The denim skirt is thrifted and the striped top is Urban Outfitters. Anna Beth Chao only weighs like three pounds, so you can fold her right down into the exterior pocket of the carry-on. I take her everywhere. Chao and champagne.

The silk scarf is vintage Vera, and the aviators are from Anthropologie. When I wear them, I like to ask people for their license and registration at regular intervals.

There was a cocktail party that first night, so I wore my vintage fringe happy dress, which requires zero ironing. I take it everywhere.

These are my fallback shoes, which operate on the theory that if you’re a woman over six feet tall in heels, no one notices what you’re wearing anyway. I need a new pair, because I’ve had these for nearly a decade. It’s impossible to find stable, comfortable, unreasonably tall shoes, but it’s time. Help a sister out, Internet.

The next day was my presentation. I like to be totally comfortable on stage, so I went with this simple navy shift from H&M and swapped the belt out for a striped scarf. The orange travel flats are Tieks, and I also wore two square glass orange rings, because I like to be matchy matchy like that. You’ll see those below.

A group of us went to dinner later that night, and I wore a romper I got at Forever 21 for 16 cents. Cheap prices for disposable clothing is why I continue to shop there, even though they purposefully play music to annoy people my age. You’ll have to more than blast Avril Levigne to drive me away from prices like this Forever 21! Actually, I love that “What the Hell” song, so I’m golden. I am bopping in the aisles, Forever21.

I wore the romper with very basic open toe black flats from H&M. I don’t have any full-length shots of this outfit that you haven’t already seen, so I’m cheating by using a shot from New York. There are, however, several shots of me looking naked at dinner:

“Oh, don’t mind me. I put a dinner napkin on the chair before I sat down.”

This is my impression of cruise director Julie McCoy. Can you feel me setting a course for adventure?

The skirt is from Buenos Aires, and the tennies are knockoff Bensimons, which I got on the cheap at the now-defunct Martin and Osa. I need to replace those badly, but can’t bring myself to spend $50 on a pair of slightly more awesome canvas Keds.

Scarf is another vintage Vera tied as an ascot. The button-up shirt is from The Limited, which makes great shirts for business travel because they aren’t 100 percent cotton, which means they have stretch to them and don’t wrinkle nearly so easily. My glasses are Dolce and Gabanna.

That night I wore an American Apparel dress for my reading, with the same heels we talked about earlier.

As you know, I like to take jammies that I can wear as clothes in a pinch. This time, I packed this grey romper, also from Forever21, also 16 cents. The cashmere sweater is from the Alameda Flea Market.

I stayed a couple extra days with Anna Beth, so I revisited the navy shift for lunch at Commanders Palace. Here you can see the aforementioned orange rings, which I got from street vendors in Buenos Aires:

I also wore my stripe top again, this time with a little black mini from Urban Outfitters:

And a scarf from H&M:

Again, I failed to get a photo of what I wore on the plane due to exhaustion. I know this makes you rabid, so I’ll say I wore a short cotton mini-dress over tight jeans with the gray striped sweater, a blazer, and the white sneakers.

And that’s it, team.

One day soon I’ll do a post about what I wear on planes to maximize comfort and go from cold (San Francisco) to warm (everywhere else). Speaking of which, do you have a standard travel outfit? If so, spill. I could use a variation on the dress/leggings/sweater theme.

Also, keep an eye on this space, because I asked Roxanna from Everyday Treats to tell me what she packed for New Orleans. She always looks amazing, and she sent photos. Hooray, Roxanna!

For example, this perfectly faded brown dress with polka dots? It’s L.L.Bean’s Silk Habutai Dress, and it’s so Little Orphan Annie. Except it’s made of heavy silk, but who says orphans can’t have nice things? Jerks, that’s who.

Anyway, as I mentioned recently, belts are a challenge for me. I’ve been trying to up my game on that front, so I bought a few from H&M and this is my first attempt. I felt so pulled together, ya’ll. The cardigan I’m belting here is also H&M, but it’s from the men’s section, which is where they keep all the good stuff.

The grey tights are Target, and the magic travel boots are from Argentina. They’ve gotten me through more trips than I can count.

Let’s get a closer look at those blue polka dots:

Hello, little buddies.

This is my travel outfit, hence the action pose. It’s a knit dress I got at a thrift store, worn with an H&M elastic belt and the aforementioned tights and boots. I also wore a grey sweater wrap that I didn’t get a photo of, but you can see it in my New York post from a couple years ago. It doubles as an airplane blanket.

