How To Be Incredibly Stylish While Living Out Of A Carry-On

Until recently, I used to be the biggest overpacker. In fact, I bet I still have arm muscle leftover from that summer I lugged my entire wardrobe, stuffed into two towering suitcases, all over China.

The dilemma was potent. I wanted to be stylish + on the road all at once. So what’s a girl to do? How was I supposed to know ahead of time what dress I’d feel like wearing? What if I was halfway across the world and discovered that yellow cardigan was my favorite after all?

Just in case! was my packing mantra.

Sound familiar?

Or maybe you’ve experienced the opposite. My roommate Antonia confessed that on her last trip to South America, she lived most sensibly out of a single backpack for months on end.

The problem? By the end of the trip, she was bored out of her mind, style-wise. As she told me her story, she held up the pants that she’d worn on the trip 100000000 times and made the kind of face you made at your poor mom growing up, when she made the same thing for dinner AGAIN.

But when you’re on the road, you’ve just gotta suck it up, right?

If the answer is yes, I’d like to invite you to think again. And to keep reading.

Because it’s travel season, baby. And whether you normally aspire to live out of a bag or not, sometimes it’s absolutely necessary.

Until now, most of us have been choosing between two options. 1) Resign yourself to sensible basics that highlight your unwashed, exhausted, normally-gorgeous-but-no-one-would-guess-right-now self… or 2) Rack up the overweight luggage charges. THEY’re getting paid and YOU’re the one who has to stop every ten feet when it flips over in the middle of the sidewalk. Life can be so unfair.

But what if there’s a different way?

What if I told you that you could look awesome while carrying practically nothing?

Minimalist Inspiration

You’ve seen the blogs. Your average modern minimalist will proudly list all the 47 items to her name (multiple pairs of underwear not included) and wear the same black tshirt every day, consumerism be damned.

For a long time, me and my style penchant were not impressed. Where would I be without my overflowing closet? Sure, I didn’t wear ⅔ of what I did own… but you never knew when a piece would come in handy! Whittling it down, I was sure, would stifle my creativity.

But I couldn’t help but notice that these minimalists also got to breathe freely as they backpacked around the world.

So earlier this year, when I moved across the country, I took a deep breath and packed a single suitcase and carry-on. Then after Seattle, I got rid of the suitcase. Leaving myself with just the one shiny red bag you see here.

But do I wear the same black shirt every day? Certainly not.

Since reducing my wardrobe, I think I’ve become more stylish. In fact, these days, you’ll almost never see me wear the same outfit twice.

Yes, it’s possible.

So. How can YOU start reinventing your own style-on-the-go?

Remember my friend, Antonia? She just left on her next 3-month jaunt, this time through Central America (lucky girl, right?) And get this– she’s carrying the same backpack.

But this time, she had me on her side. Together, we whittled down the clothes she owned into a teensy-but-glorious wardrobe that she loved. With just a handful of pieces, we covered dressing for everything from hikes to salsa fiestas. She left with one joyously-packed bag and a bajillion creative possibilities that will apply long after her trip is over.

I know, you’re thinking: Why can’t you be my roommate, dammit?

It’s okay. You don’t have to stalk me on my next move or try to persuade me to crash on your couch (though if you live near a certain sparkly blue Mediterranean sea, I might say yes.) Because you’re in luck. I’m going to be offering 1:1 Travel Consults very soon, right on this site!

And what’s more- you can snag one for your own upcoming trip for FREE.

Want my zany, critical eye on your next travel wardrobe?

All you have to do is take on the easy peasy, but mind-bending Style Challenge, & post your results on Facebook by Tuesday, August 2nd. This is no typical contest entry that we’re talking about. It’s what I call a gateway drug into the style revolution.

In under 5 minutes, you can start rocking your closet in a whole new way. Rock extra-hard, and you might just win a free 1:1 with me. Either way, it’s a win-win!

You can also get a head start by subscribing to the Dress Smarter! list & getting the 5-Word secret guaranteed to change the way you think about clothes, forever. Seriously.

Everyday minimalism, move aside. There’s a radical new approach to style that skimps on neither practicality NOR looks.

Next week, I’ll be talking about how I kickstarted my own radical style journey with one simple monthlong experiment. And how if you’re yearning for a simpler, more stylish lifestyle infused with badass creativity to boot, you can absolutely do the same.

In the meantime, you can start right now. Spark your mind and closet with the ultra-simple, no-bullshit Style Challenge. And if you’re taking a trip anytime soon + want a co-conspirator for your stylish adventures, you’ll definitely want to gets hands-on before next Tuesday.

The results posted so far have been incredibly rad. Can’t wait to see what YOU come up with!

Good luck!