Packing Diaries

Squeezing 7 outfits out of a small soft-sided tote

The Trip: 4 day trip from Rome to Lucca and Genoa

Dates: March 17-20, 2025

Weather forecast: high of 55 and low of 40, no rain

Assuming you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m prone to overpacking. When I start to pack for a trip, I tend to imagine I’m going to be that person who wears a smoking jacket down to the hotel bar for a martini, or that I really will need that second blazer because, who knows? I like to be prepared for whatever may present itself. While I love shopping when I’m traveling, I’ve been scarred by several trips where I packed a carry-on, the weather or events shifted, and I had to spend precious hours looking for a windbreaker or a turtleneck or a swimsuit. Somehow when you’re on a mission to find something, you never end up getting exactly what you want. (I still have yet to toss an awful one-piece I bought in Austria years ago for way too much money, but we were in a rush.)

At the airport with my Il Bisonte x Yolo bag, and Porter bag resting on Matt’s Rimowa

A couple of weeks ago, I was forced to do a very minimal pack for this trip. We were four friends going by train from Rome to Lucca, then by car around the area, then up to Genoa, and back to Rome by plane. We weren’t sure how small the car would be, so we only allowed ourselves one small bag each. Other than one cocktail party at a club that required a jacket and tie, and several dinners where we had to look smart, it was mainly going to be museums, walking around, and maybe a gym workout.

Here’s what I packed, and how I wore it:

THE ELEMENTS

Clockwise from top left:

Mashburn Lara pants: I’m a superfan of these and have written about them a lot—they are sturdy and don’t look like leggings, but feel like they are.

Aspesi wool pant: I buy these pants in every season. They make them in wool, cotton and linen, and they are the perfect cut—flattering and comfortable—and have a forgiving elastic waistband.

Levis straight fit with stretch: I got these ages ago and they’re the perfect three-season pant. They’re too short to work with a boot, but are great with a loafer. The cut is slimming and the stretch is forgiving.

Aspesi denim shirt: A recent acquisition, I love the no collar and how it can be dressed up-ish—certainly not fancy, but it can work with a blazer and a little scarf, or just be casual.

Margaret Howell chocolate cashmere turtleneck: The best cashmere; only available on their site in navy

Kule cashmere crew: I love the cut of this, plus I’ve worn it to death and it still isn’t balling up.

J Crew chambray: I bought this oversized and wear it on literally every single flight.

WNU shirt (center): A brushed cotton shirt from a brand I discovered while walking around London on a Sunday when literally everything else was closed. Love the cut, and that the collar will stand up on its own.

Right

MaxMara coat: I bought this navy wool coat last year and wear it all the time. It fits well over a blazer or a puffer vest, and always makes me feel pulled together. Also works as a blanket in a pinch if a plane or train is freezing. I recommend buying in Italy—or at duty free—it’s a fraction of the price of what you’d pay in the States.

J Mueser cashmere blazer: This is a bespoke jacket our friend Jake Mueser made for me from Johnstons of Elgin cashmere. It’s so cozy it feels like a cardigan, but it can also go elegant.

Sanders boots: I bought these in Edinburgh last fall and they are now such a staple I can’t believe I lived without them for so long. I even wear these boots on long-haul flights: they’re roomy enough to allow for swollen feet, plus I never want to have to pack boots—too bulky.

Belgian loafers: While I bristle at how expensive these are if you buy them at the store, figure out your size, and then buy them on eBay! For me, these are perfect for day or night.

Goral sneakers: I didn’t bring running shoes because we just didn’t have the space, but I knew I could wear these all day, or on a long brisk morning walk, or to work out in if there was a gym. I’ll even wear them with a suit.

THE LOOKS

Travel outfit Days 1 and 4: My black Lara pants from Ann Mashburn and J Crew chambray shirt with a Kule beige crew-neck sweater (that doesn’t cut in at the waist). Coat from MaxMara and boots from Sanders.This is always my travel outfit—it’s like a talisman. I switch out of the sweater and often wear a quite thick navy Massimo Alba that has a mock turtleneck during cool/cold weather season.

Evening in Lucca Day 1: We didn’t need to be too dressed up, so I wore the denim shirt with the same pants and swapped my boots for Belgians. (I never wear the same shoes all day and into the evening if I’ve been walking around a lot—I get sick of them and after too much wear they can start hurting!) Added a maroon polka-dot scarf, which I forgot to photograph but I wrote about here.

Daytime Lucca/Genoa Day 2: Denim! (My version of a Texas tuxedo). Aspesi shirt and Levis straight-fit jeans, which I wore with the Goral sneakers and the MaxMara coat. Perfect for walking around Lucca and then heading to Genoa.

Evening in Genoa Day 2: We met our friend for drinks and then a casual dinner—I wore my navy pants and my chambray shirt with the Kule sweater, along with the Belgians.

Daytime in Genoa Day 3: Black Lara pants and the denim shirt, which is long enough to cover my butt, along with the chocolate cashmere Margaret Howell turtleneck. I wore my boots—which were comfy enough for a whole day of walking around town.

Evening Day 3: For a cocktail party, I wore the Aspesi wool pants and the WNU brushed wool shirt along with the polka-dot silk scarf, J. Mueser bespoke jacket, and Belgian loafers. Because the jacket is deconstructed and not bulky, I could wear my MaxMara coat over it.

Last morning: We walked an hour to the little seaside neighborhood of Boccadessa on the edge of Genoa and I wore my Gorals, along with my workout clothes (below). I purposely brought a merino wool long-sleeve shirt in case it was super cold, and I wore the Kule sweater over my shoulders. Within 15 minutes it was around my waist, I was so hot.

THE CARRIERS

I managed to fit all my clothes into my new Porter bag. I wouldn’t say that it was ideal in that many of the pockets are too narrow, but it was helpful for organizing. I also kept my laptop in the padded middle section. I knew my husband Matt was going to bring a Rimowa, so my bag could sit on top of his suitcase, and I carried my Yolo x Il Bisonte bag, which I stuffed my sneakers and Dopp kit inside of. My one purse was my black Metier crossbody, which I take the strap off of in the evenings—a clutch just looks chicer. In the end, I had room to bring home chocolates from Romanengo, a new scarf, a striped Dopp kit from Finollo (where Gianni Agnelli got his shirts made), and a shirt from Bergfabel, a great brand based in Lucca.