I’m wearing the dress on the way back home too, so I’ll be washing it in the bathtub while I’m here. Airplane germs gross me out. Another reason to do a quick rinse:

This is the dress worn as a top. I’ve cleverly safety pinned the sides to the outside layer of my Express Ultra Skinny Stella jean pockets. You can also use extra large safety pins to do a gathering effect on the sides of your dress, which is slightly more labor intensive, but arguably more effective. There are those boots again. I love you, boots.

The necklace is also H&M, it makes everything a little more current. Unlike these killer sleeves. What’s up 1983? We miss your economy.

I borrowed this sweater from Bryan who got it at Macy’s a few years back. He never wears it, and it’s super soft. His loss. That’s an L.L.Bean Tweed Skirt and army green tights from Target.

The circle scarf is H&M, and I love how easy it is to mess with proportions when you’re wearing it. Also, coziness.

These are my Rudolf Dassler PUMAs, which I adore, so of course they rub away the skin over my Achilles tendon. I’ve been trying to decide whether I strictly need that skin, so I’ve taken to tying them lower. This frees up a lot of extra lace, hence the creative lace tying. I like the way it looks, so I’ve been doing that with all my sneakers now.

This is a packing minimization outfit. We’re revisiting the cardigan, boots, and jeans.

I forget where the shirt came from, but I bought it because I liked the gathering around the neck and cuffs. You have to iron it like crazy though, and I only seem to have time for that when I’m on vacation.

The hat is hand knit, I got it at a thrift store where I get almost all of my hand-knit items. For the record, if someone hand knits you something and you send it to a thrift store? I’m pretty sure you need to go to confession, or sacrifice a goat or something. Or at least learn how to knit things that other people can then throw away — full circle.

I try to pack PJs I can wear as clothes in a pinch, so this is a tank top and cropped sweats from who knows where. I wear the tank under stuff for an extra layer if it’s cold. The comfy pants are nice if I get sick and want to be cozy, or if my flight is delayed and everything I’m wearing is coated in airport goo.

Chic librarian is my preferred look, so this is my favorite outfit for the trip.

These are L.L.Bean’s Cuffed Cropped Pant. They are fantastic. I’d normally wear them with a chunky heel, but we’re walking on cobblestones in the rain here, so these are cheap, destroyable flats from Target.

The cashmere cardigan is from the Alameda Flea Market, the Peter Pan collar top was 99 cents on eBay, and the modernized cat-eye glasses are Dolce and Gabbana. The hair scarf is actually a belt from a polyester ’70s dress I got at a thrift store when I was in high school. Yeah. It’s time to clean out my closet.

Thanks to the team at L.L.Bean Signature Collection for sponsoring this post.
Next time I have a clambake, you are so invited.

Once I’m at the hotel, I empty that bag into the dopp inside my suitcase that has all my “dry” stuff in it. My dopp kit is easier to get into, and I prefer to have that on the counter.

I love to share hotel rooms with friends so I can see the little luxuries they take with them on the road. Lots of you ask for photos of my bag when I pack, so I thought I’d start by showing you my dopp kit. Here are some lists of what’s inside. If you see awesome stuff I’m missing, let me know.

Hair bands and bobby pins. As you can see, I like to contain things in sandwich bags. Makes it easier to find stuff and to restock.
A mini-container of John Frieda Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme for dry hair
A mini-container of Curls Rock Curl Amplifier for wet hair
Tweezerman mini tweezers, which are so tiny and precise, and less apt to get nabbed by security, though they are potentially very stabby indeed.
Baby oil to remove my long-last lipstick
Fashion tape– this is skin-friendly double-sided sticky tape, to tape clothes in place over cleavage or keep bra straps hidden. Toupé tape works too.
Benadryl, because I have food allergy issues.
Vitamins
Advil
A wide-tooth comb for combing wet curly hair.
Marvis travel toothpaste, I can’t believe how long this teeny tiny tube has lasted.
A toothbrush
A lint roller
Gilette Spa Breeze razor — have you used this? It has little soap bumpers on it so you don’t need to soap up before you shave. Killer.
Natural hand sanitizer
A travel candle and matches
Panty liner to buy me a few minutes while I run to the drugstore for supplies if necessary.
Single-use eye drops — Love these. They save space in little purses when you’re going out, and I sometimes tuck them into my bra if I don’t want to carry a purse.
Q-tips
Safety pins
Contacts
Handy-wipe — For washing my hands if I decide to go thrift store shopping.
Deodorant
Dental floss
Cuticle scissors, which I mostly use as real scissors.
Nail clipper
Nose hair trimmer (ahem)
Jewelry I keep in the exterior zip pockets.
Face cleansing towelettes — I didn’t get a photo of these, but I travel with two kinds: pre-soaped ones that you wet to wash your face, and then the damp ones you can use to wipe off your makeup. I keep those in the night stand in case I realize I forgot to wash my face after I’ve already climbed in bed. I do that a lot.

