Dear readers,
It’s been a while since I’ve shared one of these packing breakdowns, but my recent trip to Sardinia feels like a good time to bring it back. I packed relatively little, every piece got multiple wears, and I ended up with outfits that felt refreshingly varied in both mood and style. Success!
This pack felt novel to me because for the past eleven years, summer holidays have been kid-friendly affairs: casual outfits, early meals, and far too early bedtimes. This time, though, it was just me and my millennial baby sister spending quality time together. So special! We were still travelling at a relaxed pace, but now I could actually linger over dinner and even stay out late! Perhaps no biggie for you, but it is for me! (My husband and boys are back in Canada, and I’ll be joining them next week.)
So what did I pack?
Well, before opening my suitcase, I did what I always do: mentally work through the thorough questions in my In Moda Veritas Packing Primer to make sure every piece made sense.
As for the pieces themselves:
What I noticed
A typical family-holiday suitcase is almost entirely Column A foundational pieces and nary a piece from Column B because, let’s face, where would I be going?
But, hark! A child-free summer getaway has finally tipped the scales. This time, the ratio of Column A to Column B pieces was roughly 2:1.
The result was a surprisingly broad range of outfits. There were foundational pieces to reflect the casual nature of the trip, with just enough personality pieces to create outfits that feel distinct for dressier occasions — all in a relatively compact suitcase.
This pack reinforced something I’ve been saying for years. Recall what I wrote in Part 1 of my How To Build A Foundational Wardrobe series: that foundational pieces anchor you to your style as you build out your wardrobe.
Because of their inherently versatile nature, Column A foundational pieces work effortlessly with one another, forming the backbone of a wardrobe.
Where they really prove their worth, though, is when you begin introducing less versatile Column B pieces: the hot red lingerie dress you inexplicably fell in love with, the ruched mini skirt you sought out in Miami, that second-hand rainbow fringed cape that’s on nobody’s trend list. Y’know, the pieces that can easily become one-outfit wonders, or that you end up wearing in only one way.
A strong foundational wardrobe prevents that. It gives your more expressive pieces something dependable to play against, multiplying their outfit potential.
Another way to think about the concept is by levels:
Level 1 = foundational piece + foundational piece. Minimal effort, all the pieces work with each other. Summer examples here.
Level 3 = personality piece + personality piece. Potentially the most interesting combinations, but putting them together takes time, skill, and confidence.
Level 2 = foundational piece + personality piece. WAY easier to put together than Level 3, but with noticeably more character than Level 1. And therein lies power of your foundational pieces. They allow you to enjoy interesting clothes far more often because you always have something reliable to pair them with.
Now for examples using my Sardinia outfits!
My travel outfit is a classic Level 1 look. I could just as easily have substituted this navy tee for any other tee, tank, or shirt — as I did when I ran to the grocery store or lounged around the house.
Another no-brainer Level 1 outfit:
Here’s where we begin inching into Level 2. Simply adding a printed scarf at the waist transforms an otherwise straightforward outfit. I could tie it this way because of the extra-high side slit on the shirt.
That same shirt became an anchor for another Level 2 outfit.
As I mentioned in my last letter, I tried on — and then returned the following day to buy — a dress so unlike anything I usually wear that it may end up in a future Buying Mistakes newsletter. It reveals far more skin than I’m used to, and I’m not even sure I’d wear it around the city on its own. Throwing an oversized shirt over it, however, instantly makes it feel more like me.
But I did wear it on its own for night of solo clubbing!
Another easy Level 2 outfit: my ruched Tory Burch mini skirt grounded with just a simple grey tee.
Now we’re firmly in Level 3. This combination wasn’t pre-planned; it revealed itself when I noticed the scarf and skirt lying beside one another in my suitcase.
A little too much skin for me, so I threw a semi-sheer cape on top. I had other plans for this cape, but they didn’t materialize. Another time!
Another Level 3 outfit, again built around my Tory Burch skirt:
I also had two Level 2 back-up outfits on deck for this cape — with foundational pieces I had packed for this trip. These are outfits from last year:
For more ways to wear a rather niche fringed rainbow cape, see my article from last year, Swimwear In The City.
Finally, Column C: beachwear. I rotated three swimsuits and two cover-ups over the course of two weeks.
Back next week with my favourite places to visit in Sardinia!
Alla prossima,
Irene
Pieces referenced:
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