I’ve been packing intentionally for decades.
Not perfectly. Intentionally.
After enough surf trips, photoshoots, work trips, family vacations, and weekends that stretch longer than planned, you learn what gets worn—and what doesn’t. It’s amazing what little you need.
I pack for the personality of the trip. I set the tone for how I want to feel once I arrive, not just where I’m going.
Once you approach it this way, everything gets easier. You bring less. You wear more. And nothing sits in your suitcase untouched.
What earns a place
I start with pieces that can move easily between moments. Nothing one-note.
A shirt dress
A relaxed button-down
A lightweight sweater i.e.: Presley bomber
A navy or black linen blazer in spring and summer
Somewhere hot, our Jacey or Jordy dress—it works as a cover-up and a night out
If it only works in one very specific situation, it usually doesn’t make the trip.
Bottoms stay edited
Three bottoms are my sweet spot.
One denim
One lightweight pant
One short or skirt
Then I adjust the tops—usually three or four. Everything works together. No thinking required.
One-pieces pull double duty. Swim by day, bodysuit by night.
Swim Top are my bras…. Escondido and Elba are no brainers- also fun to have a pop of color under your shirts.
I always have a sarong on me. It acts as a scarf on the plane, skirt or coverup or even a piece to sit on the sand with. Sarongs work overtime and are crucial for travel.
Color, kept in check
I keep the palette tight without making it boring. One clear color story means everything works.
I’m careful with white, especially if there’s no washer and dryer. It’s beautiful, but stains….
The goal is ease. Everything mixes.
Fabric matters
If it’s annoying on a plane, it’s annoying everywhere.
I want fabrics that breathe, travel well, and feel good after a full day. Soft structure always wins.
Shoes, simplified
One pair of sneakers—worn on the plane.
Summer trips get simple flip-flops that work for the beach and with a dress.
Dress for how your days actually unfold
Not the dinners you imagine.
The days you know you’ll have.
Morning walks. Coffee runs. Long days that turn into late nights.
I also always leave room. For a purchase or two. Something local. Something unexpected. Those are usually the best pieces anyway.
Jewelry, Edited
What I wear is what I take.
Nothing oversized. Nothing noisy. I like pieces that layer, stay on, and don’t set off alarms through security.
The point
Packing isn’t about control.
It’s about freedom.
You get dressed. You go.
And you feel like yourself wherever you land.