How to pack it all?

[Emer]

Ladies, I am in need of some serious advice! How on Earth did women pack all of their odds and ends into a suitcase?! I look at some vinatge pieces (read: stare longingly) and can't help but notice that they weren't very deep. Did women travel with only one pair of shoes (the ones on their feet)? Did they ship trunks to and from (and how did they do this if they were going on vacation? I know they usually took a train case/make-up case...) Hubby and I want to start traveling more, but I have no idea how to make my vintage outfits and accessories travel-friendly!

How do you do it?

 

[KittyT]

Women owned fewer clothes, especially during the war years and most likely had more items that they mixed and matched. Some women traveled with trunks, although I'm not sure when that method fell out of use.

NPR ran a feature some time back about how to maximize the amount of stuff you can fit into one bag - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90297199

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

If I'm remembering correctly from my last few trips, I can manage with one (large) suitcase, a handbag, and another medium-size bag, like a laptop case or tote, though I can easily fill a second, smaller suitcase. Shoes are definitely the biggest space-eater. If you can manage with just two pairs, it makes life easier!

I'm sure the amount of luggage ran the gamut from one suitcase to a bevy of trunks, depending on the length of the trip and the lady's financial status.

ETA: I watched The More The Merrier recently, and there's a lovely cowhide makeup(?) case about halfway through that Joel McCrea gives to Jean Arthur.

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Wardrobe trunks" were very common and very popular in the days when most long trips were taken by Pullman train. These trunks stood upright on the floor and had room enough to actually hang clothing on hangers, along with drawered compartments for smaller articles. They were big and cumbersome, but fit nicely into the baggage car of any passenger train. For obvious reasons, this type of baggage wasn't suited to air travel, and pretty much disappeared from use by the early sixties. But if you traveled a lot, chances are you'd own one --and it was common (and cheaper) to ship your trunk ahead of you by Railway Express to your destination so it'd be waiting at your hotel or room when you arrived.

 

[goldwyn girl]

Yes Lizzie, the elegance of travel is now long gone. I take two suitcases as checked luggage and pray they are on the same route as I am and a carry on. Shoes are a problem and I try to take pairs that will go with several outfits. Sticking to a couple of colour schemes also helps.

 

[KittyT]

Also, wear your bulkiest items on the plane. Don't pack that pair of jeans, wear them. Wear your bulkiest sweater - you can always take it off and carry it if you need to. Wear your bulkiest shoes.

 

[Lareesie Ladavi]

For clothes, I would recommend the rolling method. I fold pants down the length and roll them the wrest of the way.

As far as everything else, I don't know...it's a hard one to do, even when camping. I have a small car and it's puzzle just fitting everything in.

 

[Inky]

I like the rolling method for packing. I also have a few of those Space Saver travel bags (no vacuum needed) which are especially good for bringing home dirty clothes or unexpected clothing purchases

Definitely wearing bulky items while traveling and planning your wardrobe to decrease the number of shoes helps a great deal. Try as I might, I tend to "over pack" all the time.

My ex used to use Pack-It Folders for his business trips in his briefcase and/or overnight bag. He'd fit more in than with just folding, and items arrived without wrinkles.

 

[Miss 1929]

My, what a long post this is...

I love to plan for trips... I am getting a little carried away here.

The hardest part is pruning it down to things that all work together, and most items should be able to change personality with accessories. Lots and lots of accessories so you won't be bored!

Daytime casual - slacks, jacket, skirt (best if the jacket, skirt and slacks are all the same fabric, say black gabardine), and a warm coat (I would do a fur - as it would go with everything - but if not, a plain solid color coat, preferably the same background color as all these other background pieces), a cardigan in preferably a nice solid contrasting color, and a couple of fun blouses in prints that have the cardigan and background colors in them. A fabulous vintage scarf (or better, two) that can be worn around the neck or on the head. A couple of pieces of daytime jewelry (novelty pin, bakelite bangle, that sort of thing). Walking shoes. A substantial but not too wacky purse, as it does double duty with the next outfit...

Daytime slightly more formal - the skirt and jacket and blouses and sweater from above (not the pants if you're doing vintage dressy), with a hat (you really only need the one hat in this situation - make it a plain one and bring a pin and a flower to add 2 personalities to it). Or you can wrap the scarf like a turban,or wear it as a neck scarf. Dressier but not too crippling shoes. That nice tailored purse. Slightly more serious jewelry, like metal. Pearls are great because they can do double duty with...

