Adding Color To A Spring Travel Wardrobe
While I’m happiest in neutrals, some of you love to wear brighter hues. I’ve received many requests for a travel wardrobe with more color. Here are some ideas to create a Spring travel wardrobe that’s both colorful and cohesive.
Above:
Left: earrings | scarf (similar) | cardigan (similar) | shirt (similar) |
watch (similar) | pants (similar) | bag (similar) | shoes
Right: scarf (similar) | earrings | shirt (similar) | sweater | bracelet |
Spring Travel Wardrobe Guidelines
Of course you can always add items to the 12-Piece Capsule I presented last week, but if you want to keep the number of pieces about the same, I’ll suggest a few swaps you can make to incorporate more color. As with a neutral wardrobe, I’ve tried to adhere to a few parameters:
- If you’re trying to pack lighter, wardrobe cohesion is the most important factor. You want most of your tops to work with most of your bottoms (and everything to work with your footwear).
- Therefore this color-added travel wardrobe still follows the concept of “tabletop dressing,” e.g. keeping the bottoms simple and versatile and creating variety and interest in the top half of the outfit.
- Two accent colors that can be worn together will add plenty of variety while still providing cohesion. Here I’ve selected blue and coral. (I chose these colors because there are versions that flatter most skin tones, they’re easy to wear, and usually widely available.) You can also use a scarf to tie colors together as I’ve done in the collage above.
- I’ve tried to stick to pieces that rise to the level Smart Casual. This will maximize their wearability across a variety of venues
- Simple, basic styles will be most versatile. You still want to be able to layer. I’d leave the statement sleeves or bulky, oversized pieces at home.
- Don’t forget to factor in outerwear and accessories. Coats, scarves, jewelry, hats etc. can all add color, variety, and personality to your look. I’ll cover outerwear and accessories in a future post.
- For this exercise, I’ve used items that are currently available. (I have not seen all of them in person, and am relying on online images and descriptions.)
To review, here’s the mostly neutral 12-Piece Capsule:
Color Swaps
To add more color, try any or all of these swaps.
peony cardigan | coral shaped cardigan (similar)
Here’s what the color-updated wardrobe looks like as a whole…
Top row: tee |shirt (similar) | tee | jacket (similar)
Second row: shirt (similar) | sweater | cardigan | tee
Third row: jeans (similar) | jeans (similar) | pants | skirt (similar)
Shoes: boots | oxfords | sandals (similar)
And here are two more combos…
Left: earrings | scarf (similar) | tee | shirt (similar, worn over tee) | bag (similar) | jeans (similar) | bracelet | sandals (similar)
Right: earrings | scarf (similar) | cardigan (similar) | tee | watch (similar) | jeans (similar) | bag (similar) | shoes
How do you incorporate color in a travel wardrobe? Which colors do you wear the most?
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This is a lovely, practical collection.
I have to say that unless one is washing the car, cleaning out the garage or digging in the garden, one should be dressy casual. No? Although I must say I’ve come upon neighbors gardening and they are very chic, with matching boots and gloves and pretty silk scarves around their necks (it’s true that a neck scarf should be safe even while digging in the dirt). A little effort feels good.
Well, there are some heavy kinds of housework that get me in old, ratty clothes. I don’t have a car or a garage, but there can be some nasty surprises inside a house or flat. We (my housing co-operative) do have gardens fore and aft, as do many condos in our Montréal triplexes. I love the pretty scarves French and Italian women (PSST, also the men!) wear while gardening.
I keep my ratty painting and dirty work clothes in a little bin apart from the presentable ones.
I stayed in an Airbnb in Paris in the fall—it was clearly a bachelor’s apartment—and he had the most amazing collection of scarves! I took a photo of them, and it was all I could do not to pull one out to wear each day!
Scarves are big here in Montréal as well, for men as much as for women. Heavy winter ones to summery light ones. I use them a lot while travelling, especially if I’m facilitating at a conference.
The link for the peony cardigan doesn’t seem to be working. Would you be able to fix it as I’m very interested in more information on that piece?
Updated, thanks!
Love the addition of color. However, I’d probably only add a little. My color is RED so it would go with your existing capsule (before added color) well. I think your regular mix allows for more versatility but I like the idea of scarves in more vibrant colors.
Mine would be various reds – I think I own five red bérets, from cotton to warm angora and from pepper red to a deep violet-red, greens, mostly forest (not the yellow-greens that make me look like ****) and violets. I’m not at all fond of pastels, but I understand that this changes with the light in warmer climes.
Love this! Thank you for sharing how easy a few simple swaps can change the look of the whole wardrobe. It’s so valuable to feel put together when living out of a suitcase.
Thank you! Am considering getting the boots from Nordstrom for a May trip to Paris. Are they comfortable??
I haven’t tried this particular pair, but I’ve seen Blondo boots being rated well for comfort.