Revlon Creme shadow in Pink Petal
The Naked Bee sunblock stick This was a Mighty Goods submission, so I’m testing it out and I like it so far. Makes it easier to get sunscreen onto Hank.
Burt’s Bees Peppermint Lip Balm, so tingly. This is the only lipbalm I use, and I have sticks of it everywhere. I even have one specially marked to soothe my nose and upper lip when I have a cold. There’s also a version with sunscreen.
Cover Girl blushes in Classic Pink and Natural Rose
A full palette of Maybellene Superstay Lipcolor, which never, ever comes off. I just made a lunch date with a friend for the specific purpose of teaching her how to apply it, and I don’t even care if that sounds nuts.
A lipstick I picked up at the airport and now hate. It’s that bright orangey red that’s so hip right now, but I can’t find a brand that doesn’t bleed, which makes me look like a pack-a-day circus clown.
A brush for blush and powder
Eyelash curler, which I never, ever use. Why do I pack this?
Eyebrow pencil, which I also never use. I have Yeti eyebrows.
Eyeliner
Shadow brushes
Nosehair trimmer and tweezers, which I apparently photographed twice.
Perfume — the type varies because I like to associate trips with particular scents.
Clinique tinted sunblock, which I use as foundation.
Concealer with sunblock
Liquid eyeliner
Face powder
Mini-container of DDF Daily Protective Moisturizer
Atopalm moisturizer
Philosophy Help moisturizer. I use that so infrequently that I think I’ve had this tube for years. Which is… gross.
Neutrogena sunblock/moisturizer — I just use this as sunblock, because I have dry skin and like the extra moisture.
White eyeliner — I use it to put that little dot on the inside corner of my eye that’s supposed to make your eyes sparkle. Is that still a thing?

This is my nail kit, and it’s mostly for touch ups. The cork bag was a Mighty Goods submission. I didn’t love it when I got it, and now I realize I was dreadfully wrong. Do you know who makes it? Let me know and I’ll update.

Orange stick
La Occitane Pure Shea Butter — I think I got this as a hotel amenity, but it’s great cuticle cream.
Cotton balls
Revlon Strawberry Electric nail polish — I usually only paint my toenails and I think toenails look best in comparatiely garish colors.
Seche Vitte fast-drying top coat — You put this on while your polish is still wet. It gives an at-home pedicure the professional sheen. Also good for stopping runs in your tights.

That’s it! Typing all that makes me want to take a trip. Or head to a Sephora. What about you? What are you willing to squeeze into a mini tube so you can take it on the road?

I haven’t done a lot of winter suitcases, so I thought I’d do a post about what I packed to speak at ALT Summit. The jeans are from The Limited, and I need to imagine a gospel choir singing and Jesus rays breaking through the clouds as I type this next part: They were the first pair I tried on. I’m a size 8 to 10 in jeans, and the ones at The Limited have a perfect waist to bum ratio for my figure, so the waistline doesn’t gap. The boots are my magic Buenos Aires boots from the trip we took when Hank was a baby.

The undershirt is an acid yellow top I got at Old Navy in a frenzied stock up on layering pieces when they had the $5 sale before Christmas. I like to buy unusual colors so I can combine them with neutrals and have it look all artsy, which is what I’m going for with this grey Dolman sleeve sweater, also from a sale at The Limited (twenty bucks, baby!).

Laura took this lovely photo of me in my outfit for the “Old Hollywood” party. I took that to mean retro-Oscars, but most other ladies wore chic little cocktail dresses, which means I was grievously overdressed. Upside, I arrived after dinner and drinks, so I was mostly too illuminated to care much.

This is a cheap feather hair clip I often use to spruce up dress straps. It can add va-voom to the most mundane spaghetti strap number.

Update: I got the clip at a cheesy costume shop on the Haight, the one with all the wigs and spandex zebra print outfits. I looked for a similar one online but couldn’t find it. If you do, let me know and I’ll post a link in a later post. Also, this can get crushed in a suitcase, so I pack it in a hard-sided cardboard box that’s maybe three inches high.

