January 25, 2019
What if your trip is by car? And what if you’re going to take your time, and drive from the single-digit temperature fun of Chicago to the balmy deserts of the Southwestern United States? And what if you’re going to take your time – every day in a slightly warmer place?
I’m thinking…. Pack separate, but closely related, outfits for 4 different kinds of weather. That way you’re prepared for each warmer day, and at the same time the “relatedness” of the outfits gives you options for interchanging your garments to adapt to unexpected conditions.
A basic application of this idea would look like this:
down jacket – Uniqlo; earrings – Kendra Scott; scarf – Treasure & Bond; black coat – Eileen Fisher; cardigan – Lands’ End; white shirt – Lands’ End; tote bag – Longchamp; driving loafers – Børn; black jeans – Lands’ End
When you start out, you’re going to need to be warm, so a couple of layered jackets, and a warm scarf, will take care of you. Later, when the weather is warmer, you can wear any of these pieces, as needed…
The second day, you might still want a warm sweater, as well as long pants and “real” shoes, but you might be able to toss you jackets in the back seat…
cardigan – Leith; garnet earrings – Komang Wijayana; scarf – Chico’s; tee shirt – Lands’ End; pants – L.L.Bean; sneakers – Earth
That 3rd day, when you wake up and you’re on TOP of the covers, you know that you’re somewhere much warmer. (or in a really over-heated hotel room…) Maybe not ready for shorts yet, and you’re always going to want a cardigan in case you stop for lunch and the air conditioning is paralyzing. (sometimes, we drive with the windows open, even if it’s not 100% warm… fresh air is hard to resist!)
sunglasses – Givenchy; necklace – Kenari; tee shirt – Lands’ End; cardigan – Lands’ End; capri pants – Lands’ End; mules – 42 Gold
As you near the end of your trip, you can start acting like the weather is GOOD!!!! I’ve included the red tunic with the tank top and shorts, because some of us don’t like to show our upper arms all the time… When you stop for lunch, you can pull the tunic on and feel more appropriate, as well as ready for air conditioning.
bracelet – Nakamol Design; tunic – NYDJ; tank top – L.L.Bean; shorts – Lands’ End; bag – Nordstrom; sandals – Coconuts by Matisse
Including your 1st day outfit, but NOT including your jackets, this is the wardrobe you have:
Of course I want to see how various outfits can be found within this assortment! But I was thinking that the options are very organized – structured, even. At least in theory, each of the white shirts can be worn with each of the black bottoms; you could “table” it to look like this:
Let me expand this into 4 pages, so we can see the possibilities in more detail. A long-sleeved tee shirt, with the sleeves pushed up, can certainly be worn on a cool-ish day, with shorts. And your long-sleeved button-front shirt can double as a shirt-jacket over either the short-sleeved tee shirt or the tank top. All of these outfits might now appeal to you, but they are all possible…
It is worth noting that the “reds” here don’t all match. I could have used 4 cardigans in 4 different colors… maybe red, bright blue, dandelion yellow and amethyst purple? When you start with this black and white core, your options for accents are extensive!
If you’re going to spend a lot of time at your destination, you will of course want to pack more “hot weather” clothing. And if you plan to spend a few days somewhere along your route, just pack another day or 2 of clothing in the appropriate weight. This idea could be very flexible…
love,
Janice
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Janice thank you last couple of posts have been awesome studies as I am travelling on a Mediterranean cruise this spring. I have many similar items in my closet. Looking forward to planning for this trip.
Pat
Love the 4×4 visual.
Perfection! Thank you, as always.
Great idea and you present it so clearly.
The reds wouldn’t have to match if they aren’t going to be worn together, like the two cardigans. So why not? It’s hard enough to find the pieces you want in the right size and at the right price let alone the exactly perfect shade of a color.
We do 95% of our traveling by car, and this is brilliant!!
Perfect, perfect. All of those you’ll use in AZ. I would make the sweaters different colors for variety. This is a Can Do all the way!
Nina,
I probably,y would too !
Nina,
I posted before seeing what my iPad was up to, once again, with the extra letter and grammar !
Love the wardrobe. Love the scenario. But most of all, love the car! (Back in the 1950’s my aunt owned a black MG with red leather seats. Have been coveting one ever since.) :-)
You always inspire me to get rid of more things and use the things I really like more, and in better ways. This is great to think about. I like that you put the tunic with rather sleeveless shirt… I hate sleeveless shirts. Not that I hate my arms. I just don’t like sleeveless shirts. Many capsule wardrobes contain lots of tank tops, and as I never wear them I can’t figure out what I’d adjust, because they often also have regular tees. Would I have all tees? Would I make the tanjpks into tees and the tees into something else? Too much thinking, ha ha.
In Summer, I have many singlet tops but I also have many light-weight long sleeved shirts/tunics. At home, I wear the singlets but when I go out or in the sun, I put on the long sleeves over the top. In Australia we have the Slip! Slop! Slap! Seek! Slide! Sun Smart protection program. The Slip! stands for Slip on clothing. My long sleeve shirts are not extremely thick so don’t stop all the sun but must help a bit.
Great post that uses simple intelligent logic. Thanks and warm hugs from Down Under.
Perfect additions to my RV roadtrip wardrobe! I already have black, tan, white, and red. The red cardigan and white shirt will round it out nicely. I will use them on our trip to Daytona next month.
