Admittedly, this is not a fall email.

I know, I know.

It’s September, you’re thinking about boots and layers, and I promise I am too. Cold weather is coming to this newsletter in a big way, because I’m getting ready for 3 months in Northern Italy in October.

You’re going to get every lesson I learn, every week, for the next three months. (and every outfit and packing list too!)

But first I need to close a chapter. Because something happened this year that I’m still a little proud of, and I think there are many packing lessons in there.

In late January, I packed my little 20 inch carry-on for 8 months.

We knew we were going to Mexico. That was it. No confirmed cities past the first one, no idea if we’d be at the beach, in the mountains, or at a nice dinner on a random Tuesday. I had 48 hours, and I packed something like 8 tops, 6 bottoms, 2 dresses, a couple of layers, and 3 pairs of shoes.

That little bag went through Mérida, Playa del Carmen, San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Vallarta, then Colorado, Chicago, and Kentucky. Eight months. Same clothes.

And here’s what I want you to know:

It worked. Not “I survived it.” It worked.

I had something to wear for every single situation and activity, and I never once stood in front of that suitcase feeling like I had no options.

Now, here’s why I’m telling you this.

You’re not packing for eight months. You’re packing for 10 days, maybe 2 or 3 weeks. And somewhere in your head there’s a little voice going “12 pieces can’t possibly be enough.”

I know that voice. I've had that voice too.

So this email is for that voice. Because you don’t have to take my word for it anymore. You can take the suitcase’s word.

Here’s what made eight months work, and exactly how you can do the same thing for your next trip.

1️⃣ I packed for the weather, not the cities

I couldn’t make a list of destinations, I didn’t have one. So I made a list of conditions instead: warm to hot, lots of walking, some beach, a few dressier dinners and outdoor activities.

That one list covered a colonial city, a beach town, a cooler highland city with chilly evenings, and a family visit in Chicago. Because “warm plus casual plus a few nice moments” doesn’t change when the city does.

💡 What does this mean for you? Make your own list of weather and activities before you pack. Not cities. Something like: "cool mornings, warm afternoons, lots of walking, two nice dinners, one day on a boat." Five or six things, max.

Then every piece you pack has to serve that list, and nothing else. That's how you stop packing for "Paris" (which could mean anything) and start packing for what you'll actually be doing there.

2️⃣ Everything went with everything

This is the one that kept the outfits interesting. Every piece worked with every other piece, so the outfits just kept coming.

​This cotton gauze shirt went open over a tank, half buttoned with linen pants, and tied at the waist over a black dress. ​

​My scoop neck tanks went with literally everything. Same 22 pieces, new combinations, for eight full months! That's the longest I've been with just one carry-on.

💡 What does this mean for you? Before a piece goes in the bag, hold it up against your other pieces and count. If it only works with one thing, it should not be part of your travel wardrobe. It’s a single outfit taking up space.

Aim for every top working with every bottom, plus a couple of accessories that change the whole look. That’s how 12 pieces become 20+ outfits.

3️⃣ The comfortable pieces got worn the most (surprise, surprise!)

I packed my beloved tapered linen pants expecting them to be the winner, and for the hottest months they were.

But once the weather changed, these black ponte pants took over and never gave the spot back. Just as comfortable, zero wrinkles, and they went from walking all day, straight to a nice dinner.

Here's why: linen is a warm weather pant. Ponte works in April in San Miguel with a tank, and in October in Italy with a sweater and boots. Same pants, every season. (Yes, they're coming to Italy with me)

Same with shoes. I packed three pairs... for 8 months: my white slides, my white sneakers, and my platform sandals for cobblestones. Ladies, I promise you can do this too for a 2-week trip. I'm not special. When you have no choice, you just get dressed with what you have and learn to love it.

💡 What does this mean for you? Comfort is what decides which pieces you'll actually want to wear, so test for it at home before you pack. Wear the pants for a full day of your normal life: sitting, walking, driving, eating. If you're pulling at the waistband by 3pm or can't wait to change when you get home, they don't belong in your suitcase.

Shoes get the same test: a full day on your feet, before the trip. Not a lap around the house. A whole day. If you skip this, your feet will let you know around 2pm on day one of your vacation.

4️⃣ The fabrics held up

Linen, cotton, and ponte. That’s most of what I packed, and they went through eight months of Airbnb washers plus a couple of sketchy wash and folds I’d rather not think about.

