Help me pack for trip to San Fran - YouLookFab Forum

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Help me pack for trip to San Fran

shiny

Veteran

So sorry I couldn't make it to the YLF Boston Meetup; my FIL, who fell ill earlier in the month, passed away and his funeral was Saturday. It's been a long exhausting month, and now I've come down with a nasty head cold on top of it all. However, life goes on and I have to pack for another trip -- I leave Thursday for a week in San Fran. This trip will be combined business/pleasure. DH is coming along for this one. We both need the getaway to rest/recuperate.

I'm having trouble formulating a packing list, mostly because I'm pretty sick right now. And could use your help -- suggestions, inspirations. To nudge the process along.

Thursday through Sunday will be vacation time. Monday the work part of the trip begins, and is kicked off with a Napa wine tour with my team. I have no clue what to wear for this! The rest of the time is business casual for a conference; I think I know what to pack for that part.

For topper, I'm bringing my new Burberry. It arrived back from the tailor on Friday, just in time for the funeral.

I don't need to fit it all in a carryon since DH will be with me and can help me with luggage.

No time to shop for anything new.

Suggestions?

Dressing

28 replies

Latest reply was from Petite Marj

Suz

(website)

Veteran

We missed you, Shiny! I am so sorry you could not make it.

I don't have San Fran suggestions since I don't really know the weather there, but I hope our CA members will pop in!

shiny

Veteran

This may be helpful -

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....l-finished

See the slide with current Spring working wardrobe. But I need to narrow it down - which shoes, which handbag, etc.

shiny

Veteran

Thanks Suz, I've been to San Fran a few times and recall that it tends to feel a lot cooler than the forecast suggests. So I'm banking on that, although I have no clue if Napa is warmer than the city. Also I know I'll need comfortable walking shoes. As for the part of the trip where I'll be stuck in a conference center all day long, I figure I need to dress warmly for AC.

abc

Veteran

A Napa tour as part of work? You are lucky lady!

I remember your Burberry posts, so that jacket will be super for the trip.

How many pairs of shoes do you normally like to take along? I know that can drive a lot of the decisions on what to pack. I try to keep it to a couple of pairs myself. Also, can some of the shoes do double-duty -- weekend AND work? Or will you have distinct shoes/outfits for each?

Good luck, I hope you recover (physically and spiritually) soon. How nice DH can join you on the trip. Having that to look forward to should help if nothing else.

ETA: I think you are right about feeling cooler. I've only been to SF a few times but I think it is a lot like the climate where I live. Layers are your friend, especially since you might be in and out of A/C as well. Good luck.

Diana

Veteran

The city itself may be very cold. It's often foggy and a little damp, esp in the mornings, so it can feel colder. Also can get quite windy, especially up on the hills! (Lesson learned: don't wear flippy dresses.) But outside of the city (both Napa and Silicon Valley, if you're going there at all) can quite often be quite a bit hotter. Layers are your friend! And I think the trench is a good call. I usually bring one (or a leather jacket that doesn't mind getting a few rain sprinkles on it) when I go to SF. You need something that will cut wind and damp.

Shoes: if you're walking at all in the city, forget about heels. Some of those hills are REALLY steep. Also make sure your shoes stay securely on your feet. No mules (try walking up a 40 degree incline in those one day...)

I hope you enjoy your trip and are able to relax a bit. Wine tasting sounds like a fun work trip!

We missed you in Boston!

JAileen

Veteran

I'm not familiar with your wardrobe, but I grew up in the Bay Area. The main thing is the micro climates, and daytime highs can vary wildly, from the 50s to nearly 90, depending on whether you're near the water or inland, such as Napa. You will need layers. If you are in the City, along the ocean, it could be windy and foggy, and you could freeze, especially at night. In Napa, during the day it could be pretty warm.

pil

Veteran

I'm sorry about your father in law, Shiny, and hope the vacation part of your trip will help you wind down from the stress. You were missed at the meet up.

shiny

Veteran

For the Napa tour, could I wear white jeans (rolled) with 3/4 sleeve AT mixed media knit top? It is this one
http://www.anntaylor.com/woven.....038;catid=

Except that it's navy with beige trim on the scoop neck and the back ... (funny story, I ordered it in black & white but got navy/beige instead... which is not even offered online anywhere. Not sure why that is!)

For shoes I could wear the SW Chanel-like ballet flats or the gold metallic flats? Or would nude sandals work? Only problem is that proportionately this top, since it's tunic-length, seems to beg for heels rather than flats... hmmm.

Alternatively I have a fun print maxi dress (that screams California) but it looks like we're going from the tour directly to the conference kickoff with no time to change, so I think it may be too casual for that part.

MsMary

Veteran

We talked about this a couple of weeks ago: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....-francisco

Hope it helps!

shiny

Veteran

Abc - regarding shoes, it depends on whether I take my carry on or larger suitcase, but also I am thinking that I will take only those shoes that are tried-and-true. I have added some new shoes which have yet to be tested, and I suspect it's probably a bad idea to test them out on this trip.