Nighttime - dinner or cocktail, but not too formal -a dress in a solid color, or a print with the SAME colors as your cardigan, jacket and coat, so they can all work together. The same dressier shoes from above or the fancy shoes from below, and you can wear a bit more jewelry. Jewelry takes up very little room! You will want a girlier purse here, a nice fabric one that goes with the better shoes, and with the ones below... The hat can be worn with a fancier pin, or a flower, or no hat, then the flower can be worn in your hair. We like the pearls, we also like a nice rhinestone set of jewels.

Nighttime, formal - A long black lace dress is a godsend. It packs into a little nothing. Even better if its slip is a heavy satin, and then you have another evening gown. A fancier pair of evening sandals that will work with both of these pieces, and also with the cocktail above. The pearls, rhinestones, flower - all get another chance here. The smaller purse works here too.

Underthings - bring two sets at least as you will be washing them out nightly in the wash basin and they might not be dry in time. Bring extra stockings. A couple of negligees, and a robe that is decent enough if you have to bolt out in a fire, some little flat slippers.

So let's count it up:
1 coat
1 jacket
1 pair pants
1 skirt
1 cardigan
2 blouses
1 dress for cocktail/dinner
1 lace evening gown
1 slip from lace gown that doubles as evening gown #2
1 pair walking shoes
1 pair heeled shoes, closed
1 pair evening sandals
1 daytime purse
1 nighttime purse (can be tiny)
2 scarves
2 pairs gloves (I suggest suede - goes with both formal and not, and one pair can be an interesting color)
Day jewelry - bakelite bangles, novelty pins, etc.
Nightime jewelry - metal, rhinestones, pearls
2 flowers
1 hat (good idea to have a crushable one)
2 nighties
1 robe
Slippers
2 sets undies
4 or more pairs stockings

There you have it! You could easily dress for a couple of weeks with this with variety, and it should all fit in one normal or two vintage suitcases. Use a vintage train case for all the toiletries.
If you have room, maybe another hat, but I would rather under-pack as I always find stuff to buy when I travel.

You might not need 2 evening gowns, but do have one at least as you never do know where you will end up going out to dinner, so it is nice to have one at least. Of course if you're not going to a city, you probably won't even need one.

This is approximately how I packed for 10 days in China and I actually didn't even get to use it all.

 

[Emer]

Wonderful!

Goldwyn Girl-I love the idea of using color schemes for packing--especially since I tend to buy a lot of things from the same color groups!

Miss 1929-I'm going to hang on to this list forever! I think it will also help me when it comes to buying clothes now. It will make me stop and think, "Can I get more than one outfit out of this?"

Thank you all ladies!!

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Goodness that is a great list Miss 1929! I like your style!

 

[Lau Mo]

I used those space saver bags (you use a vaccuum hose to suck out the air after you pack the bags) when I packed for college. I literally took my entire closet with me, and the bags really helped to compress everything. I know that they sell travel ones that you roll to force the air out through a valve. They might help

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I used those space saver bags (you use a vaccuum hose to suck out the air after you pack the bags) when I packed for college. I literally took my entire closet with me, and the bags really helped to compress everything. I know that they sell travel ones that you roll to force the air out through a valve. They might help

Vacuum-packing is fun! Just be sure you'll have access to a vacuum when it's time to pack again, otherwise you might come back with more suitcases than you started with!

 

[Lau Mo]

I think that the travel bags are the ones that you don't have to vaccuum...you just kind of roll the air out, if that makes any sense. I think they would probably work just as well as the vaccuum ones, but I havn't tried them myself.

 

[Viola]

I took one suitcase, one good-sized duffel as carry-on, and one purse that I was actually able to fit not only all my makeup and whatnot but also a change of shirt and some other oddments in, and with the use of mix-and-match was set up for my month-and-a-half trip. With, and my boyfriend teased me, four pairs of shoes!

I have since gotten a train-case (a darling mini-suitcase w/ a mirror inset into the inside of the lid, but really the duffel would work for vintage if it was a different duffel, and there's something to be said for the massive storage capacity combined with being able to fold the bag.

