'I'm a fashion writer living out of a suitcase. Here are the 9 packing hacks I swear by.'

Listen to this story being read by Katie Stow, here.

After almost three years of feeling trapped (I’m sure you can relate), I have finally burst free back into the world of international adventure, and plan on spending the next six months or so living out of a suitcase.

According to my current itinerary, I will be spending roughly two months in Italy, followed by two months in New Zealand and perhaps two more in the States - the cherry on top being a romantic weekend away in Paris where I really want to bring it with the outfits. 

Eventually I’ll return to Melbourne to release my first fashion book (all about secondhand style) and be reunited with most of my clothes, but for now I’m embracing my intrepid side and living in just the outfits I've packed.

Watch: Horoscopes at the airport. Story continues after video.

As a fashion writer I am obsessed with clothes, but as a global citizen and creative nomad, I've been forced to whittle down what I wear for the foreseeable. 

In doing this, I need to consider many things - mainly the changing climates, cultures and general vibes I will be immersed in as I go. 

So, rather than getting overwhelmed, I’ve stripped it back to one key point: regardless of where I am, I want to look and feel good. 

Now... what to wear?

1. Planning is essential.

When packing for a long trip you really need to think big picture. Part of this is allowing longer for the packing process.

About six weeks ahead of this trip I started keeping a running note in my phone of what I wanted to wear while I was away. I also paired this practise with creating a Pinterest board of looks I wanted to emulate in each country I would be visiting (you can do that too if you want to get geeky, but the Pinterest board is optional).

This gave me a better grasp on what I already had, what I wanted to wear, and what I either needed to buy prior to departure or what I needed to pick up overseas.

Image: Supplied

2. Curation is key.

Once I could see what I needed to bring, I began to curate the actual clothes. I created blank canvas outfits (think a turtleneck and black capri pants) and thought of ways I could combine these with accessories to make the full look pop (say by adding a headband or a statement shoe).

I thought a lot about the versatility of each piece I would bring, and how I could dress each item up or down. I also thought about how translatable a piece would be between so many contrasting places - rural Sardinia in November is set to be very different from Auckland in January.

With this I curated an array of looks which would transcend various settings, and ensure I was covered for any situation that might pop up while I was away.

With my curated looks I also thought of ways to mix and match, creating multiple outfits from the same mix of pieces. 

As a millennial who’s pretty overactive on the internet, I also thought about how this would all translate on Instagram - my friends, family and followers deserve a fresh feed.

3. Outfit repeating.

In saying this, it’s also important to surrender to outfit repeating. 

You might want to don a new look every day, but no doubt your chosen airline’s baggage limit begs to differ. Frankly, you’re going to be rotating the same set of clothes a lot when living out of a suitcase, no matter how many accessory tricks or pops of colour you manage to implement in your outfits. 

Honestly though, outfit repetition doesn’t matter that much anymore - surely we're moving away from that mentality now too?

You might be embarking on the trip of a lifetime but you're not a pop star with a PR contract, needing to showcase new designs as you move through the world. 

So do a mental reframe: you’re a chic world traveller, and in that you can absolutely wear the same dress to dinner two nights in a row.

Meanwhile, if you’re travelling, it’s likely you’ll be in a new town every few days, so at least you’ll have an ever-changing, IRL audience for your looks as you move about!

Image: Supplied

4. Practical matters.

There are other things to consider that go far beyond how you present. Safety, comfort and agility and all key to happy travels. For example, in Europe you're much better off with an over-the-shoulder handbag, but in New Zealand the relaxed setting means it’s easier to prance around with a vintage top handle purse, or any kind of bag for that matter. 

In any case, the over-the-shoulder option works in both places so stick to that, and that way you’re much less likely to get pick-pocketed on a train when you’re in the northern hemisphere (it happens!).

