WHAT TO PACK FOR A EUROPEAN VACATION

All the things you need to pack for European vacation.

Packing for a vacation is hard, no matter where you go (check out my guide for Coachella). It’s been a couple of years since I traveled to Europe, but since I’ve journeyed to that side of the world before, I found it easy to gather up the essentials for my summer trip. It’s super important to bring your lightest items for two reasons.  One:  you’re probably going to get hot since the weather doesn’t go below 80 degrees.  And two, it creates more space to pack new items that you’re probably going to buy from the marketplaces in Europe.

 

 

For this trip, I decided to set a ‘no pants’ rule. I wanted to take things with me that come as one – think dresses, jumpsuits and rompers. This literally goes straight back to my two reasons for bringing your lightest items. When you add pants and shorts to the mix, that counts as double the packing because you’re going to have to match them with tops and blouses. I figured let’s just get rid of the fluff and make it easy with statement pieces that count as one. You’ll look AND feel good with the effortless flow of a jumpsuit or two packing this way.
 

Nothing is more signature than ‘tourist in Europe’ as a great crossbody bag is. And what do I love to shop for most during my travels? Bags. I packed three of my favorites that are interchangeable for all of my outfits, and one beach bag for strolling the shores. Take one unique bag that may have poms and embroidery, and another that’s solid yet statement. If you feel like you’re lacking, no worries. You’ll find some of the coolest pieces during your travels.

Keep it light on the feet, because you’ll log miles more than ever in the cities that are rendered in ancient history. Think slides and strappy sandals. I chose three that would look good with every outfit, and a pair of block wedges for a special night out or two.

 

 

The one thing I pack the most heavy in is my jewelry. So I won’t tell you to pack lightly here. My favorite fashion advice to give is to accessorize, because you can take a bland tee and vamp it up with some sick pieces.  I always have the hardest time rounding up my jewels together.  I went ahead and took my favorite pieces with me. Statement earrings and bold necklaces to add an extra oomph to my outfits. I also brought two of my favorite scarfs with me to channel vintage vibes. These are great to style around your neck, in your hair, on top of a crossbody or with your jewelry for a cool arm party look.

Adding to my love for jewelry, I can’t live without sunglasses. I’m a total junkie for them and have a massive collection at home. Some people try and take just one pair – or even two tops. For me, I limited my number to four or five (hehe). It’s always good to have options… right? Whether they’re spectrum style or vintage cat-eye, I wanted to have all of my most trend-forward with me for my daily looks. 

 

 

 

 

And lastly – makeup. This is the easiest part. We all know that our makeup bags can come out to be a solid 5 pounds.  So carefully pick out your must-haves. I always feel more beautiful with a European tan, so I kept it light in this department. I collected a few of my favorite lip shades, some light  bronzer, colored eyeliner (think blues and greens) my go-to blush and a highlighter palette with four different shades for variety. This kept my cosmetics case light and me as a traveling tourist that still wants to look good so satisfied.