My hair is getting too long for ponytails, it just tends to look scraggly, so this is my version of the quick updo. I twist back the front sections, then do a loose chignon in the back.

The shoes are a hand-me-down from my sister. I like the surprise lattice work in back.

I like to wear color when I’m onstage, so this is what I wore to speak. I got the Esprit velvet mini at a thrift store in college. Grey tights are from Target.

I got the shirt and belt on sale at JCrew and I wear them both constantly. The cashmere sweater is a vintage Pringle from the Alameda Flea Market (twenty bucks!). The brooch is by Elefante, e a Vida, and I adore it. Miriam’s work is my go-to gift for beloved girlfriends, all of whom I’m pinning one by one.

I got this fake fur jacket years ago at a thrift store in Sacramento. It brings back amazing memories of having breakfast at a sidewalk cafe on sunny winter mornings. My roomie at the time had a giant giraffe-print coat, and we’d wrap up so we could sit outside without waiting for a table. I swear I can smell mint tea every time I put it on, and it’s crazy warm.

Update: I wore the jacket and boots on the plane, so I didn’t have to fit those in the suitcase. Next time I’ll remember to include a shot of the case packed. I also roll my clothing to save space, though the long dress I just folded over and stored in a top panel of the case.

Leggings by H&M, as is the zip-front sweater.

These leg warmers are also H&M, and they are divine. They make it more feasible to wear leggings as pants, and you can really wear them with anything when you want to throw in a little trendy kick.

(Someone asked in comments what I’m wearing on my lips in this photo. I think it’s just Burt’s Bees peppermint chapstick.)

And finally, you must own one of these American Apparel circle scarves. I never take mine off, and there’s so many ways to wear it, I give a full-on infomercial to anyone who will listen. Sorry about that, Karen and Erin. But you love the scarf don’t you? I thought so.

This is Laura’s beachwear. The rainbow dress is from Target, the shelf-bra tank is Banana Republic, and the flip flops are Rocket Dog.

I know you saw this headband coming — also from Target.

Is there a blogger left who doesn’t own one of Andrea’s Superhero necklaces? There should be a secret handshake. Obviously, Laura is wearing hers as a bracelet.

Her actual necklace features a Thoreau quote, “Live the life you have imagined.”

Laura’s glasses are from Urban Outfitters. I suspect Laura made an Urban Outfitters run before this trip. Fess up, Mayes.

And there you go. Pretty good for one little carryon, especially since we didn’t even touch on what she packed for New York. She probably just paired this with leggings and a scarf. Voila! Business casual.

Laura, thanks for your patience with my camera, and for your willingness to spit in the face of jetlag. You make things more fun.

Yesterday’s cute headband was hardly the only one in Laura’s travel arsenal — this one is from Urban Outfitters. There’s something so Texan about all of her hair accoutrements; I kept expecting her to clip on a fake ponytail for fullness, or pull a wig out of her duffel bag. Then again, I’m the one who packed set of hot rollers for a beach vacation.

Her dress is White House Black Market and I love the full skirt. So comfortable when you’re traveling.

Also well suited to impromptu musical numbers. Do you get the impression that Laura has never worn a sweatsuit in her life?

Her houndstooth heels are vintage, and are clearly a commitment to cuteness.

Another simple sundress, this time from Target.

Her scarf is also from Target, though her shoes are Gucci:

When I was asking Laura about her clothing brands, I said, “Do you realize all of your stuff is either Prada and Gucci or Target and TJ Maxx?”

“That’s so me,” she said.

This photo makes me so happy. It’s the quintessential traveling-with-the-girls shot.

Anyway, here’s an example of how some very slight changes in accessories help you stretch your travel wardrobe. You can dress for a day of sightseeing, and then just make a few changes for dinner without packing a separate outfit. Laura’s Gap flats and her black sundress from Urban Outfitters both pack down to almost nothing.

My lord, I love this hat from Urban Outfitters. I want to see her toss it jauntily in the air Mary Tyler Moore style. Laura Mayes, you’re gonna make it after all.

Laura’s oversized vintage locket is from Uncommon Objects in Austin. She’s the only person I know who has actual photos in her locket. This makes me feel that she can be trusted. Laura would never read your diaries while she’s house sitting.

Here Laura swapped the sunglasses and hat for a felt headband from Saks and a pair of shell earrings from Claire’s. The effect is slightly dressier, and now we can head out to share a bottle of wine. Let’s do.

