Sometimes, you just want to take a quick weekend trip & not have to hassle with a checked bag. Sometimes a carry-on can be all you need!
For those who struggle with over-packing, this post is for you!
For me, the 7 keys to successfully packing a carry-on you can actually make outfits from are:
1) Maximizing the size of your carry-on and personal item (aka taking the biggest ones you can that fit the airline’s dimensions)
2) Packing your absolute essentials (personal hygiene items, makeup, etc)
3) Packing versatile/neutral pieces that can be dressed up or down (denim, a little black dress, white sneakers, etc)
4) Changing up accessories, makeup, and hairstyles (doesn’t take up much space and can change the look of outfits) — TODAY’S POST
5) Wearing one piece of clothing in multiple ways
6) Borrowing clothes from others you are traveling with
7) Wearing your bulky layers vs packing them (especially if traveling to cold weather) -or- using compression bags
Ok, let’s break part 4 down in detail
Part 4: Changing up accessories, makeup, and hairstyles
Changing up accessories (like jewelry, eyewear, headwear, belts, bags), makeup, and hairstyles can provide many different looks without having to physically pack much — these changes can make one basic dress look like hundreds of combinations. To illustrate this, the image below shows the same model wearing the same black dress but changing up the hairstyle and accessories to make it look different, resulting in many different outfits:
The same dress + different accessories — image generated with AI using my ideas, input, and styling
See how changing up accessories can make one outfit look like a totally different outfit? Use this to your advantage while traveling — you can pack less clothes if you are able to make more looks from what you already packed.
Some hacks I like to use are:
— silk/satin scarves: take up barely any room and can be used in different ways like tied into a skirt, shirt, belt, necktie, headband, bag accessory, etc. (I like white, black, tan or gold, and a pattern)
— jewelry (more on this later in the post)'
— hairstyles (more on this later in the post)
— instead of bulky handbags, a couple colors of wallets on chain with different chains:
A wallet on chain can be a clutch (with chain removed) or a handbag (with chain — and depending on how you style the chain, it can be a shoulder bag, crossbody, hand-held, etc. Plus, swapping different chains out and lengthening/shortening the chain by wrapping it around the flap of the bag can make the bag look different):
One wallet on chain, styled differently — image generated with AI using my ideas, input, and styling
If I’m traveling and very limited on space, I’ll stick to one color handbag and coordinating shoes (for example, a muted gold handbag with heels and flats in the same color). If I have a bit more room, I tend to pack colors in black, nude, and a metallic — plus coordinating shoes.
Hairstyles
While not something you pack, it’s definitely something you wear. When it comes to traveling, hairstyles are your secret weapon for creating different looks — they take up no space in luggage (other than if you are using hot tools or hair accessories), and are a fun and easy way to add variety to your outfits.
To get different hair looks, change these up:
— hair part (sides, center)
— hair texture (curly/straight)
— hair color (dark, light, colorful —temporary or not)
Below is an image that features various hairstyles to give you some ideas. YouTube and TikTok have tons of tutorials to learn how to do certain styles.
Different hairstyles — image generated with AI using my ideas, input, and styling
Makeup
Makeup is another easy way to make an outfit look different:
How different makeup looks can transform one outfit — image generated with AI using my ideas, input, and styling
Below is an image showing different makeup ideas for inspiration.
A ton of makeup isn’t required to create lots of different looks — just packing one palette with a few colors (like a red lipstick, or a colored or glitter eyeshadow) and just using the same products in different ways (like using a dark eyeliner to make a cat eye or a smokey eye) can result in lots of very different looks.
YouTube and TikTok have tons of tutorials to learn how to do certain looks.
Various makeup looks — image generated with AI using my ideas, input, and styling
Jewelry
In my opinion, jewelry is one of the easiest ways to elevate an outfit. A basic outfit can go from understated to standout with the addition of jewelry.
While good-quality investment pieces (like a nice watch or diamond earrings) a last long time and definitely won’t turn green on you, something is to be said about inexpensive fashion jewelry — it allows you to switch up your look easily to fit the current trends — plus, you don’t have to worry about losing valuable pieces.
When looking for fashion jewelry, gold-plated items allow you to get more use out of the item before it tarnishes, and there are many stylish gold-plated jewelry items (anything from layered necklaces, to watches, bracelets, rings, and earrings) on Amazon — all ranging around $10-$20.
As an example, a basic outfit like black pants and a black tank top can be elevated by adding some gold layered necklaces, a watch, bracelets or rings, and some earrings — it helps the outfit look put-together:
My favorite types of jewelry are textured pieces (or different chain styles) in gold or with colorless gemstones/diamonds, because these can easily go from outfit to outfit and day to night. I also like a few statement pieces like big gold drop earrings or a thick bangle.
The great thing about jewelry is that it doesn’t take up much space in a carry-on and can be dressed up or down.
And to keep jewelry from getting lost or tangling during travel, there are great roll-up jewelry carriers on Amazon to keep jewelry separated while traveling.
Summary
In summary, changing up accessories (like jewelry, eyewear, headwear, belts, bags), makeup, and hairstyles can provide many different looks without having to physically pack much — these adjustments can make one basic dress look like hundreds of combinations, which saves a lot of space in your carry-on and gives you many looks.
Note: this post is part of a 9-series of posts on “How to pack a carry-on (& get the most out of it!)”: (intro, parts 1-7, and conclusion)
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