For those of you who know me or follow my blog, you’ll know that my hubby is British.  He moved to the US about 20 years ago now, and is a dual British/US citizen.  ALL his family however is back in the UK.  He’s super close with them (mom, siblings, and extended family too, not to mention a daughter with his ex) so we make frequent trips across the pond.  We have an arrangement where we spend every other Christmas in England, and we’ll be leaving tomorrow.  It gives me a great excuse to shop for winter clothes that I wouldn’t normally need here in Cali.  I’ve spent the last month stockpiling wooly sweaters and plaid scarves 🙂  I usually plan my packing in advance – even if I don’t actually pack, I plan all the outfits in my head.  I’ve been so many times that I have a sort of system down.  We also tend to visit in the summer, and though the items I pack are different, the idea is the same.

The amount of stuff I bring is largely determined by how long we’ll be there – in this case two weeks.  Since it’s winter, very specific items are required.  In terms of shoes, I only bring boots, though I like a variety of styles.  Usually 2-3 pairs for a two week trip.  I’ve learned not go overboard as packing light is sooooo much easier, especially since we hop around a bit while we’re there.  This year I’ll be bringing my favorite black moto boots and a pair of brown riding boots.  England is ultimately very traditional, so I like to focus on classics and neutrals, especially for the winter season.  Hence, my outwear of choice is definitely a trench coat.  I scooped up a new one this year, since I’ve brought the old one several times before and I’d like to do something different.  I also plan 2-3 coats for a winter trip, as I don’t like to wear the same one everyday.  Handbags are limited to two, because I really don’t like packing them if I can help it.  I find bags tend to get misshapen when packed.  For this trip, I chose one black leather bag and my shiny gold Juicy daydreamer.  I know Juicy is essentially defunct, but I love their daydreamer silhouette, and my gold version has held up wonderfully, not to mention it goes with everything.  Between the two, they’re so versatile, I know at least one will work with what I’m wearing.  So that’s part of the trick – go light on accessories!  If you stick to classics or neutrals that easily mix and match, you will have options for every outfit.

In terms of the actual clothing, I count exactly how many days we’ll be there, and I plan an outfit for each day.  I don’t like to re-wear things (expect maybe a pair of jeans that can be worn twice, but definitely not a sweater, etc).  I like my clothes to feel fresh, so I pack exactly what I need, no more, no less.  For the the winter I swear by Kushyfoot fleece tights.  They’re super warm and cozy, so I can wear dresses and skirts versus pants everyday.  I’ll pack several sweater dresses for this trip, as well as a few winter skirts (knit or faux leather, etc).  The rest will be jeans and leggings and of course a bunch of chunky sweaters.  The key to cold weather is definitely layering.  Like I’ll have to pack some basic tees to wear under my sweaters, and then of course a few scarves to mix and match.  At that point throw on a coat and I’m good.  It’s definitely not like dressing for Cali!  Anyway, I probably won’t post again until I get back, so in the meantime happy holidays to all.  Xo