sweet william: no checked bags: how to pack for a week away.

with april vacation coming up and, of course, the traveling that spring and summer brings with it, i thought i would show you how to make the most out of the space in your luggage. i documented the planning session i had with my dear friend, sara.

sara hallie richardson is a local singer and songwriter. she is so talented, she often gets asked to do shows in cool places like new york city. the only problem with that is how to pack. sara didn't want to check any luggage, but she wanted to have enough outfit options to feel good about being there for 5 days. this is where i come in.

here is what we started with:

one small empty suitcase.

our first order of business was to figure out exactly how many different outfit options she was going to need. we decided we would need outfits for each day, with either another option for evening or a way to turn that look into an evening outfit. we would also need one great outfit to wear on stage when she performed.

the next step is to try things on. a good tip here is to pull out a few items that you love and know you want to wear. you can then take these pieces and see if you can get multiple looks out of them.
for sara, we started with the most important outfit, the one for her show.

we picked out all the pieces, down to the accessories. this was an important outfit, but it also needed to have elements in it that could work again. the blazer would be a great layering option if the weather or plans changed. we also made sure to use shoes that would be worn again.

the rest of the outfits just need to be fun and a little bit fashion forward for new york city, but also fitting in with sara's personal style.

again, we packed pieces that could be worn again. we chose a single pair of jeans that could be worn more than once. we made sure they were a versatile color and ones that sara felt great in. this outfit was perfect to travel in but could also be dressed up a bit with the blazer or jacket we packed. the boots were comfortable and are one of a kind, so they not only looked cool, but were perfect to walk around the city in.

here we also did a bit of layering. you are going to get more looks out of what you pack when you are able to bring with you a lot of light layers. sara has on a blouse, a sweater and could easily throw on a jacket if needed. this outfit is good for day, but if you lose the sweater and add the heels, it is great for evening as well. the silk shirt has beautiful lace detail in the back that allows it to stand out on its own.

another thing to remember is 'how are things going to look after being in a suitcase?' this skirt is on trend and doesn't wrinkle. it is a great go to for a day look worn with flats and your favorite v-neck tee. you can also layering it with your chambray shirt and add detail & shape at your waist with a belt.

the same outfit gets dressed up for night by adding a leather jacket and a pair of heels. since sara usually wears the same accessories (things with meaning and things that go great with everything), she doesn't even need to pack them. she just wears them!

here is everything sara took with her: