Packing Tips From the Pros

Step 2

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Lighten your load further with multitaskers—which don’t have to be those girl-explorer zip-off cargo pants. T-shirt dresses, leggings, tunics, and maxis take you from sightseeing to dinner. Let yoga pants moonlight as pj’s, or use your cover-up in place of a robe. New York City–based designer Yigal Azrouël favors sarongs, because you can tie them multiple ways as a cover-up or a stylish wrap at night. If possible, wear a garment for the dressiest occasion early in the trip, when it’s less likely to be dirty, says Poole. For instance, one tank can stretch for days: Pair it with a skirt and heels for dinner on Saturday, capris and sandals for shopping on Monday, and shorts and sneakers for a Tuesday hike.

Embrace the accents. Satisfy your craving for variety with little things, like fun belts, bold jewelry, and printed scarves. “Chunky, colorful bracelets and necklaces draw the eye so people don’t focus on the clothes,” says Alanna Richman, the owner of Alanna Bess Jewelry.

Choose fabrics wisely. Blends containing nylon, elastane, or polyester beautifully resist wrinkling. Prefer something more natural? You’ll have the most luck with wool, Lyocell, or modal. Cotton mixed with polyester or spandex will also hold up better than 100 percent cotton. Anything with texture (crinkled gauze, ruched jersey, seersucker) or a busy print helps camouflage fold marks, says Los Angeles–based stylist Nicole Chavez. When in doubt, scrunch the material in your hand to see if it crumples easily. Keep in mind: The longer clothes stay stashed in your suitcase, the deeper creases get. For quick touch-ups, pack a travel-size (and TSA-approved) bottle of Downy Wrinkle Releaser spray ($2 for three ounces, at drugstores).