This is the second of two videos we made recently talking through what to pack for travel. The first suggested clothes for a three-day trip - basically wearing one outfit and packing another, but with every piece interchangeable. This second one expands it for a seven-day trip.
As with all the 'travel capsule' posts, the assumption is that you want the maximum number of outfits from the minimum number of clothes. Either because you get a lot of satisfaction out of solving that conundrum or (more likely) because being a PS reader you love clothes and want to wear as many things as possible.
I hope you find it useful. Do shout with any questions in the comments below. Thanks to Globe-Trotter for lending us their space upstairs in the lovely Burlington Arcade store.
For other examples of travel articles, see:
- My Japan travel capsule
- Emilie's travel capsule
- What I pack when I travel
- What I pack when I travel - on holiday
The clothes shown are listed at the end of the video. If you need any more details, do ask below
Another well timed video and great advice but I don’t have loafers!
Now a question – a bit off topic, sorry:-
While shoes are a personal choice, I need some help here?
My shoes from the oldest:- excluding trainers.
Barker – Derby- very light tan – leather soles -15 years old & a great fit but getting battered.
Crockett & Jones – Bradford – Derby – Chestnut – good if not perfect fit – about 6 years old in great condition.
G&G – Regent – Oxford in Dark Brown Hatchgrain – too tight in the toe box – not suited for long walks- wensum sole. Next pair will hopefully rectify that.
Intended next project :-very dark brown/black oxfords or lazyman – wensum sole or…. what would be your choice Simon?
Well it’s always going to depend a lot on how you dress Lindsay, eg here do you need something more casual like a boot or a loafer? Those would be the obvious gaps to me if you wanted a collection that went across a range of types of clothing.
I would be a dresser with a formal leaning bias eg:- Dress with a formal look : dark navy jacket/ blazer and maybe even a bow tie which’s I love and grey whipcord trousers down to smart casual. Even dark Blackhorse jeans at the very bottom of my casual capsule.
So, what shoes for smart casual then?
I’d say some loafers or chukka boots in a dark-brown leather or suede
What about Chelsea boots.I love that style?
Many thanks
Lindsay
Yes they’re good too, just keep in mind they can look a little flash, so consider dialling down other aspects if you don’t want that – eg suede not leather, less pointy toe etc
Many thanks for great advice.
For trips which involve air travel specifically; given the expense and inconvenience of checking in a suitcase at an airport, I would quite often just travel with hand luggage. This limitation of available space presents several challenges, in particular, if you are traveling to places where you require more than just shorts and a t-shirt! You need to wear your bulky items on your outward and inward journeys, take one pair of shoes, and interchangeability of outfits is key!
Very true Graham – there was a fair bit on this on the first packing video we did, in case you (or others) didn’t see that.
But could you really travel for a full week on cabin luggage? I would find it impossible without starting to wash the clothes as I use them, and the inconvenience of that far outweighs the inconvenience of checking in a suitcase, at least in my mind.
It depends on the airline and class of travel. I have traveled to Australia / South America from Europe with only carry-on luggage (2 bags 8Kg each plus a laptop bag in business class / first class). It is tricky for business travel but here is my list:
One navy suit, one grey/charcoal suit/one extra light/dark grey trousers, and one chino (no jeans). The navy suit jacket doubles as a blazer with grey trousers or chino. An extra dark brown /navy jacket and khaki/grey or other color trousers can be worn on journey.
7 shirts, two t-shirts, two undershirts for sleeping (or I keep the pajamas given by airlines). Plus, lounge/lightweight stretch top and bottom for sleeping if airlines do not give pajamas to change in airport lounge / in plane.
8 socks/underpants, 3 ties.
Two shoes, black and dark brown/oxblood, cap toe oxfords (extra loafer / ultralight sneaker in warm weather or going for walks).
If you intend to wash shirts/socks etc then it is even easier, but I rarely go for that for upto 7 day trips.
Travelling to USA with a US based airline generally has no weight limit for carry on luggage, so for example a Tumi carry on with suiter, can pack all that plus extra shoes/T-shirts for 7-10 day trip.
In winter, I sometimes a larger check-in bag for heavier tweed / flannel suits / jackets, sweaters and scarves, or to pack an overcoat.
for summer and private casual travel, it is a lot easier, with light t-shirts / linen shirts and light weight linen or Fresco trousers replacing business shirts and suits, and only a light navy suit, / only jacket to pack with a brown or khaki as extra that can be worn during journey.
Cheers
PN
Sounds good, yet I am not convinced of the “convenience” of packing light. Especially if you are traveling business or first, the checked in luggage is already paid for, and the cost of a taxi to the hotel is negligible in comparison to the plain ticket.
I also find that I need more than one change of clothes per day on hotter climates, I would not go for dinner on the clothes I wore all day.
