Creating Christmas vacation packing list can be a huge headache but don’t fret! This super stylish but very practical winter holiday packing list was designed by our November Travel Expert, Paul Julch, a personal wardrobe stylist and an owner of a style company, Urbanite|Suburbanite.
To simplify your search for the actual clothes, shoes, bags and accessories items in line with Paul’s guidelines below, I created Christmas Vacation Packing List in my Amazon store – check it out!
“The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming.” If that thought has been going through your head since the beginning of September, I’ve got news for you. THE HOLIDAYS ARE ALMOST HERE. And if you have holiday travel on your agenda, there are a bunch of things to think about – how will you get there, will you bring or ship the gifts, do you need to bring food, how will you survive a day with your cousins, is Aunt Linda coming (and do you need a gift for her?), etc. So, the last thing you need to worry about is winter holiday packing.
Luckily, I’ve got a somewhat foolproof method for creating your Christmas vacation packing list (or any other trip you’re taking this season). It entails one main strategy, with some key tips to make this strategy work. So, if you’re ready to create a holiday travel capsule that makes you feel festive and stylish AND avoids bringing too much, check out my sample wardrobe for ideas and inspiration. And don’t forget to read to the end, for my most important tips for creating your winter holiday packing list.
START WITH ONE OUTFIT
It’s that simple – start your winter holidays packing list with one complete outfit (including shoes and outerwear) that you’d like to wear on your trip. But keep in mind, the items you choose need to be versatile – this isn’t the time to pick the sweater that only goes with a specific pair of pants. Instead, choose a top that works with at least a couple of bottoms that you’d like to bring for the holidays. In this case, I picked a super fun blue/green cheetah print sweater, black jeans (that you can dress up or down) and a cobalt wool coat.
TAKE A PIECE FROM THE FIRST OUTFIT
Now is when it gets fun. Grab an item from the first outfit on our winter holiday packing list, like the cheetah sweater. Then make another outfit with it, without using any other pieces from the first outfit. Something to keep in mind as you select styles is that a tight color palette makes this process easier, since things will naturally go together. I like to pick two neutrals and a pop color – for this Christmas vacation packing list, we’ll use black and white as the neutrals, and cobalt blue as the ‘pop’ (with a hit of green, just for giggles).
TAKE ANOTHER PIECE (OR TWO) FROM THE FIRST OUTFIT
Now it’s time to use the other styles from the first outfit – so I’m taking the black jeans and cobalt coat, and putting them with an easy plaid sweater. And now that I’ve exhausted everything from the very first outfit, it’s time to move on to the next step on our winter holiday packing list.
START MIXING AND MATCHING
If you stick with versatile styles and a tight palette, things will start naturally going together. The plaid sweater from the third outfit goes with the cobalt stretch pants, poncho and flats from the second outfit – essentially, all I did was switch out the tops. And to make more outfits, you simply continue the process – pick an item from your closet within the color palette, mix and match it with what you already have in your bag, and so on.
So far, we’ve focused on casual daytime looks, but if your holiday plans include dressier occasions, check out the next outfit for what else you need on your Christmas vacation packing list.
SELECT DAY TO NIGHT STYLES
An embellished top is ideal for any festive party, so pick one that works with a bottom already in your suitcase. An off-the-shoulder blouse might be a nighttime-only choice for you – but the jeans and cobalt coat work any time of day. And of course, you’ll have accessories that only function for evening, but choose ones that coordinate with different evening outfits, like a silver clutch, drop earrings and sassy black booties.
And if you’ve chosen wisely, you can dress down the off-the-shoulder blouse for a party that’s just as festive, but a bit more casual.
DOUBLE DUTY PIECES
You may have some double duty styles already in your wardrobe, so this is the time to choose them for your winter holiday packing list! This turtleneck sweater is a tunic with skinny jeans (or leggings), or a short dress with textured tights and sexy booties.
Other styles that can do double duty (and therefore multiply your outfit possibilities) are a cardigan that works over a blouse, but also as a top when buttoned up. Or a sleeveless knit dress that’s fine on its own, but looks like a skirt when you throw a sweater over it. Double duty styles are super helpful in ensuring your Christmas vacation packing list doesn’t get too big.