The duffel/suitcase/storage-y purse combo was actually very good and comfortable, though my eye is out for more vintage purse and duffel. I love my suitcase, its vintage-style yellow leather and stands out on the luggage carousel.

I can't recommend mix-and-match enough. I wear just a few colours generally, and packing even fewer helps a lot.

My own list would look like:

2 long skirts. Usually, for me, patterned.

2 knee-length skirts. For me, one black, one another solid color.

1 little black dress. Simple lines so it can be dressed up or down with accessories and/or made more day by the use of a cardigan or something.

2 other dresses, sundress or shirt-dress or whatever depending on season. I prefer sleeveless or short-sleeved for layering but there's plenty of options.

4 assorted cardigans and/or boleros/shrugs to change up the look of some pretty simple shirts and to also coordinate with the dresses.

5 or 6 simple shirts. Solid colors. I like black, green, and gray but that's totally just me, and my boyfriend makes fun of my obsession with green constantly. lol But it makes life a lot easier if each shirt goes with all the skirts.

I would never take less than three pairs of shoes, but I'm told I'm incorrigible. I would want at least 1 pair of black strappy sandals, 1 pair of ballet flats, and 1 pair of closed-toe heels or ankle boots. I could probably rationalize at least one more pair of white Keds as well, since they're really packable. lol

I'd cheat and put all the jewelry and scarves and belts into my purse to free up the rest of my luggage. I don't wear a lot of those things though (trying to add more, actually, they're so versatile and good at freshening up mix/match looks!) so for some of you luckier ladies it'd require going in the suitcase.

Also, I put in a request for being invited to travel places I need to add espadrilles, a sun hat, and a lovely retro swimsuit! lol

 

[V-Sweetheart]

Hurray to Miss 1929!

I love to plan for trips... I am getting a little carried away here.

I have to say Miss 1929 is the go to gal on dressing vintage. From how to wear it to how to pack it. Even the way she packs is vintage. I think I would add a modern touch and add a couple of more underwear and socks, since I don't want to spend every other night rinsing. Also I wear my day hat traveling and pack a little screwy hat that can be crushed for cocktail/evening.

 

[Miss 1929]

Of course i never have it together to REALLy pack this way for the QM or the Ahwahnee - I tendo to have way too many dofferent colors going on. But this is a goal!

And how's the weather in DC, V-Sweetheart? We are having a freak week of summer, in January!

 

[Viola]

I find I naturally gravitate towards certain colors, and that there's a few more I keep MEANING to branch into but can't seem to ever, when confronted with the choice between that and getting a piece in one of "my" colors, and then there's the colors I love the look of, especially in vintage, but I can't seem to wear at all! (Pink, for me.)

When I pack a bag, the color scheme shows up even more than in my regular wardrobe. As my delicate darling future husband so carefully worded it, "I looked in your suitcase, and there was enough green in there it was like Swamp Thing threw up."

Good thing I'm not marrying him for his poetry.

 

[Barbigirl]

dresses

I usually have one large suitcase and a carry on size that I check that I jsut put shoes hairdryer and/or rollers in. Then I carry a regular carry on that I take one set of clothes and my jewelry with me on the flight and in case of lost luggage.

A rather different option, I rarely pack skirts/pants and tops. If I can, I try to bring all dresses so I don't have to make sure I have not forgotten anything for an outfit.

Everyone has great lists

 

[Emer]

Speaking of colors...

When I pack a bag, the color scheme shows up even more than in my regular wardrobe. As my delicate darling future husband so carefully worded it, "I looked in your suitcase, and there was enough green in there it was like Swamp Thing threw up."

Good thing I'm not marrying him for his poetry.

lol

I find that I love the colors red, blue, and grey (gray?) or black. Red is my signature color, and I'm always told it looks really nice on me. I love balck and grey because they seem to ooze sophistication, especially when worn with pearls (is it just me, or does anyone else think of Jackie O when wearing black and pearls?). The blue I love just because it tends to look nice on me as well, and it breaks up the black and grey (as does the red).

Oh yes, and I love creams and whites! But I could go on and on about my passion for these colors...

PS: You have no idea how excited I just was when I saw that I've been upgraded from "New in Town" to "Familiar Face!" Yes, yes, I'm a nerd.