I live in Singapore, I travel almost every week all the time both in Asia and to Europe, and I avoid more and more to check-in my suitcase. This allows me to save time at arrival and avoid the risk of me suitcase to be lost or miss a connection. I use an aluminium Rimowa cabin plus, which is perfectly OK for business class and a bit borderline for economy, and if you’re good at Tetris you can manage to pack two suits, an extra sports jacket, shirts for the week, an extra pair of jeans, underwear, a sweater and even a sports attire. I wear casual when traveling (jeans, t-shirt, jumper, sneakers), and combining all these different clothes together I manage to have both formal, casual, and smart casual looks for the week. Also, I always put an Airtag in each carry-on luggage, to make sure I can track it if lost or forgotten somewhere.
Gilles, I admire your carry-on packing skills! Indeed, the Rimowa Cabin Plus would not be accepted as carry-on in most economy cabins, at least here in Europe. I have the regular Rimowa carry-on which holds…very little. Especially if you want a change of shoes. Safe travels!
Count me in your group Dario! I confess I’m puzzled by the current obsession with packing light. Even flying economy, a checked bag doesn’t cost all that much, and lost luggage is actually quite rare–especially if you toss in one of those inexpensive tracking devices they sell today. (I realize knowing your bag is in Helsinki while you’re in Madrid is cold comfort, but really how often does that happen?)
Moreover, checking a bag saves you from fighting for overhead bin space. It gives you space for shoes, which are the Waterloo of carry-on luggage, and more choices in outfits, as Simon demonstrates in this video. And it is no more difficult to roll a full-size bag than a carry-on from a taxi (or bus or train) up to the baggage counter.
Unless you’re a student backpacking across South America or the most budget-minded of travelers, checking a full-size bag seems well worth the marginal expense. I may be preaching to the choir in this forum…
Shoes are the Waterloo of carry-on luggage. Amazing.
Hey Simon
Have you lost weight since you got your Anthology herringbone made? It looks roomier on you then it used to. Or have you had it altered to accommodate more underneath?
Jackson
It has been let out a little bit, yes (as many of my things have)
Hi Simon. Would you mind sharing who you trusted to make the alterations to your clothes? I have the opposite problem of needing to have many items taken in………..Thanks
There’s a list here of all the people we recommend
Simon, you’ve done a number of articles on how things age before; I would be curious to see how the Globe-Trotter cases age, especially after the rigours of air travel. I seem to recall you use a Rimowa case? Have you also been using a Globe-Trotter?
I have actually done that, Ferdinand. If you search you’ll see ones in that How Great Things Age series on Globe-Trotter.
However, that was back in 2010, so a long time ago. I do mostly use Rimowa these days, but mostly because my old Globe-Trotter case was not that practical (no handle, small wheels). At some point I do plan to try and refurb it with the updates and see how that does. They do some really great refurb work on archive cases
Thanks, Simon. I found the 2010 article. Would certainly be interested to read about refurb in the future.
OK noted, thanks Ferdinand
No worries if you can’t but I’d really appreciate it if you included a transcript for your videos. This is a personal hang-up but I prefer to consume written content rather than video (which necessarily requires more attention and uses sound). Thanks!
No worries Mike, thank you and noted. At least the vast majority of content of the site is written!
would also give my thumb up for that. Still the video is great 🙂
Hey Simon
You seam to wear these piccadillys in black utah calf quite often lately.
Would you say they’ll be even more versatile in black suede?
Assuming one has already those in brown suede.
Yes you’re right – they go quite well between tailoring and casual-chic things like chinos with knits, or jackets with black jeans.
I actually have a pair in black suede and don’t wear them anywhere near as much. Black suede just looks more dramatic, smarter yet also more unusual. It’s a hard combination. I would like a pair of unlined Dovers in black suede, because the brown ones I have are so comfortable, but I’m not sure if black suede would be that useful even in that style
Correct me if I am wrong, Simon, but I saw your IG story of you walking down Jermyn Street in Piccadilly in a black calf. How do you find them relative to your black Utah?
That was the black utah actually
Are there any styles of black suede that would become more useful?
I like the idea but dont want another pair of novelty shoes. Your last reader profile’s casual inc black suede loafers with combats which others claimed worked (but they didnt understand why) but was an outfit that didnt work in my mind.
For reasons outside of my control black has become an unwelcome notable element and rather than resist I may as well embrace.
I think they worked more with Niyi because it was not a smart style of shoe, and because he was deliberately playing with a lot of contrast.
Black suede would be easier in something like a split-toe derby, but if you want to look at black in general I’d go for a grain like by EG ones to be honest
Hi Simon,
I have been considering adding (steel) toe taps to my shoes, do you do so yourself?
