how to pack for europe in the winter.

When we booked a last-minute trip to Europe at the holidays, my mind immediately when to every woman's question at hand: how in the world do you pack for a winter getaway an ocean away? We had to pack for ten days--and the list below captures nearly everything in my suitcase in the shoes and clothes spectrum.

For me, the hardest pieces to narrow down were the shoes. Looking semi-stylish while keeping comfort front of mind wasn't easy. In the summer, it is easy to pack a variety of lightweight sandals, but in the winter, the same solution does not apply. With my shoe choices, I had to think through my outfits in a way I didn't have to in the summer. In the end, I brought four pairs of shoes: a pair of versatile black boots, a weather-friendly {but light} pair of boots, an easy pair of sneakers, and a comfortable yet cute pair of wedges {similar here}. I only wore the sneakers twice, but I wore the black boots a ton. The weather-friendly boots made the rain easier to stomach--and would have worked wonders in the snow {if we'd had it}.

Choosing clothing wasn't much easier, but I played up the fact that my coat was visible most of the time. I stuck to a rather simple color scheme {lots of black and a few multipurpose pops of color}, but it worked! I packed some serious basics for tops: a few solid color sweaters, two basic button-downs {blue + white}, one chambray shirt, and a pair of tanks {black + white}. I ended up re-wearing almost everything, but before you start judging my cleanliness, remember that it wasn't sweaty summer weather and that we had the time to wash a few things in our hotel bathroom ;) On the pants front, I stayed simple as well {surprise, surprise}. I only packed one pair of jeans, two pairs of Pixie pants {charcoal gray + black}, and two pairs of Minnies {fun print + basic black}. For dressier nights, I did bring one dress {which I found on eBay!} and two "dressy" but lightweight tops. Throw on those wedges and a fancy top...and you're good to go for a night out on the town! Jewelry was also an easy way to jazz up an otherwise basic sweater or top. 

I made one big investment before the trip: a coat I would be happy to be photographed in the entire trip {similar found here}. Waterproof and warm, I knew I wouldn't be shivering as we saw the sights. I also packed one lighter jacket to wear on warmer days. {We had reasonable weather during our trip. It was definitely warmer than New England in December and January, though it did rain more than we expected}. My other suggestion would be to bring one set of winter wear accessories {i.e. hat, gloves, and scarf} which can work with both jackets. It will help cut down on the bulk in your suitcase.

There was a lot of J.Crew listed above, but it doesn't mean you need to go on a shopping spree before you fly to Europe {though it would be nice}. My takeaway was this: remember that you are essentially dressing for yourself. The people you pass on the street won't see your outfits. {I found that kind of freeing!} This definitely took the stress off my shoulders as I packed. This isn't a complete list, but it is a good starting point. I left off pajamas and undies because those are personal anyway ;) Thankfully, I never found myself aching for something I left at home this trip. VICTORY! I can't wait to share some actual photos from our trip soon! What other packing tips would you add to this list? xoxo {av}