5. Actually packing.

Admittedly I’m not the best packer, but I am a great traveller. Like many other fashion obsessed people I dream of being able to port around an endless stream of clothes as I move about the world. However in a bid to be mature and responsible, I now use a few packing hacks.

When filling my suitcase, I pad out the corners first (a trick learnt from Jon Hamm when he appeared on the Drew Barrymore show). 

I also roll pieces rather than fold them, and buy travel-sized cosmetics. Less is more, but you’d be surprised how much you can fit in a suitcase when you put your mind to it.

I also strive to pack under the weight limit. When packing it’s not about getting to the 25kg, or whatever the limit may be. It’s about bringing the essentials which will make you look and feel fabulous, whilst leaving a bit of room for shopping. 

Plus, nobody wants to lug around an overweight suitcase in a foreign city, let alone pay for the overweight baggage on every flight.

6. What about shopping?

You’re bound to pick up treasures on your travels. Taking home trinkets of inspiration or investment pieces you’ll have forever is one of the joys of shopping overseas, and a wonderful way to ensure you’ll remember your trip. So do leave room in your suitcase.

Worst case scenario, you find something heavy which you can’t live without. If that happens, just take it to the post office and send it home - simple. 

It’s hard being weighed down when you want to feel weightless, so international mail is your friend. Plus it’ll make for a nice surprise when you return home to your new gift-to-self.

Image: Supplied

7. Clothing care on the go.

It’s important to ask yourself, “Can I care for my clothing properly while I'm away?” Avoid taking specialist, dry-clean only type garments, or those that wrinkle instantly. 

Also, be careful with how you care for your clothes as you go - did I manage to burn my favourite dress with an old, Italian iron? Yes, I did.

8. Learn from my mistakes.

Speaking of silly things I’ve done that you should not do, let me tell you what I’ve mucked up in terms of packing for my current trip…

My choice of sneakers for this holiday were a cute new pair of white Keds. Of course a shoe like this is perfect for running around the museums of Paris, however they’re not ideal for traipsing around the damp countryside.

I recently went for a walk in a charming orange grove in Italy after a day of rain. When I came back to my apartment I discovered that my shoes were virtually wrecked with muddy stains.

Now it’s nothing a bit of good old Aussie Napisan won’t sort, but if I’d thought ahead this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Next time: dark sneakers.

I’ve also brought along a few items, despite my previous advice, which are dry-clean only. Of course they’re all gorgeous pieces which I’m desperate to wear in the various fashionable cities I’ll be visiting (I’m thinking of you, Milan & Paris) but anything that can only be worn once is highly impractical when travelling.

For evening wear, I strongly suggest bringing things that can be hand washed and you can get away without ironing. You want to look effortlessly chic as you travel, and a good way of doing this is by actually attempting to be effortless.

Image: Supplied

9. Living simply.

The curated, mobile wardrobe isn’t just about getting on a plane and going on holiday. In a world faced with ongoing and increasing instabilities, we are being encouraged to live more simply. 

The climate crisis and global financial crisis mean we need to cut back. Essentially, in this new world, less is more - but less needs to be quality and sustainable.

Learning how to curate and delegate your wardrobe with intention is a fantastic practise, regardless of whether you're about to depart on a trip or not. 

So learn from your own packing methods: what are the pieces which you own that you really love and want to wear most? That will tell you what your dream, curated wardrobe should consist of.

The best bit about all of this for me is that I finally feel free. Yes, my rather large, beloved, mostly vintage wardrobe is hanging in a storage unit in suburban Melbourne until I’m back, and I miss it. But one day, soonish, I’ll be home.

Nothing in my wardrobe is set to go out of style anytime soon, the only thing that will change over these next few months is that upon my return to Australia I am sure to be feeling inspired. 

And that's what travelling is all about. 

For more from Charlotte, follow her on Instagram. You can listen to her vintage fashion podcast, Chez Charlotte Vintage, wherever you get your podcasts.

Feature Image: Supplied.

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