A Suitcase of Ingredients.

Three questions stay in my head when I’m packing - what’s the temperature, the terrain and the vibe. All three together, at one time, are the consideration for each piece that lands in the suitcase. Just a fan, with good reason.). I use cooking analogies a lot to explain style, and it’s ironic since not only am I a terrible cook, I’ve simply given up trying. A raw diet for me isn’t a health decision but rather it’s just often my only option. However, apparently and thankfully, many of you do cook and understand when I put style in cooking terms. A suitcase should be the shopping list you’d make for a week of meals - when you’re trying to eat healthy, want to have some great splurges, and it makes you really bummed to have leftovers or food that goes bad. And you also aren’t interested in shopping in the prepared food section, because as amazing as it looks, somehow when you get home it’s always a bit flavorless.

In my recent suitcase, I travelled from NYC to Key West, Florida (73 degrees). The most southern tip on the United States. It was Christmas, 10 family members all in the house, zero dinner reservations but a desire to go out, one thick novel packed, bikes ordered, movie list made and a giant Jenga game shipped to the house direct. I was allotted half of a check in sized Rimowa bag - to give you a visual.

Fast forward, I wore everything. Multiple times in myriad ways.

These were the ingredients that came together, in nearly different ways every day, for 7 nights and 8 sunny and sometimes cloudy and frustratingly windy days.

Given all the downtime, I wanted to feel relaxed. But still like myself. Florida appropriate, but with modernity - I’m not going to put on a costume but I still want to feel really right in my new environment. Pieces that made it in the bag 1) effortless but still refined, 2) could be “brightened up” with a white shirt or a bare sandals and 3) could be manipulated - rolled up, hike up, loosened up.

I let the pants and jeans do all the super casual work - with all the couching anticipated (and realized) I brought skirts and slip dresses to be my easy packing tool for walking around town or dinners out.

If you look at the packing by category, you can see how none (or barely none) of the items did double duty. Going back to the cooking analogy, if you needed eggs, you wouldn’t buy brown eggs and white eggs. When packing, if you can’t discern the difference between two pieces, outside of color or texture, then choose. One. Ok?

A. B. C. D. E.

So, if I’m thinking about bringing (B)The Navy Cutout Sweatshirt I’m viewing it as “the piece I’m going to wear when I’m ultra relaxed, need to be warm and then not so, when I’m on the plane and want to but put together, but never fussy - ever.

And so (D) The Slim Navy Crewneck, even though it is “navy”, serves a fully different purpose. It’s super light weight, but gives good coverage (also btw we referred to it as semi sheer, but it’s really only in the super light colors like mint green). It holds its own with a dressy bottom, but then it magically lifts up the vibe of a super casual bottom like a sweatpant. It meets the outfit wherever it wants to be met. It’s like if you’re cooking and you can use margarine or the best French butter. They both do the same job, but one does it so much better and in a subtle way.

It’s the holiday time, so something with a little “hair” - (A) The Textured Knit feels in order, and it was my Christmas Eve choice. But I’m in warm weather, so having options that take me through the day are super important.

The (C) Cashmere Hoodie I knew would be the go to, the piece in my tote bag for the plane and my go to for my early morning coffee when only my dad and I are awake in the house. And (E) I brought him along for some color, for lazy mornings - It’s a men’s Loro Piana sweater I picked up at The Real Real.

A. B. C. D. E.

The tops provide very different functions. The striped tee I wore a ton - it gave me a happy optimistic but not overly so vibe. This one I picked up at KickPleat in Austin, Texas - it’s Comme des Garcons. It’s a size L, it’s all they had left. I would have preferred a M, I wanted it oversized, but I took what I could. No regrets. The (B) The Perfect Tank Ever is the Giselle knit. If you know you know. This layers up under everything, but is refined enough that if someone told me I had to be ready for an incredibly dressy dinner I’d toss this on with a big full black skirt and giant earrings. And I’d feel amazing and not a step out of place. And then the (C.) Black Sporty Nylon Hoodie - the workhorse. If you’re cooking, this is the salt. It goes in everything, it adds flavor sprinkled on top, you can’t be without it. This one we designed with a cocoon style back - and that’s the secret here - it’s like using delicious sea salt over Mortons - subtle but a big damn difference in taste. The cocoon back detail gives all the modernity without overtaking the piece. In other words, you’re never an asshole when you just want to be chill; and you never feel banal when you want to go out and have a true style moment. And yes, I did pack leggings for working out. They’re Lulu Lemon in case you care. I just find them the most reliable, for this specific thing.

And of course, rounding out the suitcase the we have (D.) The Refined White Tee that’s not so thin and wimpy that it feels sloppy after one wash but also not so heavy that it becomes more one dimensional in usage. And then a tank top, in a RING 3 color, that also goes back to a skirt to make it something dressy, but worn with the sweatpant creates a look, it’s the interesting shad that does this, that has thought without being overwrought (E.) The Ring 3 Tank. See below. Ok?

Each bottom plays a specific role - yes, you see overlap in color tone, but the functionality of each is different. The colors keep the vibe consistent, allow for super easy mixing, but the fabrications and shapes create different feelings. Each time.

A. B. C. D. E. F.

I was on the fence about whether or not I would need (A.) The Ring 3 Slip Skirt, but it ways less than 4 Pringles, and there was little risk to just throw in the suitcase. This is the equivalent to when you’re shopping, you’re not a 100% sure you’ll need the extra lemon, but you throw it in because really at the end of the day, what’s the risk. My super skirt, we did it in navy this year and have coming again next year in the o.g. Sporty Nylon, is the black skirt here. Wore a ton and weighs in at 3 Pringles (chips, not the can). (B.) The Skirt. It’s funny, the sweatpant here, in the ring 3 color, (C.) Curved Sweatpant I almost didn’t bring. It was really gross out in NYC when I was packing, and it made me feel a little sad. But, when I got to Key West, paired with blue skies and green palm trees, it fell just right. Balanced. And worn a ton. But I wore it differently than (D.) The Sporty Nylon Pull on Pant. This one has a drawstring at the bottom, and is weightless with substance. It means the pant I wore bicycling was able to throw in wash and wear later that night, a bit dressed. And then denim, because I wear a lot of jeans and wanted ones that could easily be rolled up and worn all day (E.) The Slouchy Carpenter Jean and then one that is so soft and cozy for the plane but absolutely a statement with just a simple sweater (F.) THE Sid (note: he’s been sold out but he’ll be back in a couple weeks, just request to be notified. Ok?)

The shoes I brought were all flat, went easily in to the bag, and for me as the owner of Tibi, had the intent of performing an experiment. Would I wear the new styles coming up for spring a ton? The Gold Ballet Flat The answer was yes, my trainers, the gold ballet flat, the white loafer slide and that new caged gold sandal. Worn every day. And that helps me sleep at night. Phew.

I hope this was helpful. If I haven’t necessarily helped you pack better, maybe I’ve helped you become a better cook. And that would be ironic.