Summer vacation booked too late this year? Since big trips are usually too expensive at short notice, a small city trip at the weekend can also be planned quite spontaneously. However, this does not leave much time and space for packing. Daniel reveals his tips on how to succeed in minimalistic packing, when going on a quick trip in summer with friends.
Whether Paris, London or Hamburg - within Europe, spontaneous weekend trips can be realized at short notice thanks to relatively short distances and convenient connections. When it comes to packing, in addition to important utensils such as documents or a washbag, the right clothes must also be packed. On a weekend vacation, you usually have to rely on a small luggage and cannot take all your favorite clothes as you would like. A minimalistic packing list contains the following items:
Minimalistic packing list
- Breathable T-Shirts, Shirts and Polo Shirts
- Trousers in two lengths: Short for the day, long for the evening
- Light sweater for colder nights
- Pair of sneakers, sandals
- Underwear and socks
- Accessoires, like sunglasses, hat
- Washbag, including toothbrush, sunscreen, shampoo etc.
- Documents
Avoiding the sweat: Breathable T-Shirts and Polo Shirts
It's summer and the temperatures are at their highest. It's obvious that when packing for vacation, the first thing that comes to mind is shorter clothing. So when it comes to minimalistic packing for your spontaneous summer trip, you should start with a selected number of unisex T-Shirts, Shirts and Polo Shirts. T-shirts for daytime activities, such as walking around town, and shirts or polo shirts for more formal occasions, such as dinner at a restaurant. While fall allows for more variety in clothing choices due to weather conditions alone, summer is a time when you especially need breathable clothing. In addition to fabric weight, the material of your clothing also plays a role and can be the deciding factor in whether you suffer in the heat or can tolerate it well.
Criteria for breathable shirts in summer
- Natural, organic materials - e.g. organic cotton, lyocell or linen
- Preferably light fabric weight (120-160 GSM)
- Good fit to maintain air circulation
- Professional fabric processing
When choosing the color of tops, we recommend to stick to neutral colors, such as black, white, beige and gray, because this way the possibilities of combination with other clothes are greater. It avoids, for example, that a particular T-shirt with pattern can only be styled with a single pair of shorts. Minimalist packing has many advantages: Not only does it save space in your suitcase, but it also saves time in the morning when choosing an outfit.
Few shorts for different times of the day
Now, of course, the matching bottoms have to come along on vacation. Just as with the matching summer tops, the same criteria should be applied here:
Criteria for the perfect summer pants
- Breathable, through organic materials (e.g. organic cotton)
- Flexibility for freedom of movement
- Not too heavy fabric weight (max. 305 GSM)
Besides more casual linen pants, chinos also make the perfect choice for a city trip. You might be thinking, chinos as summer pants? Aren't they way too formal for vacation? No! Chinos can be styled both smart with a polo shirt or shirt and casual with a t-shirt or sweater. Our Unisex Smart Chino is made from premium organic cotton and elastane and has a fabric weight of 290 GSM. While the organic cotton provides temperature and moisture regulation, the elastane (3%) increases the freedom of movement - so you stay literally flexible with the chino on vacation. Depending on your personal clothing style or weather situation, the chino trousers can be worn during the day or in the evening.
If you still want to take a pair of shorts with you, you can of course also pack these. If it get's really hot, they can help you cool down. The little brother of our chino, the Perfect Shorts, are made of the same material and fabric and can also - depending on your style preference - be worn dressy or casual.
Conclusion: Minimalist outfits are not only stylish but also very practical
Often, all you need in your luggage for a short weekend trip in summer is a few high-quality T-shirts, shorts, a pair of sandals or sneakers and a sweater - in case it does get colder in the evening. In terms of accessories, sunglasses and hat / cap should not be missing. Minimalistic packing does not only guarantee simple and versatile outfits, but also saves time and space. We can save those complex outfits for the fall. Because summer vacation is more about relaxing and less about stress (in the choice of clothes).
Need tips for a climate-friendly vacation? Read more here.