Arnhem (a 15-minute bus ride). These very quaint and local towns are on the east side of the Netherlands and close to the German border. They are about an hour and a half away from Amsterdam.
• I kept my outfits on the dressier side of casual because that’s true to my style.
• I put a suitcase in the hold because I like to have more dressing options than a carry-on can accommodate. I also bring back presents for family, and do some shopping, which requires extra space.
• I did not do laundry on the trip.
• I can keep white and cream wardrobe items clean, and have been travelling with them for years. It’s a complete non-issue.
• The capsule excludes the outfit that I wore on both non-stop ten-hour flights. It’s the same outfit, and I’ve shown the components at the end of this post.

Palette

I crave a change in colour more than a change in silhouette from day to day. This is why the palette of my capsule is colour-rich, yet the items create the same daily uniform. I kept things neutral with blue jeans, an animal print coat and navy puffer, but went to town with brights and stripes in the tops and accessories. White footwear makes my outfits crisp, bookends my hair, and adds a bright touch to my look. There was zero black in the palette. The darks that you see are navy and ink blue.

Most of the components can be mixed and matched with each other because I like to pattern mix and wear several brights together. That said, I ensured I could wear neutral from head to toe when the mood struck me. I could also choose a dressier outfit or a more casual one.

Footwear

I build a travel capsule around my shoes because it’s extremely important to have happy feet when you’re walking around a city and using public transport. Once I knew which ultra comfortable shoes I was taking, I planned the rest of the outfits to work with them. Both pairs of shoes are tried and tested 20,000-step city shoes.

I chose my new white boots because white or cream footwear is signature to my style. I chose cream hi-top sneakers because their fleece lining is very warm, and the grippy soles are good in grotty weather. They are my most comfortable shoes of all time. I wore the shoes with socks or knee-highs to keep warm. I wore the sneakers a little more often than the boots because of the rain.

Bottoms

I brought three pairs of trendy jeans so that my outfits looked fashionable and a little unique amidst a sea of Modern Classic skinnies. I wore the glitzy Simkhai Cig and GRLFRND Carpenter jeans the most because they’re dressier than the light-wash Levi’s Wedgies. Dark-wash jeans made the casual cashmere hoodie and navy puffer feel dressier too. My Dad adored the gold hardware on the Simkhai’s so I wore those the most. Who knew he liked glitz! All bottoms worked equally well with boots and sneakers.

Tops

I packed seven warm pullovers for eight days which was more than I needed. But I wanted the festive variety, so why not. I stuck to fine gauge knits because it’s easier to pack, but had ample variety in colour, solid, pattern and silhouette. Cropped, hoodie, classic, vented, lantern-sleeved, neck tie, and turtleneck. Each pullover worked well with either bottom. I was toasty warm with a camisole layered underneath.

Outerwear

I get bored wearing the same outerwear for eight days straight so I brought a dressier coat, and a short Sporty puffer. I chose my animal print coat because it’s on-trend, and a short puffer because it’s practical and warm. They worked well over every top, and with either pair of jeans or shoes. I wore each topper equally  and was happy to have two to choose from.

Accessories

I packed many accessories because they change up my look, create a maximal vibe, keep me warm, and don’t take up space. I chose two scarves – one patterned, one solid – that can work across any of the outfits in the capsule because I like bold colour combinations, and enjoy pattern mixing. The orange scarf creates a twinset effect with the orange pullover. I chose a watermelon crossbody because it’s matchy-matchy with my new watermelon specs, and easy for travel. It’s a dressy Furla because casual bags are not my thing, and I like the way they amp up a pair of jeans and sneakers. A cream beret was essential for walking in the cold morning and night. I wore my pearl necklace with every pullover except the striped turtleneck. I wore my pearl wedding ring, bracelets and specs daily. I added a pair of statement socks to outfits when the colour perfectly matched my pullovers. I took along sunnies and gloves, but didn’t wear them.

I also packed an umbrella and cashmere wrap. I’ve left the wrap out of the capsule because it was not styled into these outfits. It’s loungewear and a cosy blanket and scarf for plane travel only.

Travel Outfit

This is the exact outfit that I wore on the flight out to Amsterdam, and the flight back to Seattle eight days later. It follows my strategy for what to wear on long flights. Layers, fabrics with stretch, fluid fits, and soft textures are cosy, comfortable and insulating for plane travel. A jacket, scarf and dressy bag make my casual outfit look pulled together and polished. Comfortable shoes are essential when traipsing through airports and catching public transport with luggage. The toffee flares, cream top, wrap and denim jacket that I wore on both flights did not get worn during my trip, which is why they’ve been excluded from the travel capsule.

