it's in the bag

[via]

welcome to part two of the packing chronicles!

cosmetics are set, now for fitting everything in a carry-on bag!

1. check the weather. 
for me, this is easy: 80s and sunny, still warm in the evenings.

2. assess what your days and nights have in store for you, and whether there are any special dress code situations.

my trip looks like this:

day: beach

night: cocktails, dinner, more cocktails

for daytime, i'm thinking a bathing suit with a cover-up. at night, white jeans and a top one night and a dress the second night, although i will throw in an extra top in case i change my mind!

one key idea that i try to stick to is limiting your color palette to one solid neutral, like black or navy. if you start mixing things around too much (black AND navy AND brown) you end up with more items and a very full bag.

i also like to limit shoes since they're bulky. 

for a beach getaway, this is easy: sandals!

add some underwear, some pajamas, and my cosmetic bag and this is what i'm packing!
the overnight bag pictured is not part of my repertoire, but i love the simplicity of it, and it's monogrammed!

obviously, it's easier to pack for a long weekend at the beach than for a week-long business trip, but i do think the secret lies in eliminating multiple neutrals in favor of choosing one to accent with color/metallics.

do you have any packing secrets?

UPDATE: i had just washed my white jeans and they were too damp to put in the bag last night. i realized on the train to work this morning that i forgot them! NO PANTS! looks like i need to make an emergency trip to j.crew...