Laura called this vacation her “planes, trains, and automobiles trip” because every mode of transportation was involved — including boats — and all of us dragged our suitcases along. Laura usually packs by stuffing a massive suitcase with anything at hand and then crossing her fingers. But with so many location changes she knew the steamer trunk would grow tiresome, so she made it a goal not to check her bag.

Packing light for Greece was a particular challenge because she had a few days of business meetings in New York tacked on the end. I unfortunately didn’t get shots of her NYC outfits, but she managed to fit everything into a carryon by heeding my advice to pack all dresses and items that can do double duty. This is Laura’s swimsuit coverup, which doubles as a dress for daywear.

Update: Laura said in comments, “Also, the dress/cover up was purchased from a street vendor in Cozumel. For about $4. I know. I hate my own guts.”

Tomorrow, one dress done two different ways.

Speaking of The Industrious Laura Mayes, I took some photos of her outfits while I was in Greece so we’d have another perspective for the Packing Light series. Laura is an Emmy-winning writer, editor of the new Kirsty book, and fellow Broad Summit organizer. I love having her around, because even when she’s tired or having a rough time, she still seems joyful.

See what I mean?

Laura’s earrings are from Target, and she stole the flower from a bush on the hotel grounds. I was scandalized.

Laura also dressed up her ponytail by covering the band with a bit of hair. In case that seems like a Houdini-style achievement to you, here’s a quick how-to:

-Pull your hair into a ponytail like usual,
-take a piece of hair from your ponytail and wrap it around the rubber band until the end is on the underside of your ponytail,
-secure that bit of hair beneath the band with two bobby pins crossed over one another in an X shape. Note: You’ll want to tuck the bobby pins into your hair as you pin so they don’t show.

And voila.

Laura got her dress at a vintage shop in Houston, and her sunglasses are Prada. Laura can have Prada sunglasses because she apparently doesn’t lose them every time she wears them like I do.

This yellow cuff is from a New York boutique, and Laura keeps it in heavy rotation.

Her patent red ballet flats are Gucci. Laura is another friend who tends to be serious about her shoes. I personally think it’s dangerous to wear “there’s no place like home” shoes when you’re vacationing in Greece, but Laura lives on the edge.

For the record, this is how Laura responds when you’ve been barking orders at her as you photograph and then you say, “Now, dance, monkey! Dance!” She takes direction well.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss Laura’s Mighty-inspired packing strategy.

How do you fit ALL THAT STUFF into your backpack??

My backpack is like the TARDIS. It’s a Crumpler Barge, made to carry camera equipment and a laptop plus some extras. It’s big for a daypack, but I use it for work everyday as well as traveling.

I was wondering if you would share what brand of sunless tanner you use?

After much cross consultation with beauty magazines and very pale friends, I use Clarins Self Tanning Gel, which looks like this:

A tube lasts forever, and after a couple of applications, people always ask if I’ve lost weight, which is American for “you look hot.”

I am curious — do you actually follow your toiletries list separately each trip? Or do you a keep an always-packed toiletries kit (with its own toothbrush, lotion, etc) and just throw the whole thing in your bag?

The latter. Though I do double-check against the list because I am anal. Also, I find it very satisfying to refill the little toiletry containers.

Why hand sanitizer only for foreign countries? The airplane is filthy enough, no matter where you go, no?

Before I had a kid, I only traveled with sanitizer in countries where I thought it would be tough to find public sinks, places where there’s a thriving street food culture for example. Now I carry a 20-gallon container with fire hose attachment, which I use to spray down the entire interior of the plane before I let Hank touch anything. On the advice of our pediatrician.

Is there a reason that the cuticle scissors aren’t grouped with the nail kit?

I don’t use them for my cuticles, I use them as scissors. Cutting tags off clothes, cutting out things to paste in my journal, makeshift weaponry should someone try to hijack the plane or use more than his alloted half of our shared armrest. That kind of thing.

Would you ever consider a make-up post?

My main thing is that I use Clinique’s City Block tinted sunscreen instead of foundation. It looks like this:

It evens out my skin tone. Plus, I’m 1000 percent more likely to apply foundation daily than sunscreen, so it saves me from burning when I’m unexpectedly in the sun for thirty seconds or more. Or when I spend too much time in the glare of our refrigerator light.

What podcasts do you download?

This American Life. What podcasts do you download? I want to know more about good podcasts.