Summer is the most popular season to travel, and to explore new places! Packing for a trip takes thought especially if you intend to shop and come home with souvenirs!  For women, this means maximizing our outfit options while taking up the least amount of suitcase space. This is no easy task but we know you can do it! 

It might seem like skipping accessories is a good way to save room, but with the right choices, you can actually take less clothing and create new looks at the same time! Simply changing your accessories can make a basic black dress look different every time you wear it! Deciding what to take with you and what to leave at home should be the first step of your accessories plan.

What to leave behind

Safety is a top concern when traveling with jewelry but we’re sure you have some special pieces that go with you everywhere… your lucky charms!  Take them and remember to place them in a travel jewelry case safe in your hotel room when you aren’t wearing them. Pieces that are truly irreplaceable, like a family heirloom or antique, might be better left at home.

What to pack

When I’m packing for a trip, I lay my jewelry out with my clothes that I’m potentially taking to make sure I have all the right pieces.  After I’ve made my choices, I take a couple of extra stand out pieces for those “just in case” moments!

■      A go-to pair of gold earrings for women, such as the Beverly Swing Earrings, which transition well from day to night.

■      A colorful pair for more formal events or when you want to stand out in a crowd.

■      A necklace you can wear with any outfit.

■      A multi gem bracelet for women that can transform any outfit.

■      Unique gold rings for women that you can pile on.      

If you need more encouragement to pack less, try Coco Chanel’s personal rule, “I always take off at least one piece of jewelry before I leave the house to ensure that I’m not overdoing it!” 

How to pack your jewelry

No one wants to arrive at her destination with tangled necklaces or a missing earring.

Here are some ideas: 

■      A travel  jewelry roll or travel jewelry case and its compartments will help you keep your pieces separated so they won’t tangle.  A jewelry roll is soft and can be easily tucked into a corner of your suitcase or inside a shoe for protection. Stephanie Johnson has a great style that will accommodate all of your pieces.

■      Index cards or a paper plate for your earrings. Poke the earrings through the paper, secure them with the posts or backs, and only remove them when you want to wear them. This will help ensure that every earring you take on your trip returns home.

■      Opening necklaces and bracelets and rolling them in tissue paper helps with tangling too! I use bright tissue paper so that I can find any pieces I tuck around in my suitcase.

Final jewelry packing advice

Remember, checked bags may get lost, so for valuable jewelry, take it with you in your carry on bag if you can. You’ll feel much better knowing it is with you at all times. 

I always remind myself that I’m sure to spot some treasures on my travels… that’s a big motivator for keeping the suitcases light!  Buying pieces from different cities/countries makes for an interesting story not to mention for building a unique jewelry collection. Write notes about your new pieces so your travel jewelry case and adventures give the heirlooms more meaning!

The Last word: Wear your your classic, fine jewelry with newly acquired costume pieces.  It’s not about what’s real and what’s not, it’s all about how you wear it! 

Safe travels! xx Camille K