What are we packing this summer?

Things I want to stuff in my suitcase for London, Slovenia, Italy, France, Copenhagen, and Fire Island

Summer is shaping up to be a whirlwind, in the best way. With plans that stretch from visting friends and going to a Rufus Du Sol concert in London to family time in Fire Island (with plenty of hikes, road trips, and searching for the perfect cardamom bun in between), I’ve been mentally packing for weeks, and I’ve been dreaming big and strategically about what to bring—think breathable fabrics, walkable shoes, a tight color palette, and a mix of pieces that can carry me from mountain trails to seaside dinners. Everything can be washed in a sink if needed—no dry clean only items here. While most of these items are aspirational, some of these I already own (which I will indicate with an asterisk) and cannot wait to pack.

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Trip #1

Three weeks in London, Slovenia, The Dolomites, and Venice

From left to right: Suzie Kondi terry tee, District Vision fleece, Brown belt, Alohas sneakers, Tory Burch shorts*, Chanel sunglasses*, Lizzie Fortunato cuff, Eliou hat, Havianas*, Calpak bag, Alex Mill button down, Salomons, Massimo Dutti braided bag, Hunza G bikini*, Gap linen dress*, Leset carpenter pants, District Vision shorts

This journey will include a week of exploring London (lots of 20,000 step days + the Rufus du Sol concert), a week of hiking around Slovenia, three days of hiking in the Dolomites, and an overnight in Venice.

Because I’ll be gone for so long and I only plan on packing a carry-on, I feel like everything needs to be easily mixed and matched, so I’ll likely lean into a color palette—blues, khakis/browns/greens, and whites. Everything needs to air on the side of being practical, re-wearable, and comfortable. Nothing too fussy.

Must haves:

• Comfortable sneakers, like the Salomons, for hiking and exploring

• A versatile button down for breezy layering

• A good fleece for chilly mountain nights

• Comfortable pants for gray days, airports, etc…

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Trip #2

2 weeks in Nice, Corsica, and Copenhagen

From left to right: J Crew lace tank, Eliou lace dress*, Alex Mill button down, Sleeper lounge pants, Lack of Color hat*, Nike Cortez, Flower earrings, Ciao Lucia dress*, Shell clip, Red sunglasses, J Crew sandals, J Crew satin lace shorts, Red jelly flats, Calpak bag, Hunza G Bikini*, Shell necklace, lace top, red mesh bag

This trip will include 3 days visiting family near Nice, a little over a week roadtripping around Corsica, and four days exploring Copenhagen for the first time. For this trip, I am envisioning brighter colors (reds + yellows) but still breezy. unfussy pieces that easily mix and match. There’s some carry over from my Dolomites mood board—pieces that I know will work for a variety of occasions.

Must haves:

• Jelly flats that can get wet for the rocky beaches I plan on visiting in Nice and Corsica

• Breezy separates such as these bottoms and this top that can mix and match near the beach and in the city

• A hat I won’t mind wearing 24/7 to shield me from the strong sun

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Trip #3

A week in Fire Island

From left to right: Suzie Kondi terry tee, District Vision shorts, Hunza G bikini*, Lack of Color hat*, Cala de la Cruz tunic, red sunglasses, Leset carpenter pants, Alex Mill button down, Havianas*, Red mesh tote, Tropic of C bikini, Eliou hat, Chanel wayfarers*, Jelly flats, Spiral necklace, Massimo Dutti bag, J Crew silk lace shorts

We’re ending the summer by renting a house in Cherry Grove near some of our friends, and we will have friends and family cycling in and out to stay with us. Fire Island is a place where I feel completely myself no matter what I am wearing or doing, and truly anything goes. I’ll be gone for only a week, and we will have access to a washer and dryer, so the freedom to pack whatever I want exists for this trip. All of my favorites will come with me, so again, there’s more overlap from the first two mood boards—mostly pieces I already own or own similar versions of, and then some fun stuff I’ve been dying to own.

Must haves:

• Comfortable pieces for lounging, like this tee and these bottoms

• Not pictured, but my favorite sunscreen trio: the Father (body sunscreen), the Son (face sunscreen), and the Holy Spirit (lip sunscreen)

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Outfit Inspiration

all via pinterest

Classic pieces! Heavy on accessories! Practical, flat footwear! Outfits that are actually comfortable and not a chore to wear!

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Some hot tips

• Jewelry takes up little room but can make a difference + pack a punch in an outfit. I don’t really limit myself here—it all just has to fit into my travel jewelry case.

• Three pairs of shoes max per trip—one very practical workout sneaker, one fun comfy shoe (sneaker or flat), one sandal.

• If I can’t re-wear a piece multiple times on a trip, it’s not coming, unless I have a special place/occasion to wear it for.

• To abide by the insanely militant Heathrow toiletry rules, I will only be packing this mascara and this tinted moisturizer as makeup… and maybe this blush (doesn’t count towards liquids). Otherwise, au natural.

• I stuff my suitcase to the gills—bring essentials but leave room for souvenirs + shopping abroad.

• I’ve linked to a lot of J. Crew new arrivals in this roundup… Memorial Day is coming up, and typically they do an insane 40% off site wide sale…

• I always check Poshmark, eBay, and The RealReal using Google reverse image search first before buying something full price… And I have the Beni Chrome extension which tells me when an item I am looking at is on a resale site… I suggest you do too—save $ that you can spend on your actual travels! Or just wear the clothes you already own

What are y’all packing this summer?

xx,

Bella