Tried & true heels include:

1. Any of the booties (black, blue suede, leopard print)
2. Red patent ankle-strap Aerosole wedges
3. Snake skin strappy heels
4. Nude ankle-strap Campers
5. Nine west giraffe calf hair pointy toe pumps

**I'm leaning towards #1 (black), #2, and #4 as they are probably most versatile.**

Tried & true flats include:

1. Snake skin booties
2. SW chanel-like ballet flats (nude & black)
3. Gold metallic Me-too ballet flats
4. Cream lace up sneakers (but these work best with peds and I don't have any right now that work)

**I'm leaning towards #1 and #2, and #3 if I have room**

I always throw in a pair of J crew thong sandals just in case I have any foot troubles /blisters/ swelling (learned the hard way).

abc

Veteran

Go tried and true. I've learned the hard way that vacation is NO time to be trying out new shoes. You need comfy, especially since you will be walking, and as Diana so smartly mentioned, you need not only walkable shoes, but walkable shoes with steep hills involved. I am assuming you are thinking the heels only for the work portion of the trip? Or maybe that is just me, the older I get the less I can do heels for long periods of time while walking. Oh to be back in my 20s again, haha.

ETA: for sure nude campers ... nude is great, campers are super...

shiny

Veteran

Abc, yes the heels are for the conference days. If it's seasonally appropriate for April /San Fran to wear black booties with black dress pants and a silk button down top, with jacket and/or cardigan, that would be ideal and I can simply pack one pair of heels and call it a day. I can stand and walk all day --indoors-- in the booties, particularly because I can wear socks with them.

As for walking around on hills, the snakeskin booties are ideal, again because I can wear light weight socks under them for blister-free foot bliss. They are new but I've been wearing them a lot lately, so they are tried & true. The only problem is that they are quite a statement so I have to create outfits around them.

Elle

Veteran

I live in SF and the weather is incredibly variable depending on the time of day and location in the city. Nights are generally in the 50s and days are in the 60s to the occasional low 70s. So bring layers and a jacket and be prepared to take things on and off (so a tote is handy). Yesterday, I was in shirt sleeves at 1pm and a down vest at night. If your conference is downtown, you may get some wind. At this time of year, it is unlikely to rain. And, as you already know, comfortable shoes are essential

I'm not sure where in the Napa valley you are going, but winery tours don't generally require dressy clothes. White pants may not be a good idea since some places have rustic benches to sit on, gardens and grape fields to walk in and you will probably be drinking red wine. The weather will probably 10 degrees warmer than in SF but check the forecast.

I am sure you will have a good time. My condolences to your family on your loss.

MsMary

Veteran

Oh, and also? My best tip for getting around San Francisco is to sign up for http://www.uber.com. It's a car service that works through an app on your smart phone. Quick, slightly cheaper than a regular cab, no tipping. We used it constantly and just loved it. If you are interested and want to PM me, I can text or email you a link that will get both of us a credit on our account.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Shiny, sorry to hear about your FIL's passing.

It's been intermittently warm here in the Bay Area - the city itself will probably be cool (50s-60s during the day) most of the time, although you might get the odd hot day or two depending on which neighborhood you're in and how the wind is. Napa should be warmer than SF - probably in the mid-70s this week. I agree with Elle that practical shoes and washable pants are best for the winery tour - I would go smart casual or business casual with flats, since it's with your coworkers. Some 'tours' are more like "hey, here's a row of grapevines, yay, now let's go hang out in the tasting room" and some are more of the actual looking around the property, it just depends. I think the rain is pretty much over for the year - we've had some late (for us) storms in the last couple weeks but I don't see any more rain in the forecast. (That doesn't mean you won't get fog and damp in the city at night, though.)

I think your Burberry sounds perfect, and the conference outfit sounds totally appropriate as well.

Inge

(website)

I've nothing new to add with all the excellent advice above, but I wanted to say that I'm very sorry about your FIL, Shiny. My condolences to the entire family on your loss.

rachylou

Veteran

Napa is warmer, and in general it's been warming up. Downright hot yesterday, even near midnight (but one should always be prepared for things to get chillly, true). I'd wear booties or flats for Napa - I'd suggest sneakers, but you'll be on business right?

MsMary

Veteran

Oh, and you must go here for breakfast: http://www.yelp.com/biz/dottie.....-francisco. You will have to wait in line but it will be super super worth it!

shiny

Veteran

Hmm, good point about the white denim + rustic benches etc. I could wear darker denim but I wonder if they'll be too hot. Boyfriend jeans might work (looser + rollable works well in heat) but they won't be appropriate for the conference later. White denim would strike just the right note for both and transition well -- unless of course I get them all dirty or pour red wine all over them. Hmm, what to do?

cciele

Veteran

My condolences, Shiny.

