Two Weeks in One Carry On - The Outfits

I'm back from Italy!  If you've been following me on Instagram, you had in inside look on my incredible trip - and how I managed to create a number of different outfits from the contents of a carry on luggage. 

I have to say - I'm a carry on convert.  Traveling light came in handy all throughout our trip - from not having to pay extra baggage charges in cabs, trains and airplanes, to being able to sail from one destination to the next without wasting time waiting for our luggage.  The hotel rooms in Italy, as all throughout Europe, are fairly tiny and traveling with one small carry on luggage was invaluable when trying to save space in tiny living quarters.  I just really enjoyed the time saved by traveling light, as well as the simplicity - I never had to think too hard about what to wear, since there were really only a few options!

What would I have done differently?

There isn't really much that I would have packed differently from the items that I brought - however, I did slightly underestimate the amount of tops that I would need.  I had no idea that it would still be so hot in Italy, so most of my colder-weather options did not get much use while my warmer weather skirts, t-shirt and tanks were on heavy rotation.  Thankfully I did do laundry halfway through my trip, so it wasn't a huge issue - however, packing more tops could have tided me over from having to do laundry at all.  It did force me to get a little creative throughout the trip - throw on a skirt on top of a dress and you have a substitute top!

What was I most happy to have with me?

Hands down, my boots and my hat were the stars of the packing show!  Italians love their boots, so packing my own helped me fit in substantially.  Boots are also crucial for walking on uneven cobblestone, as they provide a thick sole and lots of support for your feet - perfect for the streets of Rome and Florence!  My wide brim felt hat was also a lifesaver as it shielded me from the glaring sun during the day, and disguised my messy hair -  as we got more into the trip, my straightener was used less and less so a hat was a godsend!

I'm very happy that I chose to do a European vacation with only a carry on luggage, and I definitely encourage anyone else who has travel plans in the future to do the same.

In case you missed it: check out this post to see exactly what I packed for over 2 weeks in Italy in my carry on suitcase.

Happy to be back in Toronto, and back to blogging!

Have a great week,

xo Joëlle