I’ve always found packing for cities with a more “classic” style (say, Rome, Paris, or almost any Southern U.S. city) easier than packing to visit “cool” cities (New York, London, or San Francisco all come to mind) since my wardrobe is very low-key and contains very few “trendy” items.
Still, I find I feel more at ease when I blend into a new city’s scene, so I adjust my suitcase contents each time to try to mirror the destination’s aesthetic without purchasing new items. My packing list for Pittsburgh relied on athleisure pieces more than usual because Pittsburgh is undeniably cool (I mean, have you seen this feed?).
Looking for more packing list inspiration? Discover what's in my suitcase each season: Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter
Before I even took our suitcases out of the closet I began checking the weather, and initially the temperature was expected to be in the mid-forties and quite rainy. I checked the weather website daily until twenty-four hours before take-off, and suddenly the forecast changed to highs in the high-seventies with rain. Then I finally set out to pack.
Michael and I had pretty chill activities planned for this trip, but like always we expected to do quite a lot of walking, so comfortable shoes and easy-breathing natural fabrics were a must. Travel is not always the right time for trying out new styles (at least, not without a backup!), so I decided to stick with a few tried-and-true combinations for this trip. You’ll see I did a little bit of re-wearing items, but as the weather inches up to the eighties and beyond, the chances of being able to re-wear something without washing drop significantly. Had this trip occurred a few weeks later, I may not have been able to do so.
Bearing those things in mind, here’s what I packed and wore each day, which all fit in my Carry-On with room to spare:
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PITTSBURGH PACKING LIST
Tops
Emerald Top | I purchased this top back in November, and it arrived shortly before Christmas. Now that it’s warmed up, this cropped, swingy tee is in heavy rotation. I can’t wear it in the oppressive summer heat, but it’s perfect for mid-seventy days.
Otter Sweater* | There aren’t many kitschy-cute items in my wardrobe, but I had to purchase this otter sweater last year. And of course, I had to wear it for my otter encounter.
Crew Tee | The most basic of basics. I own this top in both a V-neck and a crew neck and simply chose this one since the other was in the hamper.
Pleat-Back Sweatshirt | I bought this sweatshirt specifically for traveling, and I would have worn it more throughout this trip if the weather was as cool as forecasted. I love how Cuyana added small details to elevate this sweatshirt to something more luxe.
Linen Top* | I made this shirt before the Spring 10×10 and have been wearing it a lot more than I expected (I think there’s a stronger sense of ownership to something you made yourself). It does get wrinkled easily, but I’m trying to embrace a bit more of a lived-in look.
Bottoms
High-Rise Skinny Jeans | These were a recent-ish purchase at a local consignment shop. They are a similar wash to my mid-rise skinny jeans, but I like pairing this higher rise with shorter tees. I’ve been cuffing them at the ankle, but I really would like to hem them when I find the time.
High-Rise Leggings | These primarily live in my workout clothes drawer, but I’ll pull them out for an overnight/late-night flight. I wore these to the animal encounter as well, in case we got dirty when meeting the animals (which we did – I left with a few cute red panda paw prints on my legs!).
Dress + Jumpsuit
Silk Dress* | I picked this dress up on eBay and had it altered, and have been wearing it for lots of dinners out at home ever since. It’s cool, comfortable, and dresses up and down well. My only complaint? The lack of pockets.
Jumpsuit* | Michael’s still not sold on the jumpsuit trend, but I’m happy to be dressed in something that feels like pajamas. I love the faux front tuck on this, and it has pockets!
Accessories
Sunglasses | If “ride-or-die” can be applied to sunglasses, well, these are my ride-or-die sunglasses.
Tights | These recycled tights are a little on the pricey side, but the quality and fit are both great. As pairs in my tights drawer start getting runs in them or losing their elasticity, I plan on replacing them one at a time with Swedish Stockings.
Crossbody Pouch* | I find that the larger my purse is, the more tempted I am to stuff it with anything and everything. Limiting myself to a small bag has really helped with back and neck pain, and it fits into my tote bag with ease.
Folding Tote | Since I picked this up in Paris, I’ve been using this bag as my “personal item” at the airport. I’m not a huge fan of the nylon exterior, but I love that it folds closed between trips and the fact that it’s easy to clean after being squished under an airplane seat.
Athletic Sneakers* | These are my oldest sneakers, and came along in case they got dirty beyond repair at the animal encounter, simple as that.