Good advice from everyone. I want to reiterate Layers and walking shoes

Like Laura says, I think we are done for the rain, so I don't anticipate any rain on your trip. We are in the midst of a warming trend, but I think tomorrow is the peak, so you'll see cooler weather in Napa next week (low-70s). Dark denim should work, I would think.

MsMary

Veteran

My sister in law wore white denim on our SF trip and lived to tell the tale.

magpie

Skip the white denim and sandals for the winery tour -- besides the dirty benches and risk of wine spills, you may be walking in dirt. I'd also stay away from nude shoes because of both vineyard and city dirt. (For the conference, I think your instincts to go for 1, 2 and 4 in your heels list are spot on.)

As for what to wear on the rest of you for Napa, it doesn't get the fog and damp during the day as much as SF proper does, and it's usually 10 or 20 degrees warmer. Denim may be too heavy for the weather in Napa, but lighter-weight (yet still business-appropriate) cotton pants or a dress would be good. Business dress is much more casual here in the Bay Area than on the East Coast, so dress with an eye to what your coworkers would consider appropriate on a business trip; by local norms, you'll probably be fine in whatever you wear.

We're out of the rainy season for the most part, so don't waste a lot of suitcase space on rain gear -- maybe an umbrella or a lightweight rain slicker at most. If you're a cardi person, bring a couple. And a business tote that's big enough to hold your laptop and a warm outer layer will be indispensible, so you can ditch that outer layer midday but still have it with you to pull on in the morning and evening.

mrseccentric

(website)

Veteran

hello Shiney, i am so sorry that your family has lost your father in law. I am happy that we're having really nice weather here for your trip

My mom lives in the city of Napa, she and my husband both have Extensive wine cellars. I'd suggest you just send a little e-mail to the customer service people at the winery you'll be touring and ask about appropriate footwear. Wineries are super big on providing a really nice experience for people and they will be happy to answer your questions. I've never been on a tour where you couldn't reasonably wear heeled pumps, but there's a lot of variety out there. I'm curious what winery you'll be touring!

I'd go with the white denim, from the style, business appropriateness, and location appropriateness perspective. Also, it tends to get HOT up here - even this early, my bonus ma was playing pee wee gold today up in Fairfield and really feeling the heat. So if you're standing outside, or lounging on a patio, it could get to you especially in mid-day. If you are sensitive to the sun, be sure to take a layer you can use to cover up if you want to. And i'd dress more for your business associates, as you've indicated, you run into all types wine tasting but you're not likely to see any of them again.

I hope you are able to enjoy yourself out here. It's really beautiful, i know i'm biased (born in Fresno of CA stock), but still. Take care, and let us know how it goes! steph

DonnaF

Veteran

For Napa & SF, google the 10-day weather forecast, and it's even better if you can google using the zip code due to SF's micro climates. The heat wave should end Wednesday, so I imagine we'll be back to more normal temps and shoe/bootie vs. sandal weather.

JayS

Veteran

I'm sorry about your FIL and hope you are feeling better.

I was in SF and Napa at the end of March. The advice for layers and comfortable shoes are spot on. I bought a packable vest at Uniglo and wore the heck out of it. And Napa is warmer than SF. I saw people wearing everything from casual shorts to nice trousers and top at wine tastings. (Most of the ones we did required advance reservations.) Casual and comfortable seemed to carry the day.

The only thing I would add is to bring a hat. I ended up buying one in Napa. The wine tastings we did included walking outside and many restaurants have outside tables.

Have a lovely trip!

shiny

Veteran

This is great input - thanks!! I also asked my boss today and she said nice jeans and I can't go wrong. I have been so incredibly busy and will be tomorrow too. I haven't even started to pack, except in my head, in spare moments. Tomorrow will be litmus test for all my prior capsule planning, as I will be packing in 11th hour before bedtime; and flight leaves early the next morning. I think I have a plan for what to toss into the bag (doing laundry now) -- but the proof will be in the trip!

For napa I am going to pack

AT mixed media navy/beige scoop neck knit tunic
white AND blue denim (will decide on the ground)
nude flat sandals (they're old enough I don't care if they get mucked up)
alternative gold metallic me-too ballet flats (also old & tried & true)

and alternative outfit if it's too hot for jeans -

B&w sleeveless knit AT wrap dress
which can be worn with either shoes
light blue cropped jean jacket for topper

The rest of the trip I think I'm okay and I'm just not going to over-think it too much.... fact is, I don't have time to over-think... so this should be interesting, considering I'm a huge over-thinker!

Anonymous

Shiny, I'm sorry for your loss and hope that this trip will refresh you both.

Petite Marj

Shiny, for the Napa portion of your trip you might want to check out the blog "The Rich Life On a Budget." The blogger lives in the Napa region and her archives are a wonderful resource for anything you might want to know.
Sincere condolences to you and your family...