11.21.2016

# 10 Item Wardrobe # The Art of Packing

Packing for Japan + Ten-Item Wardrobe Updates



Hello Daily Connoisseurs,

Happy Thanksgiving week to you! I have safely returned from Japan. Thank you for all of your social media messages to me. What a trip! The baby and I had a great time. Today's video shows my packing process before my trip.

I was very happy with how I packed for Japan. With the exception of a black tee shirt, I used everything I brought. My only mistake was packing too many diapers!

On this trip I packed:

4 dresses
1 black trouser (Loft fluid ankle pant)
3 tees (including the lace tee)
2 pairs of pajamas
1 green coat
2 heels (for filming)
2 flats (for days off and travel)
3 pairs of pantyhose
1 pair black tights
undergarments
Baby gear & clothes
toiletries
travel steamer

Packing for this trip was tricky, because not only was I working, which required a specific wardrobe in and of itself, but I also had to fit all of the baby's items in the same suitcase. I made it work however, and am pleased with how it went!

In this week's video, I also share my ten-item wardrobe updates with you. I finally caved and purchased three nursing dresses to replace the dresses in my ten-item wardrobe that I was unable to nurse in. I am so glad I did this. And with traveling and working with a baby, proper nursing clothes were a life-saver!

The new additions to the wardrobe are the black collar dress, long sleeve black dress and navy and red wrap dress, all from Seraphine. These three dresses will literally replace the long sleeve blue Boden dress, sleeveless Loft dress and black ballet dress that I am unable to nurse in, still keeping me in at under ten items.

These are the hosiery items I mention in the video, for those who are interested. They performed really well, with no runs and also withstood the washing machine!

Commando Control Top Pantyhose and Spanx black luxe leg tights

I also brought my mini travel steamer with me, which was handy for smoothing my clothes out for the television shoot.

Comments of the Week

From last week's What's In My Fridge? video...
TaylorCait writes:

Thanks for sharing! We are on an extremely tight grocery budget for the three of us (myself, my husband, and our six year old son), but Costco allows us to eat well and include lots of organics! I shop there once a month, at the beginning of the month, and then every week I stop by an Aldi - some weeks I'm even able to skip that stop. We first eat the produce that goes bad the quickest, and things like apples will last a couple of weeks before going bad. We live 45 minutes away from the nearest decent grocery store so I make my trips into town count!


Hi TaylorCait, Thank you for sharing your shopping routine with us. I agree that a mixture of Costo, plus smaller markets, works really well for families with small children. It's great that you are so organized about your trips into town!


Angi Campbell writes:

At this point in our lives, we definitely love Costco as well! I have access to some great markets and a huge garden, so I go to the grocery store every other week, and just do produce from the garden, freezer, or market in between. However, I have definitely struggled mentally with the whole bulk food concept, so it's very nice to hear your thoughts and opinion!

Hi Angi, there is a season for everything! It's nice to connect with other readers over how we shop for our families. Thank you for sharing with us.

I hope you enjoy this week's video and that all of our American readers have a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday with their families. I am really looking forward to relaxing and eating a big feast after my trip!

See you next week for the Japan vlog!

With love,

Jennifer x


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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bonjour Jennifer,

As for tights, I always put them with my damp hands and with my palm in contact with my tights and not with my legs. It's a bit strange but doing so I avoid ruining them from the very first time.
When buying thin and expensive tights, I often choose the superior size.
And before washing, I put them in a special bag.

Thanks for all your posts.

Hekate said...

Panty hose? I didn't think anyone wore these anymore, especially some as young as you. Do modern french women wear these sausage casings? Shocking.

Anonymous said...

I'm so envious of you going to Japan! My daughter will be traveling to Japan and Korea as her graduation gift.

I would like to note that your dressing appropriately from culture to culture is commendable. I believe dressing respectably according to the country you are in is the epitome of chic. In reference to the above commentor who is shocked at the idea of wearing pantyhose, I don't believe wearing pantyhose is the norm for French women, but you aren't in France, you're in Japan, where it is a norm.

It's very chic to be able to go beyond a certain set of rules from one culture to expanding to the mind-set of a world traveler, like you have. :)

D.

