<balance the idea of carrying all my good stuff>

i DO travel with my favorite outfits.

Because I wear the same things many times over, I pick my best pieces (as long as the fabrics are packable) that make me look and feel great (just not too many of them!).

Be sure to pack an anvil just in case a roadrunner passes by and you need to kill it.

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot an anvil!! Thanks for reminding me!!! I'll pack it right next to my kitchen sink! :o)

I am packing now for 4 nights in Italy plus a 7 night Med cruise.

The cruise complicates things as it is formal 2 nights and I am on business and will dress appropriately.

I am very proud that I have been able to coordinate day and evening attire into one medium suitcase and a medium backpack! For me, this is a first!

I packed all items in black, tans and prints that have black in them. 4 t's in black, white, red, print go with everything.

I have 2 workout outfits and 2 swimsuits.

For day, I have 4 cotton or linen skirts, a linen shift and one pair of capris. These will also be my evening outfits when on land in Italy. Skirts are my preferred attire because they are cool, feminine, and (at knee length) appropriate for any sightseeing as well as dinner out in a Trattoria or similar.

I have 5 pairs of shoes due to having to dress for dinner aboard ship: 2 heels - one low, one high, 2 sandals, one running shoes. There would be no heels if I did not have formal events. I always pack my oldest running shoes and then discard them at the end of my trip. This also lightens the load!

All this fits in a single suitcase. My skirts are cotton/lycra or georgette, which is really light. I'll wear capris and a washable twin set on the plane and wash those out as soon as I take them off.

I pack travel sizes of everything and have learned to really pare down toiletries, etc. I collect sample sizes all the time and pull them out for overseas trips. Then the load lightens a bit every time I pack!

It really helps to lay everything out and coordinate.

And it makes getting on and off trains a whole lot easier!

>>Keep in mind you will be walking alot, so comfy shoes (at least 2) for walking take priority. <<

Yes, make sure you have one for each foot! :-D

Seriously, though, these are all great packing tips.

Lee Ann

Great advice. My only question is about the linen. It usually wrinkles like crazy. I wore a linen dress to my son's college graduation last year and in the pictures I look like I slept in the dress! And as for the capris on the plane - don't forget to bring a pair of socks! Every time I fly overseas my feet freeze without them on the plane.

Try this simple problem-identification test:

Too many clothes -- I hate them all and none seems really right so I pack them all because they may magically metamorphose into clothes I actually want to wear

(Solution: Buy new clothes)

Too many clothes -- they are all fabulous and I want to bring them all

(Solution: 1. Develop a triage tool: Palette, weather, comfort; Also 2. bolster self-confidence with 2 drinks and tell self: It is I who am fabulous, not my clothes-- I will look great in any of these --- then start chucking things back into cupboards)

Such good advice and tips here! Seems like I have a new addiction: Instead of clipping out "Lose 10 Pounds in 5 days with 3 simple exercises," articles, I'm now obsessing over "Pack light" reading. And hopefully, gaining from it (tho not the 10 pounds I'm trying to lose in 5 days with 3 simple exercises...!)

I'm still in a quandary though. Like one of the posters above, my itinerary is complicated by a cruise. We will be a day or two in Boston at either end of our late August trip (so the potential for 90!), then 4 days in London and a 12-day crossing with three (or 4?) formal nights. It's one thing to wear the same clothes again and again as you schlep about city or town, seeing no one twice. But what about when you are at sea and amid a sea of what is called "resort casual..."??

But I know I'm making progress as even before reading this thread, I'd narrowed down my wardrobe palette to black/variations of beige/brown/and white, with a jolt of color from a (crunchable, packable) top here and there.

For a 12 night cruise, I would pack as follows for evenings (this is depending on the cruise line; tell me which and I can make more specific suggestions):

1 pr dressy black slacks w/ 3 different tops and a dressy sweater set

3 formal outfits: one long black jersey knit dress, one short black cocktail dress (wear twice, accessorize differently).

3 wrap skirts w/tops. I have several Anne Klein and Dana Buchman wrap skirts in silk georgette that are beautiful and weigh nothing. They are mid calf length. I wear them with silky tops I bought in Italy years ago.

That is plenty for 12 nights.

Daytime wear for London needs to include slacks and an unbrella.

Twin sets are perfect for travel and I would pack 2-3 of those.

Bathing suits (2) and onboard clothes are easy. Capris, a couple of lighter weight skirts.

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

Thanks, Kfusto! We'll be on Silversea where, I suspect, my version of "casual" - blue jeans - isn't quite on the mark! Have made note of your suggestions.

Laughed out loud on "don't forget the anvil in case you run into the roadrunner" . . . one of the funniest lines I've ever read here.

Thanks for the good laugh,
Sandy (in Denton)

tuckerdc: wow, Silversea, I am jealous! If it was just the cruise and I did not have to worry about bags and such, I would pack more choices, as this is a more formal line.

Have a lovely cruise!

for tuckerdc, That does make for a trickier packing situation. Is there a possibility you could ship one suitcase ahead? Directly to the cruiseline?

tuckerdc: suze makes a great point. I know Crystal does this for their passengers. Since it is Silversea, I expect they are asked this all the time.

If it were me, that is exactly what I would do. They are a very upscale line and I would want to wear my best, personally.

I understand it is not very cost prohibitive and would definitely look into this.

Suggest you post on www.cruisecritic.com on the Silversea board.