I vacationed in Europe for a month and only brought a small weekender bag. Sounds crazy, right? It was actually pretty easy! I created a Europe capsule wardrobe to make sure I would get the most of the little packing space I had. Would you believe I made 24 outfits out of these items pictured?!?
We are traveling Europe for an entire month with our 3 young girls, and only bringing a backpack each. Find out how we made this happen and where we are headed.
Yup! I did!
Here is how I did it.
Travel Day outfit
This set is actually a pj set but I thought it was cute enough to wear for travel days. I tied my jean jacket around my waist since it was too bulky to pack. I also wear my sneakers since they were the bulkiest of the two I brought.
Shoes
I only brought two shoes. One sneaker and one sandal. These sneakers were so versatile and so comfortable. I even wore them with my dresses. I also loved the sandals and they were actually really comfortable for days when we walked a ton. Plus they were fancy enough to wear with my dresses for nice dinners or brunch.
Swim
I brought only two suits and one cover up but honestly I could have gotten by with just the black one. This is by far my favorite bathing suit. It’s so comfortable and so flattering. It has extra fabric around the midsection without looking too “mature”. I loved the way it looked with my coverup, it could even pass for a dress (with the cover up on) and I wore it to dinner after our boat day in Positano. This bathing suit is a must buy in my opinion and one of my favorite things I bought for the trip.
Jeans
I love love love these jeans. I wore them more than any other item on the trip. I paired them with the black top, beige tank, white shirt and sweater. I also wore the pj set top with my jeans one day too! If there was one thing I could have changed about my pack would be to try to fit in one more pair of jeans. The chilly August weather in the northern parts of Europe were perfect jean weather. I also brought jean shorts which just doubled the number of outfits I could make with the exact same tops.
Dresses
I needed dresses that were versatile, that could be worn out to dinner and with sneakers for sightseeing. These dresses were perfect. Mix it up by wearing them with the jean jacket or with the white sweater on top during chillier days.
Tops
I kept most of my wardrobe to a very neutral color palette so I could mix and match. I also needed different tops for the different climates I was visiting. I ended up purchasing the white sweater closer to the end of our trip. August can get pretty chilly in some parts of Europe so have a least one sweater you can layer with the other items you brought.
Skirt
I brought just one skirt but it was the perfect match to the tops and sweater. It was also great for the different climates because of the material.
Accessories
One of the things that I did not pack and wish I would have was a smaller bag for wearing around the city. I ended up grabbing an inexpensive one in Berlin when I was there and it was exactly what I needed. I liked the idea of a crossbody or belted bag so I could be hands free.
When I travel I don’t like to bring my nice jewelry so I picked up some inexpensive fashion jewelry. I also like doing this because I can try some more trendy pieces that I wouldn’t normally invest a lot of money in.
I loved these inexpensive sunglasses I got from Amazon. Again I don’t like bringing my expensive pair in case they get stolen.
One of the items I loved having was my Apple Watch. It tracked my steps, gave me directions, and helped me communicate with my husband.
Packing
I was able to pack all of these items (plus a few more) in one packing cube and fit it all in one weekender bag. Want to see exactly how I packed my family of 5 in a backpack each? Check out that post here.
I hope this post helps inspire you to pack minimally for your next trip. With a little planning it can be done and you can have a European capsule wardrobe you are proud of.
Be sure to follow along on Instagram for more packing tips.