You can visit the collection page to see my travel capsule in its entirety. It ticked off all the boxes and worked very well. I posted photos of some of the outfits on our forum along the way:

• A dressier look for appointment day
• A very casual look
• Mega brights

The picture above shows the items just before I started packing. After giving his paw of approval, mini in-house Fashion Stylist Sam was bored and wanted to play.

Metallic boots are a great way to jazz up an outfit, especially for the holidays, when you have grey, or salt & pepper hair to bookend the look, or when your wardrobe is neutrally-rich. Metallic boots add shine, which is festive, eye-catching and unique. Silver boots are especially popular because they’re less bright and gaudy than most gold boots. Pewter boots straddle the line between silver and gold and are another way to go.

Silver boots come in all sorts. Heeled, flat, matte, extra shiny, dressy, casual, minimal, maximal, high shaft, low shaft, so take your pick.

Here are four outfit formulas that incorporate silver boots in easy ways. Note that none of the models have silver or salt & pepper hair to bookend the look, but that would add something extra to the look.

1. Skinnies, Black Top & Silver Boots

Combine a pair of dressier blue skinny or straight leg jeans with a festive top and silver boots. The top needn’t be black, but that might be what you have on hand. Finish off the outfit with a silver bag to match the boots, or another bag that works with the palette. Silver jewellery picks up the silver of the boots.

2. Flares & Silver Boots

Pointy toe heeled boots or pumps are a classic worn under flared jeans and pants. The combination is dressy, streamlining and elongating. Here the model is wearing a black top with waist definition, but a colour or pattern works just as well – as will a fluid fit. The eyelet detailing of the top does effectively pick up the silver of the boots. Adding silver jewellery will do that too. Personally, I find the jeans here two inches short, but that’s subjective.

3. Flared Midi, Fluid Top & Silver Boots

A soft flared midi skirt worn with a fluid, untucked welted top is a comfortable and modern combination. The pairing can shorten the leg line so in this case heeled boots are a good bet. The silver boots are low contrast to the model’s skin tone which further elongates the leg line. The silver complements the white in the pattern of the skirt, which pulls the outfit together.

4. Column of Black & Silver Boots

If you wear a lot of black, breaking up the head-to-toe column with silver boots is extremely effective. The same can be done with a column of navy, ink blue, red, grey or a pattern. Here, the black trim of the boots complements the black of the outfit. Although this is a skirted look, adding silver boots to black pants and top is as fabulous. Just about any colour or patterned handbag would work here.

I prefer warm metals so it’s gold boots for me. I have a flat smart casual pair that I bought last year that became instant workhorses. I wear them day to day instead of on occasions because I like glitz and shiny things. I often complemented them with a matching gold belt. But now that I’m off wearing belts with high rises and exposed butterfly jeans, we’ll see what happens. My gold boots are great to travel with because they’re very comfy and go the distance. I wear them in the Winter and Spring when I feel like more of a party on my feet. They are particularly good with white jeans. The metallic leather scuffs quite easily, but not too bad. I’m an urban walker and don’t let my shoes boss me around.

I can’t rave enough about these hi-top sneakers from Converse because they are EXTREMELY comfortable and very warm. They’re leather, so they look more polished than the canvas options. Their white soles and toe boxes are iconic, Modern Retro, and add a crisp and prettier touch to the sneaker. They create a tailored fit on the foot despite the size of your ankles, because you can manipulate the width with the laces.

They look streamlined and hip, and work well with cropped pants and jeans. I’ve also worn them with midi dresses and hosiery. They are sufficiently roomy for wider feet, and will accommodate an orthotic if you go up half a size. They run true to size, and work well with socks and knee-highs.

The best part about these hi-tops is their fleece linings, which are super soft and keep your feet toasty warm. The leather is weatherproof, and the soles are grippy and stable on frozen sidewalks.

I was walking around in below freezing temperatures with ice and snow in Salt Lake City for two weeks last month, and these hi-tops are the bomb. I take them along when I see my Dad in the Netherlands in colder weather, and they’re fabulous in the Seattle rain too. Simply wipe them down to keep them clean, or use Oxi Clean on the soles.

