Style Essentials: The ULTIMATE Packing List
Who doesn’t love traveling? I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that doesn’t love taking vacations and some time off. I absolutely love taking trips, but the thing I love the most about taking trips is packing! I get so excited about planning out my outfits and making sure that I have everything that I would possibly need for that trip. I know I’m not the only one who plans out their outfits before they go on a trip! Haha
I know a lot of you know that I will be traveling to New Orleans for Essence Festival in 2 days! Words can’t express how excited I am. I actually haven’t taken a trip in two years just because I am always so busy with work & makeup, so this trip is well needed! Since I love packing & planning so much, I thought I would share my ULTIMATE packing list with you guys! Keep reading down below & make sure you don’t forget anything on your next trip. ;)
Pick your luggage
First, I want to start off with luggage. There are many types of luggage to choose from when traveling & vacationing. Whenever you’re planning a trip, pick luggage that is versatile and best fits the type of trip you are going on and the amount of time you will be there. I will only be in New Orleans for 2 nights & 3 days, so I don’t need anything too bulky, but I wanted something big enough to fit all of my outfit options. Am I the only one who has to have options for my fits haha? I did decide to go with a 4 wheel luggage bag that way I won’t have any trouble carrying my bag. Although, I’m taking the medium size bag rather than the large. I don’t really like carrying duffle bags. I like the ease of just rolling my luggage.
Organization
Next, I want to continue with a few organizational tips. If you’ve ever stayed on a trip for more than 3 days, then you know the struggle of how hectic fitting everything into your suitcase can be haha. See below for a list of tips that can help with organizing your suitcase to be sure you fit every little thing you want to take on your next trip!
Packing organizers: These life-saving organizers will help you keep things separated and know where everything is located inside your suitcase. I use multiple types of beauty bags: one for toiletries, a separate one for my makeup, separate shoe bags for each of my shoes, and even a beauty bag for my accessories and jewelry. You could also pack your clothes in compressed bags which could help with saving space. If you don’t have any packing bags, try Ziploc bags!
Be sure your luggage has a few compartments inside the bag to keep some of your items separate from others.
Pack your clothes by outfit type or activity. I always stack all of my “going out” outfits in one pile, my comfortable clothes in one pile, and my pajamas in another pile. I also separate out my underwear from the rest of my clothes.
Clothing & Accessories
As I said before, I like to pack many options for outfits while packing for a trip. But one thing I like to do before planning any of my outfits is check the weather for where I will be going. I don’t want to pack all warm clothes and it turn out to be below 50 degrees. See below for a complete list of clothing pieces, jewelry and accessories that I will pack for my 3 day trip in New Orleans this weekend.
2 comfortable outfits: 1 for travel there, 1 outfit for travel back
- Be sure to pack shorts & pants for change of weather
2 outfits for night-time activities
3 dressy casual outfits for day-time activities
1 jacket just in case the weather decides to be bipolar lol
5 sets of underwear (I always like having a little extra)
1 set of pajamas
3 pairs of socks just in case I bring tennis shoes or buy some there
Sunglasses
Jewelry: earrings, rings, necklaces
Belts
Hat or sun visor
Swimsuit
Handbags & 1 tote bag
Shoes (heels, flats, & tennis shoes)
Toiletries
Toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss
Hairbrush or comb, hair ties, hair clips, hair scarves, bobby pins
Deodorant
Shampoo & conditioner
Leave in conditioner
Coconut Oil
Sunscreen
Body Lotion
Makeup wipes
Makeup remover
Face wash
Moisturizer
Toner
Lip balm
Feminine hygiene products
Contacts, contact solution, glasses
Prescription medication or Ibuprofen, Advil
Makeup
I am a makeup artist, so I do like to bring a lot of makeup with me on trips, but I went ahead and included the staple pieces that I absolutely need in my kit down below.
Primer: Too Faced Hangover primer (don’t forget brushes for each product listed
Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz “Dark Brown”
• Anastasia Beverly Hills clear brow gel
L.A. girl concealer for brows
Eyeshadow: Morphe Jaclyn Hill palette
Eye Liner: Kat Von D Ultra Ink
Mascara: Wet’n’Wild
Kiss lash glue & IEnvy lashes from your local beauty supply
Foundation: Kat Von D Lock It
Concealer: Morphe Fluidity
Setting powder: Makeup Revolution banana powder
Face Powder: MAC studio fix powder “NC42”
Contour: Black Radiance contour palette
Highlighter: Laura Geller “Gilded Honey”
Blush: Ofra Cosmetics
Setting spray: Morphe
Entertainment
MacBook
AirPods
Game phone apps
Books & Magazines
Water Bottle
Snacks
Don’t forget to collect your important travel documentation like your ID, cash, cards, passport, health insurance, hotel information, or any other travel information that you may need!
Well that completes my ultimate packing list! Thank you so much for the read! I hope this list helps you with your next trip or vacay. If you have any tips or tricks for packing please feel free to share by leaving me a comment down below.
Also, stay tuned for my next blog post which will be a complete rundown of my New Orleans trip and will definitely include outfit details! Trust me you don’t want to miss it! <3