SPECIAL OCCASION ONE-OFFS
If your holiday agenda includes a dressy cocktail party or New Years’ Eve bash, this is when you can break the rules of versatility – but just with the main piece. This colorful lace dress is a showstopper that you may only wear once during your trip – but by pairing it with the cobalt coat, black booties and accessories that you’ve already worn, you’re not wasting any space in your luggage.
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?
So that’s it – a winter holiday packing list with 5 casual daytime looks and 4 fun and festive evening looks. And all the clothes you’re bringing are in the above image:
- 2 sweaters and 1 blouse
- 2 bottoms
- 2 dresses
- 1 coat and 1 (reversible) poncho
- 3 shoes – a pair of flats, flat booties for day and heeled booties for night
- 2 bags – a carry-everything tote and a clutch for evening
- Add a scarf, versatile jewelry and all your miscellaneous items, and you’re good to go!
GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW
And here are my guidelines for your Christmas vacation packing list that can make you feel totally pulled together and supremely stylish on your holiday trip, in a bag that doesn’t weigh more than your children (depending on their ages, of course!)
VERSATILITY: Check through the above outfits – outside of the lace dress, everything is wearable in different ways and with other items. And that’s the definition of versatility.
TIGHT COLOR PALETTE: As I’ve mentioned, limiting your colors to a couple of neutrals and a pop color (or two) will ensure that styles work together, without you having to try too hard. I added a hit of green in addition to cobalt, and that’s an easy way to add additional outfits to your Christmas vacation packing list – throw in a green turtleneck sweater and a pair of blue jeans, and you’ve got outfits to last you a few more days.
LAYERS: Selecting styles that you can wear over/under other things is key, especially in winter. And then you can layer differently for a completely new look. (Read this blog post to see how I layered a client’s short sleeve dress to get her through winter chill.)
COATS & SHOES: These are your most important choices, since they’re your bulkiest items. Choose these deliberately and sparingly based on your winter holiday travel agenda – my general shoe rule for a typical 5-7 day trip is 2 daytime shoes (to trade off) and 1 nighttime shoe. And ideally, 1 strategically chosen coat can meet all your Christmas vacation needs, 2 coats max (including the one you travel in).
BLANKET SCARF: And while we’re discussing coats – I often tell clients to add a large, warm scarf or poncho to their Christmas vacation packing list. It acts like a blanket while you’re traveling and a cape when it’s not too cold, and you can always layer it over another piece of outerwear when it’s absolutely frigid.
AVOID WRINKLES: No one (that I know) wants to iron on their Christmas vacation, so for your winter holiday packing list select styles that show minimal wrinkles. Sweaters and knits are more resistant to wrinkles than woven items, and prints are also much more forgiving than solids when it comes to showing packing creases.
PRECIOUS ITEMS IN YOUR CARRYON: If you’re flying and checking luggage, put anything that you can’t bear to lose in your carryon bag. This includes jewelry, irreplaceable items and anything that you’d be hard pressed to find if your luggage is lost or delayed. (My bag was once lost – but then found – in Rome, and I subsequently packed my carryon completely differently on the way home.)
If you want help creating your Christmas vacation packing list (or any trip throughout the year), click here to let me know! I prepare clients for all kind of travel, from work trips to tropical getaways to family gatherings. And if you’d like, we can create a few specific travel capsules that you can utilize over and over.
Safe travels and happy holidays!
ABOUT PAUL JULCH
Paul works with clients in-person in the SF Bay Area and virtually all over the world. With over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, coupled with degrees in Business and Clinical Psychology and his passion for clothing as a transformative tool, Paul not only has a decisive impact on his clients’ wardrobes, but on their lives. Paul works with clients to dress with confidence. He shows you how to create a wardrobe that aligns with your individual lifestyle, body type and budget, and provides you with the tools to make getting dressed everyday easier, less time consuming, and enjoyable every day.
P.S. If you would like to find identical or almost identical items for your winter holiday packing list as recommended by Paul, don’t forget to check out my Amazon’s Christmas Vacation Packing List.
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