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.

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  4. This is exactly what I needed!! I live in London and often travel to Cornwall (on the UK coast) for weekends away, but usually end up throwing half my wardrobe in my bag and then struggling to decide what to wear.
    Thank you!
    X
    p.s. adore the Joie blouse.

  6. I love how there is a separate compartment in the bottom of that bag for shoes. That’s such a great idea and a nice way to keep them separate from your clothes. Love that dress and sweater.

    prosecco in the park

  11. I used to be an overpacker for so long since I didn’t plan my outfits in advanced. Eversince I’m planning them in advance my packing has gotton a lot easier and it’s also nice not to worry to much about what you’re gonna wear on your vacation since you already got it all planned.
    The bag seem really practical as well. Having a seperate compartment for shoes at the bottom is such a great idea. I always have issues with the storage of my shoes.

  13. I agree that selecting a color palate and items that you can mix and match is key to not overpacking! It’s also nice not to have to worry about what your going to wear each morning when it’s already picked out.

  18. I absolutly adore your travel bag!! Looks so chic and comfy!! You always look so put together and ladylike! I love your blog!! For sure you had a lovely time! xx

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  19. This post could not be more perfect today! I’m planning an upcoming trip to San Fran and wine country to celebrate finishing 1 year of medschool!! (I know, still a long way to go #babysteps) I’m hoping to bring a pair of boyfriend jeans for more casual evening’s, what pair would you suggest?!

  27. Thank you SO much for sharing this!! Packing for a weekend trip can sometimes be more daunting than traveling for a week or more! This is an great post to show you can get a lot of wear out of just a few pieces. I would love to see more posts like this, I know you love to travel, and you obviously are a pro at it by now! Thanks again!!

  43. Hi Julia,

    I adored this post. I will defiantly try planning what I will wear beforehand now. I would love to see more of your packing for longer trips as well.

    x Emma

  55. Thank you for sharing this post. I love to see how others pack. I always have problems over-packing and still end up with nothing to wear! Having a list definitely helps. I absolutely love those cork wedges!!

    xoxo
    Brenda
    À LA PLAGE

  64. Hi Julia,
    Thanks for your packing recommendations! I am a guilty overpacker but have tried to get more efficient as I travle more lately. Quick question: How do you typically pack your hat(s) for vacation? I like to bring a straw hat like the one you have pictured but don’t want it to get smooshed in my bag! Any suggestions? Great post! I would love to try Carneros Inn!

    Hayley
    http://www.sfbaystyle.blogspot.com
    http://www.instagram.com/haycons

  69. Love the bag, separate compartment for shoes is great.. and i will incorporate these tips in my future weekend getaways..

    Hems
    agoldentulip.blogspot.com

  71. I use the same system when I pack! I can go two weeks out of a carry-on if I try (and laundry mid-trip of course). The hassle of having a huge bag of stuff I might not wear is just not worth it. Thanks for the tips! – Charlie, http://www.lemonbutterlove.com

  82. I like in Toronto, and Niagara on the Lake (our sad equivalent to wine country) is only about 1.5 hours away. While day trips are fun, it’s much nicer spending a night or two, so everyone can drink a bit more without having to worry about driving back to the city.

    -Katherine
    http://thegreenbows.blogspot.ca

  85. Love how the shoes have a separate compartment. I hate having my shoes touching my clean clothes. Bon Voyage.

  88. Love the sandals and the vichy top!! so cute!! xx

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  95. Julia, not sure if I missed it somewhere but where is the pretty scarf from? Love the colors :)
    You and your blog are an inspiration!

  112. 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

  113. 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 :)

  120. Love this post and love my Catalina bag!!

    Where is that beautiful scarf from?

  125. Hi Hayley,

    Typically if we’re flying, I put them in my carry-on or wear/hold one. In this case, I placed my small boater hat on the top of all my clothes in the bag so it wouldn’t get squished.

    x Julia

  130. 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.

  133. A packing post at last! Thank you, Julia! Great advice on transitioning through several different looks.

    XOXO

  137. 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!!

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  145. 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!

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  148. 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.

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