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.

There were lots of questions on the packing list post, so I thought I’d supply some quick answers:

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.

So, as many of you know, I’m into packing. Deeply into it. Maybe it’s because my well-packed suitcase is a haven of organization compared to my closet, which looks like a 75% off sale in a communal changing room at Dress Barn.

Anyway, my friend Asha worked with Microsoft Office to compile this Slideshare Parent Toolbox. A bunch of bloggers are posting templates that make their lives easier, and I contributed my Packing Master List! (I need you to imagine fireworks here.) It’s the list I use to start packing for any trip — it includes several variable lists, and even a pre-trip to do list. I seriously can’t believe I’ve never thought to post it before.

Here you go. Go somewhere good: