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My Australia Travel Capsule for a 2 month trip - Please advise

ElleH

Veteran

This is my first pinterest board. I'm not sure how to put the clothes together with each other. Maybe I should try polyvore next time.

I will be in varying climates, from very hot to what I call cold but not freezing. I will be going to some dressy events & driving down the east coast going to beaches.

What are your comments? What do I need? What should I leave? Do I have enough? Should I try to buy white jeans or will they get dirty too easily & stand out too much? I think wearing the same clothes over & over one needs to have them be less obvious right? Like blue jeans would be better.

https://pinterest.com/lovleale.....australia/

Dressing

17 replies

Latest reply was from bj1111

Raisin

Veteran

My suggestion is maybe just take 1 purse instead of 3. They are all quite similar anyway. I think you could likely eliminate a pair of shoes or 2 as well.

Anonymous

I was thinking too many purses too. How about a denim skirt, can dress it up or down.

ElleH

Veteran

Hi RunnerRae, the dragonfly purse is huge for carrying a jacket & water etc., & the one with silver is tiny & converts to a clutch for evening or when huge isn't necessary I can use the strap crossbody as well. The tote is waterproof & folds up to be stashed until needed & can be used at the beach where I wouldn't want to damage my leather one. Do you still think I need to eliminate one or more of them? Thanks:) Which shoes would you eliminate?

Lyn D.

Veteran

Hi Elle, I will come back and comment on this one again before your trip.
If you are travelling here soon, I would not take the long boots. They will be too warm, and probably take-up quite a bit of space in your luggage.
I would also steer clear of white jeans for practicality purposes.

ElleH

Veteran

Lyn I would wear them on the plane. Don't you think it gets cold in Melbourne sometimes, even in Summer? I wear them in LA in Summer & I take them traveling for comfort because I can't find comfy ballet flats. I think it's due to having wide feet. I could take a flat bootie but the one I have is suede. Then I won't have any wet weather shoes. If I could find a comfy ballet flat I could eliminate the converse but they double as a sneaker in case of hiking or working out. I'm not sure i would do much of either though.

Also I would wear them with leggings & tube skirt because leggings are cropped so booties are too short. I don't like my suede booties with longer leggings, they are fringe Minnetonka & I look like Robin Hood.

Lyn D.

Veteran

Elle, not really cold enough for long boots, for me anyway.
The converse would be an essential. Do you have a comfy. loafer style shoe that would suit?

Ginkgo

Veteran

I don't think you need the tall boots either. As I recall, Melbourne is blazingly hot in summer, similar to Sacramento-type heat. And then you've got the humidity in Queensland so make sure your tops are all cotton; ten years ago most of the tops for sale were polyester blend so I bought cotton on my trips back to Califiornia. Of course now we're getting more poly clothing here.

ElleH

Veteran

I've checked the weather & there will be rain in Melbourne & Ballarat so I don't know what else to wear on my feet when it is wet. I don't wear loafers or oxfords. I really need a flat leather bootie. I have a low heeled red one that is kinda comfy but needs more wearing in but I normally wouldn't wear them in rain. I treated them with rain & stain repellant & the slightest drops of water still showed on them.

bj1111

Veteran

a few comments for now...i want to go back and mull over your options.

for two months, i would bring the longchamp and the coach. honestly though, the coach bag seems too fussy and not summery. the dragonfly seems too boho, but the outfit items do not read that way. so take the longchamp and bring a colored/colorful small purse for fun. or buy another longchamp a color that spans seasons, but is good for summer.

re shoes, do you need the boots? or the booties? i like the idea of booties but i would bring open toed or airier styles to convey summer--even in melbourne. closed toe flats that bridge the canvas mary jane and the bootie.

that's it for now. will circle back.

ElleH

Veteran

BJ I am boho but I guess it looks like my clothes are getting less so. Does that mean I should return the bag? I wonder. It is new. I like crossbody bags & need large ones when I travel. I am bringing black bags because they wont get denim transfer on them like my lighter ones & my only other large bags are beige or red. I guess I could use the longchamp when I need a large purse but I feel it is too casual & not crossbody. The red would look good. It's not as large. I will add pic & see what you think. The maryjanes are leather but they aren't stylish really. But then wouldn't I need a sneaker for something? I am bringing a sandal but boots are more me. I feel that even shorts look better with boots. Can anyone suggest some closed toe flats that are me?

I also hope to go to the "Big Day Out" summer music festival. It will be hot but also my feet need to be safe from trampling. At Coachella & other festivals here women wear boots with shorts.

Also there is rain expected for Melbourne & lows in the 40s & highs in the 60s. I don't know what some of you consider to be cold but that is cold to me. I will also be in hot weather, which is why I am bringing sandals.

