Julia's Style April 28, 2015
Packing For Wine Country
Thomas and I frequently travel from San Francisco to Wine Country in Sonoma or Napa, but we rarely spend more than a half day there. A couple of weeks ago, we decided to get out of the city and stay a few nights at The Carneros Inn. It felt great to escape the cool weather in the city and enjoy the bright sunshine, calming breeze and sparkling wines that the Carneros Region is known for, all without having to worry about driving home after!
Since San Francisco and Napa are so close together, I often get emails from readers saying that they’re visiting both places and need suggestions on what to pack. So I thought I would share a small list of essentials I would recommend bringing for a weekend getaway in Wine Country. I always start off with a color palette and try to bring pieces that will mix and match. Since I’m only using my Lo & Sons weekender bag, I try to stay simplistic, but if you’re like me, you tend to overpack. I’ve come up with a small system that helps me organize the looks that I’ll wear throughout the weekend, while making the most out of each item:
1 Dress
1 Top
1 Sweater
1 Pair of Jeans
1 Blouse (worn)
1 Denim Jacket (worn)
1 Skirt (worn)
1 Pair of Flats
1 Pair of Wedges
1 Pair of Sandals
1 Clutch
1 Cross-body Bag
Here is a breakdown of how I would wear each item throughout the weekend:
Friday– Wearing denim jacket, blouse, skirt and sandals traveling to Napa. Once we arrive in the afternoon and check in, the look is already nice to wear out for lunch or to visit downtown Napa. Once we’re back at the hotel, I’ll freshen up and switch my skirt and sandals for jeans and wedges (paired with the same blouse) and add a clutch for casual dinner attire.
Saturday– For a day filled with wine tasting and relaxing, I’ll wear my gingham top with my white skirt (worn the day before), sandals and cross-body bag. I’ll bring my denim jacket with me just in case the wind picks up or the winery is in a cooler spot. In the evening, I’ll switch into my dress and wedges for a nice dinner in Healdsburg.
Sunday– I’ll wear my white sweater paired with jeans, flats and my cross-body bag for brunch on our last morning before before heading home.
I find that planning my outfits ahead of time really helps alleviate the overthinking of what to wear in the morning and thus makes everything that much more relaxing. Having a great weekender bag that fits all your essentials is key. I love this Catalina Bag by Lo & Sons since it’s lightweight, durable and easy to fold/store when we’re home. I often use it as a carry-on bag while we’re traveling as well! If you’re not familiar with Lo & Sons, they’re a family business started by a mother and her two sons. I’ve been using their bags for years as they fit both categories of being stylish and practical. They really think of everything when it comes to the design- I love that the Catalina bag has a bottom zipper for my shoes and the canvas fabric is machine washable.
Joie Blouse/ Isabel Marant Skirt/ DVF Gingham Top/ Line & Dot Dress/ Gap Sweater/ Clare Vivier Clutch/ Stuart Weitzman Wedges/ Chanel Flats/ Ray Ban Sunglasses/ Chloe Crossbody Bag/ Calypso St. Barth Scarf/ Madewell Denim Jacket/ Eugenia Kim Hat/ Schutz Sandals
Thank you to Lo & Sons for sponsoring this post.
This post is really great! will definitely try this method!! xx,
Riv
http://www.everbluepearls.com
I love the blue, ivory, cognac, and beige color scheme. Thanks for the packing tips :)
Happy Wednesday!
http://www.lovecompassionatelee.com/thinkoutloud
That scarf is way too perfect! It’s exactly what I’ve been searching for, do you mind sharing where it’s from?
Also I love the look of the jean jacket with the skirt and blouse, just the right amount of casual and chic.
– Kelsey
https://kelseydefined.wordpress.com/
Hi Kelsey,
It’s from Calypso St. Barth last year!
x Julia
Such sweet photos!!
http://www.blondeincashmere.com
Love all the feminine touches! Looks like a great time!!
Jillian
http://www.rejoiceinthejourney.com
Wow… your packing looks so organized. Mine is always a mess. Have a lovely trip!
Xoxo
Linda
http://lapetitebetise.blogspot.de/
Love these Napa essentials! Hope you guys had fun!
xx
http://modernensemble.com
I love your sandals! Where are they from?
Hi Cristina,
They are by Schutz!
x Julia
Lobe that blue shirt! So pretty!
Kisses from Portugal
http://denisedeassis.com
Love how organized you are and the chloe crossbody bag is so cute :)
http://www.maireem.blogspot.com
Adore how you embellished the travel-perfect weekender bag with a pretty blue printed scarf, so lovely! Totally agree that planning outfits ahead can save time in the morning and make a trip more relaxing! Wishing you a great trip!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
I really love this post. The photos are great, and the post has given me great ideas for my next 2-3 day trip luggage. If you could make this kind a post an habit it would be really awesome :)
LOVELY!
NEW BLOG POST!! Today I bring you “MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE” – the ultimate guide to find the perfect present for your mom!! Don’t miss it!!
http://www.influencerdiaries.com
Love your large tote which is so perfect for a weekend getaway.
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Hope to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.
That’s a great idea about having a color palette! I love all of these pieces together. Such a helpful post!
Jamie
http://www.treatsandtrendsblog.com
Julia, where did you find those pretty sandals?
Hi Emma,
They are from Schutz!
x Julia
This is a great method!
Great packing tips! Thanks!
http://illango.com/index_en.html
Love this post and love my Catalina bag!!
Where is that beautiful scarf from?
Love this!! where are the jeans from? xx
http://www.thecityprep.com/?m=1
Do you have any tips on packing toiletries, hair tools and beauty items? Specifically, how did you fit your other items in that bag? I find that I have no problem with packing an appropriate amount of clothing, but it quickly gets out of hand when packing those other sundry items.
Love the blue gingham and the hat! I just bought a hat like this!
-Meg
http://www.frommegwithlove.wordpress.com
So pretty Julia, your hair looks amazing and these are great tips!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
A packing post at last! Thank you, Julia! Great advice on transitioning through several different looks.
XOXO
Where are your jeans from? They look perfect!
Love this packing list! The classic Chanel flats are always a must! x
http://www.refined-fashion.com/blog
I love the style of your blog! Beautiful! I also love your travel bag so much… the shoe compartment on the bottom is so practical!
Melanie
http://www.miscellaneousmelanie.com
HI! Love this post – I am going to Florida soon and definitely using this as a guide to help me pack! I absolutely love the Isabel Marant skirt and want to get it – I think I could wear it to work too which I’m excited about! what size do you wear in it? Thanks!!
what beautiful pieces! xo
http://dearserendipity.com/
Hi! Would you share the info on the jeans with me? Thanks!
Great packing list suggestions!
http://www.citystyleandliving.com/editors-notebook-travel-style/
Love this packing guide!
http://www.modernclassicstyle.com
Hi my name is Sandra and I just wanted to drop you a quick note here instead of calling you. I discovered your Packing For Wine Country – Gal Meets Glam page and noticed you could have a lot more visitors. I have found that the key to running a popular website is making sure the visitors you are getting are interested in your subject matter. There is a company that you can get targeted visitors from and they let you try the service for free for 7 days. I managed to get over 300 targeted visitors to day to my site. Visit them here: http://innovad.ws/2dttq
Hi! I was wondering if you knew the name of the Eugenia Kim hat you have, I can’t find it (I know it’s last season) but hoping it might still be in stock somewhere on the internet!
The Catalina Bag by Lo & Sons is definitely a great choice. Personally, I use the Von Baer Milan Leather Travel Bag.It’s durable, stylish and has lots of space.