I Just Went to NYC—This Was My 3-Day Capsule Travel Wardrobe
I’ve historically been just an okay packer—not incredible, but not horrible. On a grading scale, like a solid B. That said, mapping out a true travel capsule wardrobe ahead of a trip has helped me over time (ahem, reaching more of that A status). Oh, and if you’re unfamiliar with a capsule wardrobe, it’s an edited assortment of versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched to create different outfits.
I recently took a quick three-day trip to New York City, and I thought about key pieces ahead of time and how I could re-wear items (not including underwear, socks, etc.) to maximize suitcase space and create easy yet chic outfits for my time in the city. I unpacked everything and organized it in the closet of my hotel room to keep everything visible. FYI, I stayed at The Luxury Collection in Midtown—very chic as you can see in the photos above.
Below you’ll find the key items I packed (showcased with various womenswear pieces and not including all of my accessories like sunglasses and a belt), along with some of the outfits I put together and where I wore them. For reference, I did bring three white tees to keep fresh during my stay. Keep scrolling for more.
Lunch and Shopping: Striped Shirt + Tee + Trousers + Pouch + Sneakers
One of my favorite easy and chic looks is a button-up shirt over a white tee. So yes, I wore this combo for a lovely lunch and day of shopping. To dress up the vibe, I opted for trousers with my comfortable sneakers. It's also to note that I invested in this Loewe clutch over the summer, and it was my daily bag. It's a pouch that fits a nice amount of stuff (great for travel), but it can also be converted into a shoulder bag or a crossbody. So versatile!
Dinner and a Show: Blazer + Tee + Trousers + Pouch + Loafers
For dinner and a show that night, I swapped my button-up shirt for a double-breasted blazer and slipped into beautiful loafers rather than my sneakers.
Coffee Run: Tee + Sweater + Trousers + Sneakers
That trusty white tee, trousers, and sneakers were perfect for a coffee date. I also brought my cashmere sweater to drape over my shoulders and wear if it got chilly, and I used my travel tote with this look.
Brunch + Museums: Striped Shirt + Sweater + Jeans + Pouch + Sneakers
I kept it comfortable and cool for brunch and museums with my striped shirt, cashmere sweater on top, jeans, and sneakers.
Dinner and a Show (Part Two): White Shirt + Blazer + Jeans + Pouch + Loafers
For another night of dinner and a show (love a Broadway moment), I mixed in a white shirt with my blazer and went for trousers again with loafers.
Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent over seven years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises. He has also worked across a variety of other media brands and fashion retailers like Refinery29, PureWow, Men's Health, and Gilt covering commerce, trend reporting, women's and men's fashion, home, and lifestyle.
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