We recently got back from a 13 day trip to Belgium, Paris, and London. We visited in late September and packing for this trip was SO much fun. We had nice sunny weather while in Belgium and Paris, but rainy cooler weather while in London. Here is what I packed and actually wore (I’m not including the few things that I ended up not wearing, like a rain coat, rain boots, a maxi dress, and a sweater dress). If you’re traveling for a week or simply want to pack less, then pare this down by omitting some of the options.
What to Pack for Europe in the Fall
Truthfully, you could whittle this down for a 2 week trip by omitting a few things but this color scheme was perfect and most everything mixes and matches and I’d pack it all over again in a heartbeat. The real heroes of the trip were trip were my trench coat (I did actually pack 2, the long one is from the 1970s and belonged to my grandmother (similar option) and the short one is old J.Crew Factory (similar option)), my expandable Longchamp tote (the cognac color is perfect for mixing and matching with black and browns), my mesh Dolce Vita ballet flats, this denim mini skirt from Loft, and my Anthropologie Colette jeans (they are supposed to be cropped but I ordered the tall version so that they would be full length on me- I’m 5’5″).
Dresses
Black Shirt Dress– I love this black dress! It’s low key thanks to the casual fabric yet the gold buttons and collar dress it up. Plus it has pockets!
Antelope Print Dress– One of my very favorite dresses I own. I wore it once in Brussels and once in London.
Red Dress– This flare dress from H&M has such a nice weight to it and I love the fun pop of red. I sized up a size.
Jeans
Wide Leg Jeans– I LOVE my Anthropologie cropped Colette jeans but wanted a full length version. I ordered them in a tall and for me (5’5″) they are the perfect full length option.
Kick Crop Jeans– I could have done without a second pair of jeans because I wore the wide leg option most of the time. These kick crop jeans from Loft are a long time favorite though.
Skirts
Denim Skirt with Gold Buttons– Perhaps my favorite item from the entire trip- this denim skirt from Loft is SO good. It’s comfortable, a nice length, and doesn’t ride up. It keeps going in and out of stock so be sure to keep an eye on it if you want it. I got my normal size.
Brown Suede Skirt– This faux suede skirt from Loft felt like a quintessentially British skirt to pack for our trip. I loved wearing it while strolling the streets of London! I sized down a size.
Tops
Cream Turtleneck– This J. McLaughlin Arlette Turtleneck is one of my favorite tops that I love breaking out every fall.
White Button Down Shirt– I’ve loved the gauze button downs from J.Crew and J.Crew Factory for years. I take them everywhere I go.
Crew Neck Long Sleeve Top– It’s nice to have a simple top like this to throw on when you head to breakfast.
Striped Boatneck T-Shirt– I’ve had my striped boatneck shirt for years, here is a similar option.
Layers
Trench Coat (long or short)- A knee length trench coat is the most versatile, so that’s what I would bring if you plan to bring shorter dresses or skirts, in addition to pants. I brought a long one as well though because I had some extra space and really wanted to wear my recently inherited vintage trench coat with jeans. This one is similar to my long trench.
Accessories
Gauze Burberry Scarf– I have two gauze scarves from Burberry and I’ve owned both of them for over 10 years. They are absolutely timeless and I love the gauze material- I think it is much more versatile than wool. I tend to wear this more camel colored one in the fall and winter and the lighter one as we approach spring.
Cane Print Scarf– I only wore this Tuckernuck cane print scarf once but it was a real showstopper. Currently on Tuckernuck’s sale section. The scarf is square shaped so it is very versatile.
Expandable Longchamp Tote– This Longchamp Le Pliage Expandable Tote is the perfect tote because it expands when you need to carry a lot (like a tripod or camera) and can be zipped up to a smaller size when you aren’t carrying as much. The congnac color is beautiful too.
Umbrella– Any collapsible umbrella will do, but I love this leopard print umbrella that I recently purchased at Target.
Reversible Belt– My Lina Belt from J. McLaughlin is such a versatile belt! It’s black on one side and brown on the other so it’s perfect for traveling. I love the gold faux bamboo buckle too.
Sunglasses– I brought 2 pairs of Mohala Eyewear sunglasses with me on the trip (code katiev for 15% off). I brought the oversized Hana in Siena Tortoise (a nice brown color) and an older style (Lana) in black. Mahina will give you a similar look.
Luggage– This 4 piece luggage set from Amazon is so good. I brought 2 of the 4 on the trip and Tom brought one of them. Really affordable and durable. If you’re worried about the white getting scuffed just opt for one of the other colors instead.
Comfy Travel Outfit
2 Piece Set– This 2 piece set from Amazon is really comfortable so it’s perfect for a red eye flight. I also wore it on our first day in Brussels since our room was not ready yet. Runs tts for an oversized fit. I have it in small.
Shoes
Neutral Mesh Ballet Flats– These Dolce Vita Cadel mesh pearl ballet flats were my most worn shoes of the trip. Incredibly comfortable and on trend. I have my normal size 8 though some reviews say that they run large so you could probably size down half a size if in doubt.
Red Ballet Flats– These red ballet flats from Walmart were a fun pop of color that I enjoyed wearing with my travel outfit, antelope print dress, and jeans. Surprisingly comfortable and you’d never guess that they’re under $15.
Leopard Ballet Flats– Also from Walmart, leopard print is always a neutral in my book. You could just opt for one pair of ballet flats vs 2 if you’re trying to pack lighter.
White Sneakers– I think Tretorns are the most comfortable sneakers around. If I had it to do again I’d have brought this gum sole option, as I think they would have been a bit more stylish in Europe due to the slightly thicker gum sole.
Brown Loafers– I’ve been a fan of Birdies shoes for years. The Starling Loafer is nice and simple and comfortable too.
Jewelry
Gold Hoops– These French Twist Hoops from Tuckernuck make such a statement yet they’re nice and simple too.
Oversized Pearl Earrings– Julie Vos sent me these Penelope Pearl Earrings nearly 10 years ago. I still love them so much. I have the large size.
Chunky Gold Necklace– Chunky gold necklaces are back and this coin necklace from J.Crew Factory is really cute and super affordable. The one I have is no longer available but this one looks practically the same.
