There is always a constant battle with the mantra less is more. Sometimes a minimalist look is just what the evening or living space calls for, but when it comes to packing for a two-week rendezvous in Italy you could be one swimsuit, cover up combo away from becoming a hoarder. Between extra bag fees and the woeful feeling you get dragging your exorbitantly heavy belongings through the airport, you promise yourself you will never over pack like this again. Does something make you feel like this was based on a true story?! Well,  in real life Dawn is heading to Calabria and Rome splitting her time in each and wanted to pack looks that had a European flair without having to buy a whole new vacation wardrobe. Enter moi. Now this was a fairly easy challenge because Dawn has a great eye for style so I had a bevy of exciting pieces to work with. We worked with what she had and came out with about 80% of what she will bring in the first style session.

We mixed and remixed, dressed up and down in our first session and came out with the fifteen looks above all from her current wardrobe. This showed Dawn where her holes were for a few things she still wanted like a black maxi skirt, a pair of black flat sandals and a few other accessories that will help her fully transition her style from maven of the Mediterranean while in Calabria to laid back goddess of Rome.

For the second part of our session we were unable to get together in person for scheduling reasons but, we made it work via Facetime. Dawn picked up a few items including a striped pair of shorts, a neutral silk top, a transitional pair of flat sandals and a great pair of Chloé open toes in black this way she can balance her black and brown accessories {we were really working the cognac color pieces, this will them a little breathing room now!} All in all we ended up with eight more looks, giving her plenty to choose from for her two-week escapade, while working with an edited pool of clothing and accessories.

Start a week out. You don’t need to have the suitcase and toiletry bags going just yet, but making piles of things you are definitely bringing will help you realize what is missing.

Make your shoes work. I find, especially with the ladies, our many shoe options are what spoil our success for a piece of luggage to come in underweight. Know where you’re going, try to make a vague schedule of what you’ll be doing  and exercise the probability of each pair for said events.

Carry On like a pro. A few musts for your carry on, pack an entire days worth of clothing, try to coordinate what you are wearing on the plane with these pieces,  heaven forbid your luggage gets misplaced, you will at least have an outfit to rely on while you’re chewing out your airline. Your valuables should be with you at all times as well, don’t ever put them in the checked luggage. A large scarf or light weight blanket should be in the mix to keep you comfortable when that cabin pressure drops.

Hope my sharing this perfect packing session helped!