5 Tips to Travel Light and Dress Well at the Same Time (Published 2018) (2024)

Between the hassle of flying, jet lag and hauling your luggage around, traveling is challenging enough without worrying about looking fashionable while you do it. But Kate Young, a New York-based stylist who counts actresses Margot Robbie and Michelle Williams among her clients, says that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to look stylish on the road.

“Anyone can look chic while traveling, and there’s no need to spend a lot or pack a lot to do it,” Ms. Young said. She noted that she travels several times a month and rarely checks in a bag. Here are her best tips to traveling light and looking good at the same time.

Pack Clothes In Three Coordinating Colors

When deciding what clothes to pack, choose pieces in three matching colors so you can mix and match each piece to create multiple outfits for different days, or even different occasions. Pick the colors based on where you’re going.

If you’re headed to Paris or another urban destination, for example, any combination of black, white, navy and charcoal is a good bet. For a beach vacation or outdoors excursion, khaki, off-white (or white) and bright hues like orange or yellow always work. Ms. Young likes white linen in particular because it’s cool in warm weather, can be worn during the day and is also nice for evenings out. And when it comes to the actual articles of clothing to take, Ms. Young said that a pair of jeans, a pair of nice pants, a striped button down, a blazer and a comfortable T-shirt are always good options. “Ideally, you should be wearing each piece two or three times on your trip,” she said. “Anything less is a waste of space.”