How I Packed for Savannah

Three tips that apply for any trip

Even though up I’ve spent most of my life living in the south, I sometimes feel a bit of a fake around my girlfriends who are also from the region. They just seem more southern than me. At least in manner of dress. The clothes more colorful, there’s usually some kind of flounce. Lip color is always applied. Me, the most southern thing about my clothes are my cowboy boots, and those are distinctly country—which is a whole other thing. The south’s a big place, y’all.

But when my friend

Rosalee

invited me to spend Easter with her family in Savannah, I welcomed the opportunity to dress my most southern, or at least my most southern sundress-wearing self. After such a cold winter in New York, and wearing mostly pants and blazers, I was ready for some breezier silhouettes. Discussing what we’d wear in the days leading up to the trip, I could practically feel the humidity on my face. My hair getting bigger. Styling the looks, I realized I felt pretty. Not something I normally think of when getting dressed, but gosh-darn-it, it was nice.

What emerged were three tips that apply to packing for any trip. Use them as a guide next time you’re traveling.

Figure Out the Most Important Outfit First

Get this out of the way so you know what you’re definitely bringing.

I started with what I’d wear for church. Originally I was thinking florals (for spring, groundbreaking), but then decided to style an outfit around this Mirth dress I’ve been dying to wear. My friend

Kathryn Worsham Humphries

introduced me to the Texas-based brand year ago, so when co-founder Katie me asked if I’d like to pick a few pieces from the new collection, I jumped at the chance because I’ve long-admired their ethically-made clothes designed with natural fabrics.

This dress was made for hot summer days—I envision slipping it on and letting my tan be the main accessory—but I also wanted to make it work for pale spring Robyn. Thinking of the outfit I helped

Erin Allweiss

style for her city hall wedding, I layered on a secondhand jacket that’s part of a set I bought from Lucia Zolea two years ago.

I usually wear the blazer without its belt, but I liked how the cinched waist juxtaposed the bubble hem. Now the dress was transformed into a skirt, one of my favorite styling tricks for travel because you get multiple outfits from a single garment.

Style Your Looks Around a One or Two Shoe/Bag Combos

I knew I’d wear my Easter outfit with these red Emme Parson heels because they’re my dainty dressy shoes. I debated whether to buy them for months because of the price, but I’m so glad I did because they feel like the stilettos I lust after, and I can walk in them. Essential for taking the subway. I wear them all the time.

Then I pulled my Dior bag from The Vintage Riot. I went back and forth on this one too, but after chatting with my friend and The Vintage Riot’s owner Mila, I realized that the investment was worth it for me because the bag’s print and shape go with almost all my spring/summer clothes. That’s the key when deciding whether to purchase something. Does it work for YOU? Your taste, your life, your budget? No influencer, writer, or brand can tell you that ;)

The final touch were these 1950s deadstock gloves I bought on Etsy years ago. I got them without an occasion in mind, just knew I liked them, trusting that I’d find a reason to wear them. They always make me feel ladylike, but in a very me way.

Having determined my “Most Important Outfit,” I made all my dressier looks work with this shoe/bag combo, instead of bringing in more stuff. No checked bags for me!