The Curated Suitcase

Winter traveling can be tough on suitcases.  Not just because of the thankless dragging through snow and slush, but because of the excessive poundage of winter apparel stuffed inside them.  With a little consciousness and some hardworking items, you can avoid the dreaded overweight airline fees for your checked baggage.

As the coveted “curated wardrobe” gains popularity yet remains debatable, one simply cannot dispute the necessity of a curated suitcase.  The suitcase becomes the closet while traveling, forcing essential meticulous packing, a skill that eludes most in our culture of over-preparation and excess.

Because calm preparation and packing with a clear head is not a common situation, compiled are fifteen items that work overtime for use in multiple outfits to make traveling during the colder months a little easier.

Some prefer to pack the winter jacket in their suitcase to use as padding for non-clothing items, but if space is limited and disposable poundage is at a premium, wearing your jacket in the airport and storing it in the overhead bins on the airplane is the way to go.  The same applies to any big boots you might be bringing.  Easy-wearing items like riding boots, jackets, and other outer layers are best suited for travel wear when fussier pieces–pumps, pocketless/unlayerable sweaters, uncomfortable denim–require the cushy ride in the suitcase.

Throw on a tee and slouchy cardigan, a maxi skirt around your neck to function as an oversized circle scarf (you’ll be thankful for so much fabric when you’re freezing on the airplane), tuck some leggings into those boots, and your airport attire is comfortable, cute, and suitcase-friendly.

In the suitcase, you’ll want skinny jeans to tuck into flat boots, longer, trouser-like bootcut/flare jeans, heeled booties, dressy heels, patterned tights, chambray button-down, pumps, versatile, simple LBD to dress up or down, loose crewneck sweater, and a fun belt sized to work at your hips or waist.

The leggings and crewneck can be worn to bed for utter comfort.  The LBD over tights and heels is a chic party look, and you can switch out the pumps for riding boots and add the unbuttoned chambray or belted cardigan (or both!) for a cute hangout outfit.

The chambray also looks perfect loosely-buttoned over skinnies tucked into riding boots, with that maxi-skirt-turned-scarf to top it off, or throw the crewneck over the chambray, paired with the trouser jeans over the heeled booties for a preppy brunch look.

For running errands, keep the booties and trouser jeans, and top them with a tee and belted cardigan.  Look chic and cool for coffee meet-ups with the maxi skirt over your booties for impossibly long legs, topped with your casual tee and cool jacket.

Ease in travel starts with your suitcase, the contents of which are best suited for anyone’s destination when prepared thoughtfully.  Utilize some multi-function pieces to jumpstart your outfit creativity and take the load out of your suitcase a little.  Happy light travels!

A bit of background on Dating Symbol’s guest blogger today:
When Terryl Banta is not busy coping with the early-onset necessity of reading glasses, she can usually be found having nineties dress-up nights and trying to take pictures of her kitten, Alt, for viral tumblr content.  Current obsessions: Alice Glass, aviator sunglasses, and Disastro Ecologico.