I have three pairs of these Winter hi-tops and I’m not opposed to getting more, because they have become a wardrobe essential. I got the black pair about a year and half ago, loved them and got the off-white pair a few months later. This year I bought the cream pair with a watermelon stripe, which work well with a watermelon Furla and new watermelon specs. All three pairs are workhorses, and the most comfortable shoes in my wardrobe. These are 20,000 step city shoes.

There are more variations in colour and style as seen in this collection. Remember that the hi-tops are leather and have fleece linings, and that’s what makes them special and a cut above regular Converse hi-tops. None of the styles have side zippers for easy access, so you have to tie and untie the laces every time. But the most recent pair I got has a hiking boot hook feature at the ankle, making pulling them on and off a little easier and faster.

My favourite sneakers of all time.

Dresses are generally hard to fit, and sweater dresses can be the hardest of all. Too short, tight, itchy, lightweight, shapeless, or just all-round unflattering. That said, when you find a sweater dress that works, it’s the best Winter dress because it’s warm, cosy and versatile. Dress it up or down, layer it with hosiery and toppers, and combine it with any style of boots. 

Sweater dresses come in many variations. Short, long, body-con, fluid, A-line, solid, patterned, casual, dressy, sporty, retro, chunky, fine gauge, and belted. Take your pick.

In 2008 I wrote a post on how to find a flattering sweater dress and the guidelines are just as relevant ten years later. I’ve changed my preference for my perfect length though. A decade ago, I liked my sweater dresses just above the knee, and now I like them just below the knee.

I’ve had many sweater dresses over the years and loved them all. They became instant workhorses because you can throw them on with fun hosiery, boots, a topper, scarf, bag, and not feel cold in the dead of Winter. They are a fabulous change to jeans and pants. If only it weren’t so hard to find a perfect fit. I currently have one midi sweater dress from last season and I am constantly on the lookout for more. My challenges are insufficient length, a fit that’s too body-con, a neckline that’s too wide, bad quality, or flimsy fabric. Or I find a fabulous fit and great quality but it’s in a colour I don’t like, or at a price I don’t want to pay.

These sweater dress guidelines aren’t flop proof, but they might help get you on your way.

1. Embrace a Fluid or Oversized Fit

Surrender the waist with a very straight cut, or avant-garde and arty silhouette that drapes over lumps, bumps and extra bits in an architectural way if body-con fits are not your thing. This type of gently fluid or very voluminous cut can work on any body type when there is just enough structure in the outfit. My olive sweater turtleneck sweater dress is fluid and straight through the body, hugs my hips and bottom a little, and tapers at the hem for structure.

2. Consider an Empire Cut

The baby doll style is an extra roomy option on the bottom, making it a forgiving A-line silhouette. Good for apple shapes, pear shapes, and even straighter figures who crave ample movement. A larger bust needs a lower neckline in this style, and the empire cut should not cut across the bust.

3. Find a Fit & Flare

If you’re curvy or very curvy and prefer to define the waist, silhouettes that are belted or fitted on the torso create that type of structure. The flared bottom creates movement and camouflages hip and thigh extra bits you don’t feel comfortable showcasing. You can also add a wide belt to a fluid fit dress to define the waist.

4. Choose Heavier Knits

This does not necessarily mean “chunky knit” because fine gauge knits can be substantial (like the knit of my olive sweater dress). Knits with weight smooth over the contour of the body instead of grabbing onto curves in an unflattering way. Chunky knit sweater dresses with a fluid fit can also be a lot more flattering than you think.

5. Get the Length Right

Sweater dresses can’t be hemmed, which means that the length has to be perfect upon purchase. I like them just below the knees these days, or a little longer. But many of my clients prefer them on the knee, or just above the knee if the fits are voluminous and the knit is chunky. Some will wear them a whole lot shorter with very tall boots and opaques.

6. Complete the Outfit

Make sure you try a potential sweater dress with the right support act before you say no thank you. The right shoes and hosiery can make the difference. And remember that shapewear is a lot more comfortable than it used to be.

7. Block the Dress Back to Size

Sweater dresses can lose their perfect shape and fit after laundering. This is usually an easy fix with the steam iron that presses out wrinkles, and blocks the areas back to the right shape.

And last, you can wear a knee-length sweater dress over cropped flares, cropped straights, culottes, bootcuts, leggings and skinnies if you like. I LOVE this outfit, although I’d wear flat white booties and a white bag. For this look, I would get a knee-length sweater dress instead of a knee-covering one.