Packing Post: East Meets West

Packing posts are my favorite to read from other fashion bloggers. I love to know how someone is able to pack 14 days’ worth of outfits in a small carry-on and still look so well put together! I've been known to over pack and still end up regretting to pack a jacket on a chilly/rainy day or an appropriate pair of shoes to go with my cute outfit. Reading other bloggers’ posts has really helped me become a better packer when it comes to both short and long trips.

So, when it came time to pack for 4 different Indian outfits for J & T’s wedding this weekend, plus regular clothes, I decided to take a more organized approach.

I laid out each and every Indian outfit. Complete with all the accessories and shoes. I’m really glad I did this ahead of time because I was having a tough time trying to figure out what shoes to pair with my blue and orange outfit for the reception. My friend, Kruti suggested nude shoes and I think it was a much better choice. I can always depend on her for the best fashion advice. J For my sarees, I tried to choose the ones that all had silver work so that it would be easier to pair the same silver shoes. 

Graha Shanti & Pithi Ceremony

Garba Outfit

To me, bangles are an essential part of any Indian outfit and I have a pretty huge bangle collection. I really like this travel case my Mami (aunt) bought for me. It’s perfect for 4 sets of bangles and it helps keep my bangles safe and secure wherever I go. I also recently got this purple case that has little zipper flaps, so I’m able to separate my jewelry for each outfit, plus some other essentials such as bindis, bobby pins, and safety pins. I also like these sturdy zipper bags that help keep each outfit separate and still easily identifiable in my bag.

Wedding Day

Reception Outfit

 

Everything neatly packed

For my non-Indian clothes, I knew I needed my clothes to be light and easy to pack since Indian outfits are a lot heavier and take up a lot of space in the bag. I checked the weather and since it was going to be fairly warm, I decided to go with 4 light weight dresses. 

On the plane ride, I planned on wearing a pair of jeans and a top. I also grabbed a cardigan and scarf at the last minute because I tend to get pretty cold in the plane. I also packed two tops, just in case we planned on going out one night and the other one for the plane ride back.

For accessories (sorry forgot to take pics)... I kept things pretty simple. I had my favorite silver Fossil watch, which was fancy enough to wear with all my sarees and still went well with my casual outfits, my "diamond" studs, my favorite daily necklace, plus a long blue stoned one (gifted from my SIL). For shoes, it was time to retire my old flats after 3 long years and so I picked up these cute ones. I liked the gold detail and they were very comfortable. Lastly, I had my camel MK cross-body purse (similar here), which was big enough to hold all the essentials and small enough to throw on and be hands-free.

There was so no way all this was going to fit into a carry on, especially since Indian outfits were quiet heavy. So I did end up checking in my big bag. But by the end of the trip, I had worn each and every item I had packed. Nothing was extra and nothing was missing! Now that's a first... go me! :) 

It did get a little chilly the first night we arrived in Virginia because of the cold front, but my cardigan and scarf kept me fairly warm. Other than that, the weather was prefect for the outfits I had packed. If you’re planning a trip somewhere, I would definitely suggest taking a little extra time to lay out all your outfits and check the weather ahead of time… a little bit of time and organization upfront will help ensure you too will be stress-free and enjoyable your trip!

Are you planning on packing for a trip soon?