Packing Fashion for Foreign Travel

Here is the companion print piece to the previous unrevealing video. The highlights are less about the actual packing, and more about packing the appropriate clothes for different countries.

Fashion Journal - WSJ.com: "Ms. Novogrod says she takes care to choose clothes that work, rather than those that make a statement. 'It's possible with fashion to become so concerned with the surface that you're not approachable,' she notes. 'I'm conscious of looking appropriate -- to my age, to my profession.'

But she is careful not to play it too safe, because there are situations where a distinctive, colorful piece can work. Ms. Novogrod has been very happy with a recent purchase of a cotton Pucci tunic. It has turned out both to be packable and to look great from stages or a dais.

Sometimes it can take several days for Nancy Novogrod to pack for an overseas business trip. Before putting things in her suitcase, she lays out all her outfits, along with shoes and handbags to go with them. Everything is packed within bags, with shoes and handbags traveling in the cloth bags they came in. Gym clothes go at the bottom of the suitcase.

The actual packing process for Ms. Novogrod can take place over several days. She makes notes in advance. When she settles down to pack, with her schedule in hand, she lays out outfits complete with shoes and handbags to be sure she has the right thing for each event -- and not a single extra item. 'Otherwise, you end up taking way too much,"

I do second the idea of laying out each total outfit, accessories included, before packing any of it in your luggage. This way you can ensure you don't have way more pants than shirts, etc. I think in the end it helps you reduce the amount you pack. Once you layout the outfits, you can figure out which pair(s) of shoes will go with the most outfits, so you can take fewer of those too.