Blondo boots are quite comfortable
Thanks!
I absolutely love the updates!!! It is versatile, fresh and fun! The combinations seem unlimited. I love the coral over the white and black stripes with a gorgeous scarf. This post is so inspiring. I will use this and modify for my upcoming trip to San Diego in a month ( I am from NH).
I love color in my wardrobe, but when traveling to urban centers such as New York or Paris, I tone it down. I use scarves or jewelry for color.
Take me to a beach? It’s white and turquoise as neutrals, then lots of intense colors.
Love the beach as it is my favorite place. But do love New York and all the action for a few days. Do as you do with the scarves!
Must be mindreading. Yesterday I bought a lightweight, orange cotton cardigan in an end of lease sale. We have slipped quietly into Autumn in New Zealand and I’m reluctant to pack away my colours. When I tried it on I was wearing a black and white striped top and black pants so the impact was immediate. Looking forward to teaming it with navy and also grey. Must have a rummage through my scarf drawer now. Ha…..wouldn’t it be a shame if there’s nothing that works and I have a very flimsy excuse for a shopping excursion!
Yes isn’t it great that even down here in NZ we can get inspiration. The styles shown are so universal and wearable. Makes me look harder to see what’s available here.
I also live in NZ. I have great difficulty finding similar items here. Where have you had success finding items Alison and Angela?
I totally and completely love that coral cardigan.
I feel so stylish, as I just added a coral cardigan to my packing list for Seoul next week! It will go with all the black and white in my suitcase, and also ensure I don’t want to burn everything I own when I get home, like I did with my grey/black wardrobe from a trip to London in November:)
Thanks for all your capsule wardrobes!
Love the colors. For many of us who allot a lesser amount for clothing, I would suggest Chicos and JJill for pants. I am 5’3″ and find many of their pants quite nice, especially Chicos. I wear regular there but petite at JJill. In addition they wear and wash well for travel, depending on the style. I rarely take jeans when I travel but love casual pants. Oh, by the way Chicos has a style with a panel to help pull in the belly!! and they work!!
Safe travels!!
I love these added colors. This makes the travel capsule much more workable for me. I’ve just bought the pale pink and navy floral print scarf. Great practical suggestions. Kaye
Nicely and tastefully done! I tend to follow your travel wardrobe suggestions and then add one favorite color for a pop. My go to is burgundy, but I have also been known to add indigo, coral or blush pink to go with the other neutrals. Always following your rules of everything should go together… especially in the added color palette.
Love the color pops! Question: How do people pack a classic collared shirt for weeks of travel? I always take soft knit tops that don’t wrinkle. Seems like the crisp fabric shirts, even the “ wrinkle free” variety, would be a bit of trouble.
Oh the irony! As a rule, I wear brighter colours than you do and relegate neutrals to pull them together. However, after reading your travel tips, I took only neutrals (seasonal black/grey) on a late-autumn Paris trip, using scarves and accessories to add the colour. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to have a “uniform” – never even thought about what I was going to wear, just put it on and went out the door. For me, it’s just the ticket…from then on, neutrals have become my travel staple.
That ease of getting dressed is one of the reasons I personally prefer neutrals for travel.
You are such an inspiration. Thank you for your extremely helpful/stylish suggestions!
I’m going to Bordeaux (staying in a country home with a pool — no idea if it will be warm enough to swim) for a week in late June followed by 3 days in Dublin. Would you consider advising me on weight of clothing/jackets?
I’d be over the moon if you’d do a travel capsule with black, white, olive green and mustard.
Also, what size suitcase do you travel with for 10 days in Europe?
Merci, Lisa
Hi Lisa, I haven’t been to Dublin, but our experience of Bordeaux in the spring was that it varied between quite warm and cool/wet. My advice would be to keep an eye on the forecasts, and pack lightweight layers, adjusting the weight/warmth for the forecast. For most trips I pack a carry-on size bag. The one I currently have is a few years old; here’s the current version: http://bit.ly/2pDTu4R
Merci mille fois, Susan. Very helpful. Wishing you well,
You’re very welcome, and thanks for reading!
Thanks, Susan. Great ideas. Colour makes me happy! Red, blue, green, orange…. That’s one reason I prefer spring and summer clothes, they’re more colourful.
I liked your blog very much, I like to watch blogs that have something to do with fashion and clothing.
I like how you have address both neutrals and color to fit various preferences. I personally stick to neutral, sophisticated pieces and try to add accessories for a pop of color. I have taken a love to a few colors: burgundy, blush and indigo…. so, I start with your neutral palette then add one color in as many pieces as are practical. Usually a scarf, belt, and cardigan/sweater do the trick. If I have a blouse or tee with that color, I will work that in as well. Thank you for all you do! BTW, what app do you use to keep track of your digital closet? I have heard of Stylebook, but I’m sure there are others.