Outfits "Look Book" Southwestern Aesthetic.

If you read my last post, you would know I recently took a short but impressionable trip to Santa Fe , New Mexico.

As is the case on all of my vacations, I love to dress up for the destination I'm about to visit. And Santa Fe was no exception. I received so many comments about the outfits posted on social media, I thought it might be interesting to share a lookbook of my outfits.

I pride myself on being able to travel with carry-on luggage only. I can do a weeks' worth of spring/summer outfits in a carry-on, and in my opinion it all comes down to being clever with your outfit selections.

I was in Santa Fe for 3 nights and 4 days, and while You can actually make more than the Four outfits I'm posting here as examples, you will get an idea of how I formulate my outfits.

There are 16 items on the page above, and they take up hardly any space at all in your suitcase. You are free to then pack:

Underwear
Gym Clothes (workout clothing & sneakers)
Bathing Suit
Pajamas
and ONE additional Top, and ONE additional bottom (shorts would work well here)
A light cashmere sweater

Formula 1.

1 + 5 + 2 + 10 + 8 + 16 + 3

Denim vest - Agolde
White denim skirt - Agolde
Boots - Dolce Vita
Hat - Kemo Sabe
Sunglasses - Roberto Cavalli
Purse - Fendi
Earrings - Bottega Veneta

This is a casual yet elevated outfit. The purse can be worn as a crossbody during the day and switched to a top-handle for evening.

Formula 2.

9 + 7 + 2 + 10 + 4 + 14 + 6

Top - Simkhai
Skirt - Acler
Boots - Dolce Vita
Hat - Kemo Sabe
Bracelet - Ettika
Bag - Bottega Veneta
Bolo Tie - Malouf on the plaza

This is another casual yet well put-together outfit. The tones are all neutral and soft, and the crystal detailing on the skirt transform this outfit to something you can easily wear in the evening.

Formula 3.

11 + 13 + 12 + 3 + 8 + 16

Top - NonChalant
Pants - Aritzia
Slides - Hermes
Earrings - Bottega Veneta
Sunglasses - Roberto Cavalli
Purse - Fendi

This is a much more relaxed and casual looking outfit, yet it is still elevated enough to wear to a fine dining restaurant in Santa Fe. This is what I wore to Geronimo restaurant.

Formula 4.

11+ 5 + 2 + 15 + 14 + 6 + 4

Top- Nonchalant
Skirt - Agolde
Boots- Dolce Vita
Sunglasses -Aire
Bag - Bottega Veneta
Bolo Tie - Malouf on the plaza
Bracelet- Ettika

This is the perfect outfit for strolling around the galleries in Santa Fe, its relaxed but chic, and when going into galleries I always feel good when my outfit is on point.

The sunglasses are a fun accessory and match the boots perfectly.

A few other packing tips...

Typically, I put all my clothing in a cabin sized rollaway bag, I am then free to put my purses and shoes in a lightweight backpack. I use this one from Lululemon, I love how roomy and how lightweight it is.
I try to pack as few shoes and purses as possible- These take up the most space! If a pair of shoes can only be worn with one or two outfits, I leave them behind. I absolutely love neutral-colored sandals for their versatility, and any purses that can be squashed down are a winner for me - This is why you will see me with my Bottega Veneta purses on vacation, I load them up with accessories like earrings and bracelets and I don't have to worry about the bags becoming misshapen in transit.
Accessories are KEY! Bring earrings, sunglasses and bracelets to mix it up your look. Typically people over-pack shoes and forget about accessories, I say do the opposite!
Think about where you are going and what type of activities you will be doing, In Santa fe, I was mostly eating out, shopping, visiting galleries and going to the spa. If I were doing more activities that involved hiking or horseback riding, I would need to include clothing more appropriate for those activities.
I wear my bulkiest shoes on the plane. These days with TSA pre check you don't need to worry about wearing shoes that can come on and off easily. Save space by wearing either your heaviest boots or your chunkiest sneakers on the plane.
Wear your denim jacket on the plane- denim weighs a lot and typically I try not to pack denim unless I absolutely have to, but a denim jacket can go everywhere so wear it on the plane.
My last tip to being able to travel carry-on only is to NOT bring with you all of your hair tools and products. If you MUST bring something, I say bring a flat iron or curling iron as it takes up the least amount of space. Bring a good quality shower cap and don't wet your hair on vacation unless absolutely necessary. Bring a small can of dry shampoo and make that blowout last as long as you can- you can always get a blowout at your hotel while you're away!