Brilliant and inspiring as always. Substitute my Audi convertible for the MG and I’m in.
How about a river cruise on the Danube in May? We are actually traveling with two of the best wine people from Napa, an acclaimed woman winemaker and a vineyard owner. Plus four additional days tasting wine in Hungary. A dream trip. River cruises are less formal in the evenings: dressy pants and silk tunic. Daytime is touring and lots of walking.
I agree with the others this is such a helpful article. It is hard to see with the items scattered on my bed or hanging in my closet. But the blocks really help. I really love the combos and this is a perfect template for my Europe trip coming up this September, thank you! I already have many of the pieces (in Navy) but just need the cardigans or sweaters to go with everything. I would love to see this in lighter and more summery colors.
Thanks again for this helpful posts Janice!
Love. Love. Love! As a person who travels from CA to LA twice a year, for 26 years, by car non-stop except for gas, to freshen up, and the occasional meal, this is so helpful. My experience has taught me to not wear pants because pant legs may touch bathroom floors. I travel in soft leggings with roomy tunics in fabrics suited for the weather, athletic styled mules to quickly put on or remove in the car, comfy thick socks for riding, and coordinating jacket in Fall/Winter. Spring/Summer it’s a dress or skirt in a fabric that doesn’t wrinkle (I don’t wear shorts), sandals, and a cotton cardigan, and commfy socks to wear in the car. It’s a long 36 hours and trying to remain presentable is a challenge especially when anything touching my skin for long periods of time causes irritation and pain. Thanks Janice for all the great posts and the energy you put into your writing.
Super practical yet interesting, thank you! A long road trip is challenging because it’s harder to do laundry along the way.
One comment: The sandal and the mule are best worn at the destination, not in the car, though I know everybody does it, because who thinks they will be in an accident? Because of my experience, I no longer get in a car (or any mode of transport) with open toes or a shoe that can fly off, like a mule- whether driver or passenger.
Totally agree, mule type sandals whether flat or heeled are dangerous when worn for driving or getting on and off public transport – as my scarred legs will testify.
Thanks, Janice!
Janice,
Another winning post ! You have permanently changed the way that I used to pack — for the better ! Your packing posts are always my favorites, thank you for doing them !
THis is also a great strategy for packing for travel to a place with a very changeable climate. I go to Ireland to visit family most summers, and never know for sure what weather to expect. I will save this post for inspiration!
Great post Janice and how your picture invokes lovely memories of my mum posing in her white MG in the 60’s with her headscarf and sunglasses on and us three kids in the back seat off to the seaside for the day – such wonderful times.
I like the idea of 4 light coloured tops with varying arm lengths and styles and 4 dark bottoms (mine would be navy) of varying materials and leg lengths shown styled with a coloured 2nd layer, and accessories – genius. I generally find now (certainly in the last ten years or so) that wherever I travel to in Europe the weather is either warmer, cooler or equally temperamental as the UK and there are no guarantees anymore of static weather for a week or two, so a changeable wardrobe is essential.
Love the packing scenarios! Wonder if you could recommend some good options to shorts in the summer. Though I’m not very old and am still pretty trim, I have inherited a lot of spider veins from my grandmother (and 3 pregnancies). We live in the southeast which is hot and humid so the skinny jeans that look great in the winter are too hot come summer. Thanks for any recommendations!
Mid-calf length skirts in lightweight, fluid fabrics. I’m a big fan of gauze, seersucker, or other suck fabrics in natural fibers with a texture that keeps them from clinging to your skin.
hugs,
Janice
Thanks Janice!
Janice, if anyone can help me, it’s you. I have a job interview on Wednesday, and it is predicted to be -20 with wind chill of -40. There will also be 12-18″ of snow on the ground. I’m a teacher with a minimalist wardrobe, so I don’t have a ton of choice, but I realize my knee-length black skirt and kitten heels are not going to cut it. I would be really grateful for any advice you provide. Thank you in advance!
Dress appropriately for the weather. Wear the nicest pants you own, with the warmest boots, and anything else that you need to stay safe and warm at that temperature. If the people interviewing you don’t understand, you do NOT want to work for them! I suspect that it won’t be a problem, but always take care of yourself first.
Good luck!
hugs,
Janice
Thanks, Janice! The weather was so bad I’m doing a Skype interview instead . . . next week. Very grateful for your help, though! L
HI Janice
I love your blog so much for so many reasons! My question today is about what to wear instead of collared button-down shirts if you have a short neck. The classic shirt is not so flattering. I googled online and the only alternative I found was the ascot-bow look, but that does not have the versatility – casual to corporate – that the classic shirt has. I think that versatility is very important for a capsule wardrobe like the one you have here today that is so relevant to my life. I have very sensitive skin, by the way, so wearing wool, acrylic, cashmere, or most warm sweaters against my skin is not an option. Brainstorming here!
Helen
Look for button-front shirts that don’t have a collar band – i.e. the collar is attached directly to the body of the blouse. It tends to happen more often in softer fabrics than in the traditional “dress” shirts.
Hugs,
Janice
Thanks so much! The search is on!
Hugs right back,
Helen
This is something new and I like it. Great respect for your ideas and presentaions. Thank you Janice! <3