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ElleH

Veteran

I wonder if Angie would take a boot. She runs cold too and she's not a super light packer.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Elle, I don't have any real suggestions for you except to say that if I'm seeing everything you intend to take this looks unbelievably economical (I mean in terms of amount of items) and for myself, I would start to crave colour in a serious way. Especially in summer weather. But perhaps that is not an issue for you.

Have you made up outfits of these items and tried them on AS outfits? That can really be helpful towards getting the gaps worked out. It does depend how often you will be able to do laundry, too, of course.

ElleH

Veteran

Suz I agree about color. I am trying to have things that work together. I will have a printed top that I couldn't find online to pin but I do need more. I wanted to start with basics & then found that I probably have enough stuff. Not enough in terms of how many clothes I would like to have but in terms of what all the online travel guides say to take. Some here have even suggested I take less shoes & bags. I wanted to take more white as it is a Summer neutral, but that is impractical. I could just shop down there I suppose, as long as allow enough room in my luggage. I remember clothes being much more expensive there though.

carolbee

Veteran

I have lurked on this site for a long time (and love it, you are all such stylish and friendly ladies) but I had to join to comment on this question. I haven't been able to access your pininterest board, however as a long time devotee of carry-on luggage only I have pondered the footwear question a lot. For a trip to the east coast (I live near Perth) I would wear black trainers on the flight and pack 2 other, a pair of "lite" mary janes (mine are from Arcopedico - brilliant) and a pair of thongs. This is my footwear "capsule" for virtually all travel except if actually doing heavier hiking where I substitute hiking boots for the trainers. Black trainers can be worn virtually anywhere with no-one really noticing and if I need dressier then the mary janes are suitable. The only time this will not work is for a really dressy occasion (which I basically never go to). The trainers should cover the situation if its raining or simply being in Ballarat - which is always freezing!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

If you're trying to get it all in a carry on (2 MONTHS in a carry on????) then sure, fewer footwear options and/ or bags.

But I will say this: I took FIVE pairs of shoes/ boots when I went away for 4 weeks to China & Vancouver. And I did not regret that for one minute.

I know, I know....we are always advised to do with fewer shoes. But I was going to be engaged in multiple different activities, in wildly varying weather conditions, and I was walking a LOT and changes of footwear can be as good as a rest.

I also took a lot more clothes than this. I was able to do laundry a couple of times and did some hand washes in between. But I needed more than this. I only brought one handbag, though. Plus a backpack for hiking.

I posted a list of what I brought on one of my threads. It fit into one regular suitcase, not carry on. If it had been a summer weather only trip I could probably have managed with a carry on size bag alone, but not for a trip that included late autumn weather.

ElleH

Veteran

Suz I don't plan to get it all in a carry on. I'm allowed 2 X 50 pound bags plus a carry on but I'm just trying to see if I can take only 1 50 pound bag. I also want to take a nutribullet so I can stay on my green smoothies, an iPad & a couple of gifts. To avoid being without anything I used to overpack with my old 29" suitcase when each case was allowed to be up to 70 pounds & my new case is only a 24" because I read that a 27" would go over 50 pounds so I guess I am just not used to this new light packing thing & am reading up others capsules & advice & getting overwhelmed. I laid everything on the bed yesterday but then put it away so I could sleep in it & had to create a pinterest account to show everyone, because I thought it would be easier than laying it out again, sigh...

I probably should have been doing other stuff. I found on NY trips I needed a large cross body bag so I am taking that one. I will also need a clutch for going out & figured that the one that I have with a removable strap is more practical. The nylon fold up tote is a waterproof handy travel bag. It can be used for the beach, shopping trips, extra carry on as it counts as a personal item. I think it is also useful. I also think I will need various footwear for different climates & activities.

All the advice says to pick 2 neutrals & 2 colours that go with each other. Also white is advised against but I have a little in there. I don't think my colours need to match because I don't have coloured bottoms or jackets so I think I can have any coloured tops I want & ignore that advice.

I had hoped for lighter bags but with dark blue jeans that is a mistake. I could take white jeans instead of blue & then a blue denim jacket instead of white but white jeans are too noticeable if I wear them a lot. Maybe that doesn't matter. I haven't got any but thought I could get some. Then I could take a beige large bag. I don't think beige really looks good with grey though. My red bag isn't as big so I guess it is back to the black one.

I will have to do laundry as I'm going for so long but I hope to at least have choices. Given that I am from there the clothes will be what I would normally wear, not sightseeing clothes & footwear. I am doing a little sightseeing but due to time constraints it will be mostly from a car driving down the coast, with only restaurants, friends & beaches along the way.

bj1111

Veteran

i wouln't worry if people think you are duplicating outfits. i would go with the white jeans subbed for one of your dark jeans. i know you like crossbody bags so bring the dragonfly. i still think the longchamp is more versatile and easier to dress up (at least to smart casual). but this is my personal preference...i have 3 so am biased!

will play with your pinterest some more!