Hekate said...

I didn't know that pantyhose was the norm in Japan. I agree that dressing for your destination is the epitome of chic. Thank you for your observation.

Anonymous said...


I am European ( 35, Austria), and believe me, we wear pantyhose almost all year long. Our changing climate ( especially freezing winters), fair skin, using of public transport and a lot of walking does not allow us to walk with bare legs, if you do not want to risk some health issues and look like a fool.

Pantyhose is a norm, bare legs are not.
I do not know if this will change some day, but I believe in common sense, and that everyday life is far different from what you see at Instagram pictures of some fashion victims ( ...bare legs and even sandals in snow?!)

Felicia said...

I think Princess Kate helped to make wearing pantyhose more acceptable and chic again. I'm glad that she did. I prefer the look of my pale legs in them as I think they hide many imperfections so I'll be wearing them no matter what the trend is at the time, unless I am going for a more beachy casual look in the summer. I too, find it tricky not to snag them and usually have a back up pair.

Unknown said...

Hi Miss Jennifer!

One of the things in which I delight about my own ten item wardrobe is ease of packing! When I was young, my mother always told me, "Packing is simple as long as your clothes are clean." and yet I found myself frequently dithering over what I might like to wear followed by later regret that I had not chosen something else. I've amended her advice to, "Packing is simple provided your clothes have been chosen with care and they are currently clean." The last 5 week long trips I have taken I've simply moved my ten items from my closet, to the smaller of my two suitcases (including the hangers), added underpinnings, a bathing suit, my travel toiletries, and called it an enjoyable 15 minutes. I've found that I am always overpacked but never feel as if I'm lacking in any area.

On the subject of pantyhose, when I was in college my sister and I used to tell each other, "Never wear a skirt without hose!" And we would thoroughly enjoy how fantastic our legs looked. As I've gained responsibility and a desire to skip that step while getting dressed we have modified the statement to, "Your legs will look better in hose." Less totalitarian and more motivational!

My favorite brand of hose is, Leggs: Sheer Energy; Medium Support, Control Top. They are about 4.50 a pair and I can wear one pair of them between 7 and 14 times (sometimes more!) Before they tear or run.

Thank you for the video!

~Kathleen

Hekate said...

To Anonymous european, are colored tights the same thing as sheer pantyhose? I know opaque black tights are worn often during fall and winter in the USA.

Anonymous said...

To Hekate;
tights are different from pantyhose.

We do like wear tights of course, but we love to wear different shades and structures of sheer pantyhose as well, mostly during spring, fall, or in milder winter temperatures. It really depends on overall outfit and shoes.
You could actually check the website one of our biggest and favourite retailer here - Italian brand Calzedonia ( their Instagram for example) to see, that style does not need to be sacrificed by wearing pantyhose.

Also, I really do apologize to everybody for my bad English.



Hekate said...

Your English is very good - no apology necessary. I look forward to seeing what Calzedonia offers. Thank you.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vicki Zimmerman said...

I so enjoyed watching your delightful and practical video and, with all your videos, I always pick up something new to incorporate in my life, even as "a woman of a certain age." I love Commando-brand dig-free tights and have worn them for several years. I loved reading that they also come in nudes, like your Donna Karan ones and you've inspired me to go to Nordstrom to check out an appropriate color for my very-pale legs (I understand from reading the reviews that the letter code refers to yellow or red undertones of the skin and I want to get it right and have it look "nude" and like I''m wearing nothing on my legs. I really enjoyed reading the comments and agree with many of you that in addition to respecting cultural norms, I like to wear them for a more finished look and because I run cold in autumn and winter. Sometimes tights won't work and nude hosiery is the best option. Let me finish my post by saying that I think you're amazing, Jennifer, traveling with poise and refinement at every stage of your life, and with baby connoisseur to join you abroad, as you film a show.

Vicki Zimmerman said...

I forgot to add that I travel with a Nordstrom zippered lingerie bag and keep my undergarments in it as another way of organizing. I also use Ziplock bags for some cosmetics and a drawstring bag for my jewelry, which is quite minimal when traveling with maybe one necklace and two pairs of earrings.