When one of my friends floated the idea of spending the month of June in Europe, it was the middle of February and we were huddled over our lattes and dreaming of warmer weather. Nothing sounded more idyllic in my mind. Fast-forward four months and I'm now on the other side of a whirlwind trip involving six destinations and four European countries in the span of five weeks. I started off in London, then passed through Amsterdam, Paris, Mallorca, Ibiza, and finally spent a few days in Barcelona before (finally) flying home.
Since my itinerary spanned from working atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's offices in London to beach-hopping in Spain, I quickly came to realize that I'd have to break my own rule and check a bag. I pride myself of being able to travel long distances with just a carry-on, but I indulged in the luxury of packing in a larger piece of luggage this time and despite the extra baggage, I still think I packed pretty well. I found myself wearing the same items over and over again, and if you're also wondering what to pack for Europe, those are the ones I would pack first if I were going back right now. In fact, I'd back the majority of my outfits because each one comfortable, versatile, and polished—exactly what to prioritize for any European travel.
From airy sheer dresses to thong sandals to matching skirt sets, these are the items well worth the suitcase space. Consider this my guide on what to pack for Europe in the summer if you're trying to optimize your suitcase space.
One Lightweight Layer
As controversial as it may seem to pack a barn jacket for a summer vacation, no suitcase of mine, no matter how warm the destination may be, is complete without at least one lightweight layer. I started in London, where the high rarely broke past 70 degrees, so this Maje barn jacket was the perfect layering piece over tanks and tees, plus it doubled as a more forward airplane layer than your average hoodie.
So Many Silk Scarves
Several silk scarves featured in my suitcase because they take up next to no space but wield the power to transform an outfit. Per the scarf styling trend that's going viral this summer, I tied mine around my waist as a belt, but I also fastened them into strapless tops and wore them as bandanas in my hair.
A Sheer Dress
I'd been eyeing this LPA sheer dress since I first saw it last summer, and I'm so glad I carved out space in my already full luggage for it. While in Ibiza, I wore it over a bikini to the beach club and also turned it into a going-out dress over more full-coverage layers while in Barcelona.
A Single Statement Pendant
I've written at length about my love for this $38 comb necklace that looks like The Row, and although the metal piece weighed down my jewelry case significantly, it was well worth it as a styling piece.
Kitten-Heel Flip Flops
Although I packed six pairs of shoes for five weeks abroad, theres was a single pair of thong sandals I put to use in every destination. For chic dinners in London's Notting Hill to cafe hopping in Paris and, yes, even clubbing in Ibiza, I logged countless miles in my pair of Open Edit Tory Kitten Heel Sandals that, for just $50, have whittled down to a cost-per-wear of basically nothing.
A Matching Skirt Set
As any professional packer knows, the matching set is the holy grail of vacation wardrobes, and this skirt set from Arcina Ori proved to be as useful as I'd hoped. The rust color was easy to mix with other staples I packed—I wore the halter top with my black Bermuda shorts and styled the skirt with a white tank.
Tailored Bermuda Shorts
Bermuda shorts were the backbone of many different outfits. For a night out in Paris, I wore them with a backless halter top and kitten heels but also reached for them with a simple white tank and flats for the day.
One Does-It-All Handbag
One of just two handbags I packed. There wasn't an outfit that my Freja Mercer Bag didn't go with, from day to night and every color palette in between.
A Special-Occasion Top
My Tae Park Sculpted Halter Top was one statement item I carved out room for in my already full suitcase. Sure, it was hard to justify as a more "special" piece I wouldn't reach for every day, but it was simply too beautiful to leave at home.
A Pair of Genie Pants
I scooped up a pair of the viral genie pants from Zara when I was passing through Paris and ended up wearing them nonstop throughout the rest of my trip—out to dinner in Mallorca, to the beach club in Ibiza, and even on my longer international flight back home. There's nothing better than a trend that's as cool as it is comfortable.
Drop-Waist Dresses
My packing motto is that I always need at least one dress that is the outfit and this trip, that was none other than a Helsa black halter mini dress. I love how the drop waist silhouette brought a touch of elegance.
One Pair of Timeless Sunglasses
Confession: I packed four pairs of sunglasses for this trip but I bought an oval-shaped tortoiseshell pair from Jimmy Fairly during my first week in London and almost exclusively wore them for the rest of the time. Definitely an instant classic.
