Packing List for Six Weeks in Europe in a Carry on!

Do you enjoy packing for vacation? No surprise, I adore it. Packing for a trip helps me visualize myself in that place. I imagine what I'll be doing (Sipping cappuccino? Strolling through Pompeii? Taking a scooter ride along the sea?) and then what I'd like to be wearing while doing it. I like to try to blend with the locals too, and in Europe that means looking a little more polished than usual.

For this trip across Europe, we have many stops and flights, so I decided to pack in a carry on. I've used a backpack for long trips before but they don't jive with the way I travel. A small rolling suitcase is better for me for so many reasons- you have easier to access when packing horizontally instead of vertically and I'd rather wheel something behind me (like a chic air hostess!) than haul it on my hunched over back (like a peasant woman taking potatoes to market).

My inspiration for accomplishing this feat was Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. For most of the film, she's wearing only the clothes on her back the day she runs off. It's a simple cotton blouse, a circle skirt, a tiny scarf, a pair of kitten heels and one great haircut. Watch the movie again and note all the ways she changes it up.

Image from Thoughts on Film

In her biography, someone on the set of that film said she did the same thing in real life- with only three simple pieces, she could make a thousand different looks. Scarf on head, scarf round neck, scarf tossed over shoulders, scarf as belt. (Lesson learned. Scarves are your secret weapon!) Shirt tied at waist, tucked in, sleeves rolled up, collar down, collar flipped and so on and so forth. (Who knows what one can really do to a skirt or pants?)

If she could do it, so could I. (Okay, not in three pieces, but baby steps!) I packed items that don't rumple or wrinkle easily and could serve dual purposes. They also had to be easy to wash and hang in a hotel sink if need be. (I find chiffon & microfibers are the best for this!)

Here is my packing list for this trip:

Tops: One striped shirt (It's Europe after all!), Coral Pink Cardigan, Floral Print Cardigan (don't you miss Isaac Mizrahi for Target?) Blue, Pink & Black Tank top (for overtime as workout gear, pjs & layering pieces!)
Bottoms: Skinny Blue Jeans, Khaki Skirt

Dresses: Denim sheath dress- can double as skirt, Black & White polka dot chiffon dress- can double as a top if you are really determined to stuff it into jeans!


Accessories: Assorted Baubles, Black & White Skinny Belts, Red & Blush silk flower pins, Rainbow Striped, Floral Print and Blue Ombre Silk Scarves

Shoes: Black Ballet Flats, Black Heels, White Sandals, The Requisite-But-Irredeemably-Ugly-Tennis-Shoes-That-Immediately-Brand-You-"Tourist!" I'm glad I had them, especially on our day trip to Bratislava.

Misc: 2 pairs yoga shorts for Bikram class (doubling as pjs), 2 pairs sports bras, 1 swimsuit (as yet, only item remaining unused!), bras & undies & pretty camisole romper pjs Not pictured: 1 hot yoga towel, toiletries, Foldable tote bag, Fancy Camera, Passport

Things I wish I'd brought:

Pair of sweatpants for lounging around in after a long day of hoofing it from sight to sight. A jacket was a major oversight- my white denim jacket would have been ideal, but a blazer would have worked too. The girls here are all wearing theirs a bit over-sized with the sleeves rolled up nonchalantly. I love it. A sun hat was especially missed in Rome.

One Blonde Girl mentioned that a carry on leaves me no room for acquisitions. Never fear! This light list actually left me a bit of wiggle room in my luggage and some books I've ditched along the way also cleared out space. I'll share my purchases in another post.

What are your go to pieces when you travel?

Visiting Vienna: Our Flat!

First order of business on arrival in Vienna? Laundry. (Did I mention we each packed nothing but a carry-on for this six week adventure?)

Second order of business? Removing the terrifying artwork (The bosoms, primary colors AND cubism were a bit much for me.) for safekeeping under the Murphy bed.

We have yet to fold it up, but I think we may have some friends over for dinner, in which case we'll definitely need the room! Note the twin duvets on the queen sized bed. An interesting European phenomenon which has it's logic- no one can steal the covers and leave the other shivering in the night- but makes for a funny looking made bed.



It's a tiny place, but we have a great location with much of the landmarks in this very walkable city only a few blocks away. (Thanks as always to that talented Eric!) I've enjoyed living in such a tiny space- cleaning up is a cinch and everything is easy to find. I also like the Goldilocks sensation of just right- not too much, not too little.

However, I think this is a trade off I'd only be willing to make if I had a city at my disposal for those times when I start to feel a bit stir crazy. No doubt this is how Viennese cafe culture got it's start- they really do feel like communal living rooms but with a pastry case and those wooden library holders on the newspapers. I'd also do it in exchange for life at sea or on the open road. But in rural Hawaii? I think I need just a tad more space- if only for parties! We'll see how things shake out when we return to our island.

Have you ever lived in a tiny studio? What were the pluses in your mind? The minuses?