White Sneakers* | You’ve probably seen these sneakers before; they’re a more ethically made option than some others out there on the market. However, the white leather is beginning to peel along the lace line. Not terribly noticeable, and I’ve seen where Veja denies this is an issue, but it clearly exists.
Loafers* | My current go-to black flat. They are pretty well broken in by now, though my feet start hurting after mile seven.
Outer Layers
Trench Coat* | I picked this up at a high street store in London about five years ago. It’s held up surprisingly well for being such an inexpensive coat. It’s a little big on me, but I haven’t found a replacement yet.
Wool Jacket*| I brought this coat with me because I expected the temperature to be in the forties at night. It never got that cold, and I felt a bit annoyed at having to tote this bulky coat unnecessarily.
Open Cardigan* | I picked this up at a sample sale in Montreal, and wear it at least once or twice a week. It’s easy to throw on over many items in my closet (including tops with drape) and the pockets are in just the right place.
Pajamas
Sleep Tee | I picked up this tee at the same sample sale, and though it’s kind of pilled, it’s reached that perfectly soft “old T-shirt” stage.
Sleep Leggings | These leggings are the perfect weight, and as an environmental bonus, are made of organic cotton. The only reason these are relegated to my jammie drawer is because they are quite sheer at the knees and backside (though I’ve asked several others, and they have not had the same issue).
Not Pictured
Packable Rain Jacket*. I never ended up needing it since it barely rained during our visit. I’d always prefer that be the case!
Jewelry: Necklace, Earrings, and Rings (here and here). I packed a small roll of jewelry for this trip, but only ever wore the same few items since they were always placed on the bedside table each night and easiest to reach.
PITTSBURGH OUTFITS
Thursday
Comfort is essential when flying, especially when your plane is scheduled to land after midnight. For our outbound flight, I kept it comfortable, with leggings, a tee, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. I wore my coat on the plane, as it was expected to be quite cold when we landed (and I get quite chilled on the plane, too). I kept my color palette dark; airports and airplanes can be dirty and gross and black clothes help hide any stains that might get picked up along the way.
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Friday
Daytime
Friday’s plans included our animal encounter, so I chose to rewear the tee and leggings from the flight the night before. It was cool in the morning, and I added my otter sweater over the tee (how could I not?). The crossbody pouch was essential – I needed both hands free to interact with the otters and red pandas!
Evening
Friday evening involved a nice dinner out at an Italian restaurant. My dress wrinkled slightly in my suitcase, but hanging it in the bathroom while I showered helped a little. You won’t catch me ironing on vacation, so I just went with it. This outfit isn’t “styled” or fancy at all, but I felt very comfortable in the smooth silk.
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Saturday
Daytime
The temperature on Saturday climbed into the low eighties for a little bit, and even though I started to perspire, the drape of this top allowed some air to flow through. This top has a creative and funky feel, which felt right at home while checking out Randyland and the Warhol Museum.
Evening
Honestly, it doesn’t get easier than this – a one-piece outfit with a jacket and flats. This is the kind of outfit that looks effortless (because it is) and is perfect for travel. I didn’t feel a bit out of place at the trendy bars and restaurants we visited.
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Sunday
I’ve worn almost this same combination of items three times in the past few months – the white tee, jeans, and trench are classic, but the shape of the top and the loafers make it more modern. I suspect you’ll see this outfit a lot more in the future.
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Pajamas
As a general rule of thumb, three nights is the most I will rewear my pajamas on a trip. After three nights, I’ll add in a second set of jammies so I have four pieces to mix and match: short sleeve top, long sleeve top, shorts, and long pants. I always bring pajamas that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen in public wearing (and keep a bralette at the ready). We’ve experienced too many pulled fire alarms in hotels and now know better.
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That’s a wrap for our Pittsburgh trip!
Do you adjust your packing lists based on your destinations?
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I’m shocked you can fit all that in an Away carry-on! Man, now I feel like a total scrub when I travel. I basically wear the same outfit for day and night, and couple days in a row, too!
I definitely adjust my packing depending on destination. For example, in NZ, since I was mostly being active, I didn’t pack any “nice” or fashionable clothes. But if I were going to Tokyo or Paris, I’d pack for put-together options.
When we travel during the cooler months, I am all about outfit-repeating! We just tend to work up a sweat with all of our walking once the mercury climbs (I read somewhere that the human body starts sweating around 78°F – fun fact!), and a change of clothes is necessary. No matter how long we are away, I only bring a carry on (even we travel to Europe for two weeks), and I am always shocked by how much I can fit!
Wonderful list and really helpful, It is really amazing how you could pack up all those things in a carry-on. Good job.