💡 What does this mean for you? You’ll wash once, maybe twice. If a fabric survived eight months of my laundry situation, it will survive a hotel sink or a laundromat in Florence.

Stick with linen, cotton, ponte, and merino for the pieces you’ll wear the most, and skip anything with a “dry clean only” tag. You’re on vacation. You don’t need a blouse that needs babysitting. (unless you do want to take it to the dry cleaners, which do exist *almost* everywhere I've been to)

The exception to this is cashmere. It's high maintenance, but you won't have to wash it during your trip 😉

5️⃣ One piece can do two (or more) jobs

I never packed a beach cover up. So a button down shirt and my gingham linen skort dress quietly took the job. The dress has built in shorts, so I could hop in and out of boats. Plus, it was so versatile. I also wore it for several dinners styled with sandals and accessories.

And then one beach hopping day I wrapped myself in a towel, walked off, and left it on a beach somewhere in Puerto Vallarta. I still think about that dress.

💡 What does this mean for you? Find the piece on your list that could do two or more jobs, and let it work hard!

Some dresses can also be a cover up. A great one can be styled with sandals for dinner, sneakers for every day adventures and tights, boots + a sweater over it! (you'll see how I'm going to continue doing that with this silk dress that has already been on plenty of trips with me, and it's going to Italy too!)

A button down is a top and a layer. A black dress is a walking dress with sneakers and a dinner dress with sandals. Every time a piece does at least two jobs, that’s one item you get to leave home. And every item you leave home is a little more room for the trip itself.

6️⃣ I gave myself one swap

Back in January I knew we’d be in the US for five days in April. So I made a mental note: if I’m missing something, I’ll grab it then. That one note took SO much pressure off packing day.

And I did use it. That’s when I picked up this black dress, which ended up being one of the most useful pieces of the whole year.

Side note: the black dress is always sold out, so if you want it and see it, snag it. It's a great alternative to this Spanx Air Essentials dress ($138) for a fraction of the price ($49)

💡 What does this mean for you? You’re not flying to the moon. You’re going somewhere with stores.

Pack with confidence, yes. But also give yourself permission to pick up one thing if you truly need it. Most of the time you won’t. But knowing you can is what stops the “what if” pile from taking over your suitcase the night before.

So that’s how eight months in one bag actually went.

Not scrappy. A little bored around month six, sure. But rarely counting the days until I could see my closet again.

Seven places, one 20 inch suitcase, and something to wear every single day.

And listen. If I can do this for eight months, you can absolutely do it for 10 days or 3 weeks. I’m not saying that to be cute. I’m saying it because the exact same six lessons that carried me through Mexico and the US will carry you through Paris, Italy or a river cruise.

Your trip might be shorter, but the rules are the same:

1️⃣ Pack for the weather and activities, not the city.

2️⃣ Every piece works with every other piece.

3️⃣ Comfort wins. Test it at home first.

4️⃣ Choose the right fabrics.

5️⃣ Every piece does at least two jobs.

6️⃣ Leave the "what ifs" at home. There are stores where you're going.

I know you can do this. You've already taken the first step because you're here reading this email!

Now it's time to execute. You’ve got this 👏🏼

XO,

Aimara

Are you new to this newsletter? Read this!

So... hi :) welcome ♥️ I'm so excited that you're here trying to pack light while loving your vacation outfits! I'm OBSESSED with this stuff.

Today, I just wanted to share a small update.

This email list has grown a lot over the past couple of months, which I'm extremely grateful for. However, it has also made me realize how messy I set things up in the way I send my emails. This is too long to explain, but what it comes down to is that you are receiving more emails than you signed up for... and that's not something I'm doing on purpose.

I only send 2 emails that I write every week. This one on Thursdays which is usually styling related, and a travel/packing related one on Sundays.

I'm working on eliminating the other emails that get sent on auto. To be clear, I also wrote those and I set them up to be sent because I know they're valuable. But I understand they might be too much to process on a weekly basis. I get it.

So, if you're not interested in any personal styling tips and don't want to receive this Thursday email, click here. The click will delete you from this Thursday list. You will continue to receive Sunday's packing-related email.

That's it for now. Please know I'm working really hard behind the scenes to craft a good experience for you. It is my #1 goal that you learn how to pack light in a fun and easy way. I never meant to overwhelm you.