I seem to be wearing down the toes of my shoes abnormally quickly, making them require a resole after 1-2 years due to the wear.
My cobbler advised against toe taps, as he claimed that the welt underneath would be damaged by the screws one needs to insert, though I find that a bit far fetched.
What is your experience with these?
Would be good to know.
It depends how they are done – if a good place does it, no the welt won’t be damaged. You cut away a part of the sole rather than screwing on top.
I do use them on most shoes, yes, as I also wear my toes down quickly
Just wondering what you wear on the plane. Do you usually stow tailoring in an overhead compartment? I did have an unfortunate incident last year in which the pillow of the person sitting in front of me somehow fell onto my tray table, knocking over a glass of red wine, and splatting me and the person sitting next to me… Fortunately, my sports jacket was in the overhead, but my cream color jeans got splattered with red wine… It was a freak accident but I’ve since gotten a lot more cautious.
I usually have my jacket folded above, folded in my bag, or hung on the little hangers on the seats (on flights that have them)
Hey Simon,
what about shirts and t-shirts? How many and which ones would you choose? I tend to pack blue shirts mostly, both solid and striped in more robust clothes like oxford. I also like denim BD and chambray for more casual outfits. What do you think?
Hey. I talk about that in the first video, if you have a look. White oxford, white tee, blue denim and/or pink oxford with a set like this
Hi Simon,
Useful as ever! But what would be your attire for flying out?
This one or anything fairly similar? See here: https://www.permanentstyle.com/2014/06/clothes-for-travel.html
Loafers yet again?!
John
Thanks. On the plane probably loafers yes, sorry! At least on the plane there is the excuse that they’re easy to get on and off.
These days I might be more likely to fold a blazer inside a bag and travel in a more casual jacket, but of course it depends on what you need when you get there
Hi Simon, I find it interesting that you like loafers for plane trips so much. I noticed that my feet tend to swell a bit during flights, especially past the 10-hour mark or so, hence I always wear laced shoes or trainers so I can loosen the laces a bit when needed. Would’ve been disastrous if I took my loafers off to sleep and I can’t put them back on when I arrive at the destination!
Ah yes, very true. That does happen to me, but I find the swelling subsides pretty quickly and it’s less if I move around the plane and so on.
On most work trips I have, a trainer wouldn’t be something I would be bringing with me, and an oxford isn’t much better for swelling I don’t find
Always interested to see how you approach packing, Simon.
I’m not too convinced on the black washed trousers with the brown jacket, but maybe it’s just me
I can see that Magnus – is it washed black jeans in general, or particularly with that colour of jacket? (I have examples of the former but not the latter I can link to)
Washed black denim is great. For me it’s just the colour with the jacket. Even though they are washed and not a stark black, I just can’t get on board with the pairing of black and brown (except in a few limited cases).
I am really not into rigid or traditional clothing rules, but this is the one thing that always looks somehow wrong to my eyes. Perhaps my viewpoint will change with continued exposure!
I think the amount they’re washed and the colour of those old nineties denims makes the colour closer to charcoal than black, which is why they work
I’m waiting for “how to pack for a three hour tour”, with advice on dressing like Gilligan (bucket hat, rugby shirt, etc.)
Hi!
Great video. I especially liked watching you wear the Anthology jacket. It looks even better on video compared to the still photos. Which made me think: Could it be an idea to film yourself wearing different jackets so that readers could get a better sense of how the jackets actually flow and move around while wearing?
Hey,
Yes we’re actually doing that more these days. We did one recently on Instagram if you look on Reels, and will do more going forward
I do find it interesting to see you chose navy trousers, I seem to remember at least in the past you would recommend something other than navy to many readers as you said they were less versatile. Has your view on this changed or is it just something you’d recommend but further along once you have the more versatile greys and browns?
They are less versatile than others in the wardrobe as a whole, yes – we covered that in detail here.
But in the context of this particular capsule, where we want a smarter alternative to the navy jeans, that works in the same way as them but smarter, they’re useful
These are fantastically helpful! What I like is that the choices also inform the basics one should consider when building a basic wardrobe for versatility. The question: I need a quality suitcase for travel that can accommodate both 3-day and 7-day trips, and Globe Trotter will be my my choice. So: (1) I notice GT Carry-ons come in at least three different sizes: what size is pictured in the videos –or, what size would you recommend to accommodate both a 3 and 7-day capsule — or does it matter? And (2) it appears the Burlington model featured is only available in their store, and not online (I live in LA) — any recommendations for next closest model? Thank you, Simon!
Hey David,
On the sizes, I’m not actually sure, I’m not so familiar with them. Best to ask the team there I think. They are very helpful.
And I believe the Burlington is mostly a question of particular colours, so most other colours are very similar, you’re just going for a different colour combination.
Thank you, Simon: very helpful. Cheers!