The Art of Packing Light(ish)

How to Go on Vacation Without Bringing Your Entire Closet

There are two kinds of people in this world.

People who pack lightly.

And people who pack six pairs of shoes for a four-day trip because you never know.

If you belong to the second group, welcome. You're among friends.

Packing for vacation has a strange way of convincing otherwise reasonable people that they are about to live an entirely different life.

At home, you happily rotate through the same handful of favorite outfits. But the minute a suitcase appears, suddenly you're preparing for beach yoga, a yacht invitation, an elegant dinner, an unexpected cold front and possibly horseback riding.

Let's try something different.

Not minimalist packing exactly.

We're calling it packing light-ish.

Because we're realistic.

Start With the Fantasy Version of Your Vacation

Before putting anything into the suitcase, think about what you're actually going to do.

Not what you might do.

If you're spending five days at a resort, you probably don't need three cocktail dresses, hiking boots and an outfit appropriate for meeting royalty.

Look at your itinerary—or lack of one—and identify the things you're reasonably certain will happen.

Beach.

Dinner.

Exploring.

Pool.

Maybe an excursion.

Now pack for that vacation.

This one little step eliminates approximately 40% of the clothing you're currently considering throwing on the bed.

Choose the Dress That Does More Than One Job

Vacation is where a versatile dress earns its keep.

The right one can go sightseeing with flat sandals in the afternoon, then head to dinner with earrings and a different shoe.

No complicated styling.

No second outfit taking up valuable suitcase real estate.

And no standing in a hotel room surrounded by clothing declaring:

“I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR.”

While looking at 17 things you brought specifically to wear.

At Tiger Spirit, we're especially fond of easy dresses for exactly this reason. They're comfortable, feminine and remarkably good at pretending you put much more thought into your outfit than you actually did.

We consider that a valuable life skill.

Pick a Color Story

This sounds much fancier than it is.

Choose a few colors that play nicely together.

Maybe black, cream and a couple of warm tones. Or denim, white and blues. Your exact combination doesn't matter.

What matters is that most tops work with most bottoms and your shoes aren't involved in complicated negotiations with your clothes.

Suddenly, five pieces can make several outfits.

That's called efficiency.

Or fashion mathematics.

We're not sure.

The Shoe Situation Needs an Intervention

Shoes are where good packing intentions go to die.

They take up enormous amounts of space, they're heavy, and somehow we convince ourselves that each pair serves a completely different and essential purpose.

Try three.

One comfortable pair for walking.

One sandal or casual shoe.

One pair that makes you feel fabulous.

If a fourth pair is staring at you from across the room, ask:

What exactly are you bringing to this vacation that the other three cannot?

Make the shoe defend itself.

Wear the Bulky Stuff

Airport fashion has one primary objective:

Do not put the giant thing in the suitcase.

Sneakers? Wear them.

Denim jacket? Wear it.

Sweater? Wear it.

Hat?

This one's complicated.

Wear it confidently through the airport and pretend you're the sort of person who routinely travels in fabulous hats.

Problem solved.

Stop Packing for Your Imaginary Self

This may be the most important rule.

Vacation You is still you.

If you don't wear four-inch heels at home, Caribbean You probably isn't going to start.

If you haven't worn that jumpsuit in two years because getting out of it requires the flexibility of a gymnast, don't bring it.

And if something requires special underwear, fashion tape, complicated straps and another person to zip it…

Think carefully.

Vacation clothes should make life easier.

Jewelry Is Your Secret Weapon

This is where you can have fun without sacrificing half your luggage allowance.

Jewelry takes up almost no room and can completely change an outfit.

A simple dress with sandals during the day can become dinner-ready with statement earrings, a beautiful bracelet or a necklace.

Bring a few pieces you love rather than the entire jewelry box.

Although, as people who make jewelry at Tiger Spirit, we recognize that we may not be entirely impartial on this matter.

Leave Some Empty Space

Do not leave home with a suitcase that requires you to sit on it while someone else operates the zipper.

First, your zipper deserves better.

Second, you know you're going to find something.

A dress from a little boutique.

A handmade piece of jewelry.

Something from a market.

A completely unnecessary but irresistible object that will make perfect sense while you're on vacation.

Leave room for it.

Future You will be grateful.

And Finally: Nobody Is Keeping Score

Nobody at your destination knows you wore that dress two nights ago.

Nobody cares that your sandals appear in six photographs.

And nobody has ever returned from an amazing vacation and said:

"It would have been perfect if only I'd packed another blouse."

Bring things you feel good wearing.

Bring things that work together.

Bring less than your anxiety tells you to.

Then zip the suitcase, walk away from the closet and do not reopen it.

That's where things go wrong.

Your vacation is waiting.

And hopefully, this time, your suitcase closes.

Wherever you go, go beautifully.

— Tiger Spirit