Winter Travel Capsule Wardrobe: How to Pack 10 Days in a Carry-On

Packing for trips is a mindful discipline of choosing between needs and wants. This January, I took a 10-day trip to Italy with only a carry-on. As if my bulky sweaters didn’t take up enough space, I also intended to leave extra space of souvenirs and a handbag purchase on the way back. With much thoughtful planning, I somehow made it all fit! Here is my formula for a winter travel capsule wardrobe that provided me all the basics I needed. Read to the end for additional space-saving tips and tricks!

The Bulkiest Layer: Coats & Jackets

With consistent 30-40 degree weather in Italy, I ended up only bringing a single mid-length puffer coat. The North Face Metropolis is a classic style that is warm, and reasonably priced. I wore my puffer to the airport, so it technically didn’t take up any suitcase space. If you want more coat options, consider also packing a quilted liner jacket. I brought an ‘Ultralight Down’ version from Uniqlo that was compact, and worked great as a standalone coat on warmer days. Meanwhile on the colder days, I could layer it underneath my puffer for added warmth.

Secondary Layers: Sweaters & Blouses

I packed a total of 3 sweaters, and 1 dressier top that I planned to wear 2-3 times each during the trip. These options helped me to get dressed with ease, and offered plenty of styling combinations. My top recommended brands for high-quality, reasonably priced sweaters are Quince, Everlane, and Uniqlo (which has the best fitted wool turtlenecks).

1. Fitted Wool Turtleneck (Neutral Color)
2. Cardigan
3. Thicker Sweater of Choice
4. Blouse – for a dressier look

These pieces make an effortless winter travel capsule wardrobe. You can mix and match with almost any bottom, and look chic for a day of shopping or sightseeing.

Base Layers: Undershirts

Undershirts are a great way to stay warm in the winter, and maximize your wardrobe on travel. Look for ones that are thin and fitted. They are effective at trapping warmth, but also feel (and look) invisible when layered underneath a sweater. The best part is they keep your secondary layers clean for more wears. Depending on how active I was during the day, I also re-wore my undershirts a few times.

These might need to be rotated more frequently, so I packed 4 for the trip. You can find great ones from Neiwai, Everlane (search for ‘micro rib’ tops), and Abercrombie. I also love Uniqlo’s Airism tops, but recommend shopping them in-stores because the inventory on the site is always very scarce.

Bottoms for Winter Travel

I felt that 3-4 pairs of pants were just right for the trip: 3 pairs of jeans (black / blue / one light color), and 1 pair of black leggings. One of the worst things we can do to denim is overwash them! In fact, Levi’s recommends washing one every 10 wears (unless they start to smell). So that pretty much makes them the perfect pants for travel. Linking some of my favorite Madewell styles below.

Packing 3 colors with me helped to maximize my outfit combinations for the trip. Meanwhile, I reserved my comfy leggings for days of long walking. I love Aerie for their well-priced and stylish leggings (reviewed HERE).

2 Types of Shoes You Need for a Winter Travel Capsule Wardrobe

With just a carry-on, I didn’t have the luxury of packing oversized boots. So for this part, I kept it simple and I think these two options served me well:

1. Neutral Sneakers – I love my platform Keds because they are well-cushioned, have a narrower look, and go with so many outfits.
2. Waterproof / Water Resistant Boots: Pick the right pair, and they can be super stylish with any outfit! While mine from Dolce Vita didn’t arrive in time, I would highly recommend them as they are lightweight, waterproof, and comfortable for walking longer distance.

Quick Notes: I loved the Huey H2O boots (first pair above), and found them quite comfortable for walking long distances. The heel of the Caster Boots (second pair) is heavier, and took me 2-3 wears to get used to the feeling.

Both are waterproof and comfy, but the Huey may be better suited for travel if you aren’t accustomed to wearing heeled booties as often. Style-wise, I found the Caster boots to look more feminine and leg-lengthening.

These Marc Fisher black rain boots are also very comfortable (though less breathable). Here is another simple affordable option if you don’t want leather.

Perfect Crossbody Bag for Travel

Accessories really make an outfit, and for me, I was so grateful I went with the MZ Wallace Crosby Pippa as my everyday travel bag (review HERE). Although this versatile handbag comes with 3 straps, I only used the leather strap attachment on my trip. It was definitely meant to be a longer shoulder strap. However, when adjusted to its longest length, it made the perfectly situated crossbody.

I normally find that a lot of crossbody bags sit too low for me, but this one was at the perfect drop-down height where I could see everything I needed in organized compartments. The zipper glides very smoothly, and for such a small size, it is impressive how much this bag holds. I wore the regular sized Pippa (first), but also linked the larger size (second) below.

Additional Space-Saving Tips for Winter Travel

• Be clever with how you fold your clothes. Pouch-folding and the Mari Kondo fold are two techniques I use when packing a suitcase. They help conserve space, and stabilize the shape of clothes to prevent wrinkles from developing.

• Wear your bulkiest outfit to the airport. While I didn’t follow this step on my way there, I definitely did so on my way back, as I had more to carry. I would have much preferred leggings on a long flight, but it was the sacrifice I made to create more suitcase space.

• Bring a spacious personal bag. I wore my trusted MZ Wallace Metro Deluxe Tote as a personal item, and it fit so much! This bag comes with a ton of inner and outer compartments, as well as a handy luggage sleeve. (I brought with me the Medium, but linking the Large below as well as the Travel Jimmy Duffel which I also love)

• Hand-Washing is allowed on trips! The thought of doing laundry on vacation sounds unthinkable for some. However, hand-washing a few lightweight items is pretty quick and simple. If you are in the bind and running out of clothes, I would definitely consider it as an option. Nowadays, you can buy travel-sized laundry sheets, which take up hardly any space. I packed in my cosmetics bag, and definitely used it a few times.

If you’re traveling this season, I hope this winter travel capsule wardrobe provides you some great tips to consider. Most importantly, have so much fun and remember that functional outfits can be stylish too!