When it comes to mastering the art of the travel wardrobe, it’s no surprise that our favorite fashion insiders also moonlight as packing pros. In My Packing Style, we tap some of the most well-traveled people we know for a peek inside their travel bags and vacation wardrobes to see how they take their style on the road. You’ve bookmarked the trip, you’ve screenshotted the outfits; now, a look at how it all comes together.
“I am not a sweatpants person, but I like to be comfortable,” says Melissa Morris, founder of Métier. “You can still look put together while feeling relaxed!” It’s an ethos that extends to her luxury leather accessories label. Polished structure and rich materials rule—but the pieces are designed to be lived with. There’s the roomy tote that looks its best with a little patina; the blue suede clutch that works as an evening bag, but equally well as an organizer pouch.
If I’m leaving for a trip mid-week, I always pack the Sunday before. I don’t like to pack in a rush, and because my weekdays are usually so packed (no pun intended), I like to know everything is ready to go ahead of time. Packing should be fun, not a chore!
Yes, always; it makes getting dressed on the road so much easier. I also add a few individual pieces that can work with everything. A vintage T-shirt that can take the place of a sleek tank top depending on my mood, for example, or an oversized white shirt that can be worn open as a jacket, on its own for the beach, or with a pair of poplin trousers for the plane.
I know I am not alone in my devotion to Eres bathing suits. That being said, my favorite vacation pieces are always the ones I pick up along the way. All of my favorite cover-ups are ones that I’ve collected on trips—on this trip to Tinos, I picked up an oversized, washed-out blue stripe linen shirt to add to my collection.
Summer destinations are the best for traveling light—no heavy coats or boots to worry about packing. I hate waiting for checked luggage, so I’m forever editing down to pack everything into my weekender. The Vérité Weekend has been my constant companion on trips; I know I’m biased, but it really is the perfect travel bag.
Internally, I keep all of my beach essentials organized in packing pouches that stack perfectly on top of each other to make the best use of the space. For my personal item, my Chameleon tote is soft, slouchy, and perfect for stowing under the seat (I also brought it to the beach once I arrived in Tinos).
You will always find me dressed in a comfortable trouser (either High Sport or a simple pair of white poplin pants, like these from Comme Si) and an oversized T-shirt (usually vintage, but I just snagged one from Climax, a local London bookshop, that I love). I wear my Converse sneakers or else a pair of Le Monde Béryl slippers; their Venetian mules are so versatile, they work with everything from day to evening. A forever favorite.
And then I carry something for layering—either a sweatshirt or a cardigan. My current cardigan of choice is from Auralee; I am a big fan of this brand.
I put my passport into a leather envelope, as well as snacks and a book. In my dreams, I would have been a rock star—I’m always listening to music, so I’m never without my AirPods when traveling. This summer, in my free time when I am not traveling, I am going to gigs—I have Grace Jones, Jack White, and The Black Keys coming up. I can’t wait.
Team travel sweater, for sure. Scarves are too much fuss for me. For summer months, I will swap out a sweater for a long sleeve tee—I love Flore Flore’s one.
I am forever replacing my travel-sized bottle of Neroli Oranger from Matiere Premiere (it’s the perfect summer scent), as well as my Westman Atelier tinted highlighter in Eau de Peony and their Lit Up highlight stick. Those three are my formula for lending that quick and easy summer touch before you step out the door. I also use the 111Skin face masks religiously—I don’t know what they put in them, but they work miracles.
I just want things to be as easy as possible; I never want to worry about where my things are. All of my essentials are packed in my Stowaway, which clips into my weekender as a bag organizer, and can clip out to be worn on its own as a crossbody when walking around during the day or as a clutch when going out in the evening.
Similarly, I like to keep accessories simple and edited. For this trip, I pack my favorite sun hat from Toteme, a matching woven fan I got a few years back in Egypt when I was staying at Al Moudira, and a magic pair of Selima sunglasses that go with everything. I picked them up from my friend Laurel Pantin’s shop in LA last fall and haven’t stopped wearing them since. I also love a bit of color on vacation. This year, that was a bright tangerine clutch which somehow goes with everything, as if it was a neutral.
I definitely gravitate towards packing more relaxed fabrics. I’m not good with an iron and honestly, who wants to steam on the road? I don’t mind a bit of wrinkle when I am away….
For footwear, I’ve been wearing these slippers Laila Gohar designed in collaboration with Arket. I also get a new pair of Ancient Greek Sandals each season—they’re the best. This year I went for a caramel-colored pair of jellies. The shape reminds me of something I had when I was younger, which made me happy. I’ve been wearing this linen dress from ZII Ropa—I love the brand and have picked up so many staple pieces from them, but this one is especially a favorite.
Also, it’s not necessarily a worn item, but I have been playing a lot of dominos! It’s an easy enough game to master, even after a glass of rosé.
An oversized white shirt. I’ll wear it as a cover-up at the beach, open it up to style as a lightweight jacket over a dress at night, or pair it with trousers for a smarter look on travel days. Charvet is the perfect option.
Typically, I’ve edited everything to ensure I’ve enough for every day, with one or two alternates peppered in for those just-in-case moments. I also only do carry-ons, so that keeps me in check. That said: I love to pick up something special when I travel. (My grandma Elinor used to do that, and I guess I picked it up from her.) In Tinos, I bought a striped linen button down and found a beautiful gold bangle, too; there’s a shop called Taxidi where we all found such special keepsakes.
I am a big proponent of using travel organizers. It doesn’t matter how neatly you pack your bag; go through it once hunting for something, and it’s an immediate mess. Grouping things and packing them neatly into a range of different-sized organizers really does keep everything tidy—especially for a trip where you are going to different places every few days.
