What did I wear from my carry-on?

On a 9-day trip to Germany, I brought one carry-on and a personal item (backpack).  Even though I packed light, there were still multiple items I didn’t even touch.  I usually bring one or two extra shirts because they’re lightweight and if you dump coffee all down the front of one (which TBH is a real concern of mine), I want to ensure I’m prepared.  Of course, pants are another story. I only bring two pairs of pants.  So if I stain them, it’s tough luck for me!  I ended up wearing the same few pieces over and over again, which is the idea.

Last year, I posted “What’s in my carry-on?” and showed my packing system and what I pack.  A few months ago, I posted “Creating a trip wardrobe” to show how I create my actual travel wardrobe.  I have a system which starts with selecting the base color and adding from there.  I select items that go with multiple other items.  I have the system in place, but how did it pan out on an actual trip?  Here’s a review of how I used my packing system on my last trip.

For the 9-day trip to Germany, I selected black as my base layer, and ended up bringing mostly black items.  I added a few pops of color here and there, but for the most part, I selected neutrals.  In Europe (and on most of my travels), I feel more comfortable wearing neutral colors.  They’re easy and hassle-free.

My wardrobe consisted mainly of black, cream, tan and brown.  I layered all of these at times when it was chilly, but since the weather ended up being so nice, I didn’t need multiple layers every day.  I ended up bringing everything I needed, plus a few extras.  Here are some photographs of the ways I mixed and matched the items I brought:

Here, I have on a t-shirt, cardigan and short coat.  Layers are important when you’re going from day-time sightseeing to night-time sightseeing.  (Also worth noting are the men looking in my direction.  Who knew a black cardigan could turn a head?  🙂 )

This is the same day.  When we were walking around the town, I just needed a sweater.  When we were up in the cold, I added a jacket. (It was actually quite warm at the top of the snowy mountain, and I wasn’t expecting that.)

Yes, I hike in black dresses and leggings.  This was quite the climb, but it’s also the only picture I have of me in a dress!  When we got to the city at night, I popped on my jacket:

It was chilly in the morning, and got to be in the mid-70s during the day in another town.  So, I brought my cardigan with me and stuffed it in my purse as the day got warmer.

I brought my cardigan with me, although I really didn’t need it.  On a walking tour, t-shirts and jeans are the way to go!