Bring This, Not That: Here’s What You Should Pack Abroad

Congrats! You’re going abroad, and whether you’re feeling nothing but excitement or a few nerves, there’s one thing that’s likely causing your anxiety in your preparations: what to bring with you. Spending four months in a foreign country poses plenty of packing dilemmas: from deciding what to wear for weather in a country you probably have never lived in before, to simply editing down your wardrobe, there’s no doubt that this packing endeavor is daunting.

• Do a closet inventory. If you’re not sure what to bring, your first step should be to get a better idea of what you actually have. Take this opportunity to do a little cleaning, reorganize your closet, and decide what you actually love the most in your closet. And if you don’t absolutely love the piece, you don’t need to bring it abroad.
• Talk to someone who’s been before. Since you’ve most likely never lived in this place before, talk to someone who’s studied abroad there before if you can. They might be able to give you insight into little nuances in the way people there dress. For example, someone tipped me off last week that brining my much-loved Hunter rain boots to Italy was impractical because “no one wears those over there” and that I probably won’t need them. While I might miss those boots while abroad, the tip will also save me a substantial amount of room in my suitcase, and for that I am very grateful.
• Prioritize your basics. It’s often said that we only wear about 20% of the clothes we own on a regular basis, so if you’re worried about not having enough room for everything, keep this in mind. Consider the things you wear the most in your closet, and prioritize pieces that you’re able to wear in multiple ways as well. If you’re lost, though, here are a few suggestions on where to start:
  • The go-to sweater: you know which one I mean: the one that you can throw on when the weather falls anywhere between 20 and 60 degrees that makes you feel like you’ve got it together no matter what.
  • Comfortable travel staples will be your best friend: if you plan on traveling, keep in mind what you’ll wear in the getting-there process. Packing a few outfits for travel purposes that consist of things you wouldn’t mind sleeping on a plane in is never a bad idea.
  • Practical shoes for the win: finding shoes that make you feel chic and comfortable may actually be the 8th Wonder of the World, but if you’re planning on traveling a lot, let comfort take the lead here. Styles such as oxfords are both stylish and practical, not to mention versatile: these would look equally cool with leggings as they would with a suede skirt.
  • Only your *best* denim: if you’re addicted to denim like I am and have multiple pairs of the same style, consider editing down your selection to only your best skinnies, favorite flares, and a pair or two of those ever-comfortable boyfriend jeans. You don’t actually need all of them even if you do wear them all.

• Remember that you’re dressing differently than you are at school: Being abroad means you’re in a different setting than at Bucknell, and your wardrobe should reflect this. This might mean the opportunity to wear the things in your closet that aren’t in regular rotation at Bucknell. That dress you bought in a sample sale three years ago that wouldn’t be right for formals at school? It might actually be the exact thing you’ll want to wear out to dinner in London. Leave a little bit of room in your suitcase for pieces like this, for the sake of having fun with your wardrobe.
• Start Planning. This may seem excessive, but actually laying out outfits and photographing them will provide you a lot of insight into the kind of pieces you need, what you’ll wear most, and most importantly, if you’re missing anything major. You might not realize how much you need a certain item until you see that you’re put it in every single outfit you’ve planned. Conversely, this process will also help with your editing process when you realize you won’t actually wear a few of the things you thought you needed.

Happy travels, Bucknellians!