Friday Favorites #103: Travel Essentials

I'm writing this post from up in the air, as I'm currently California-bound to visit Ashley! Since I'm traveling this week, I thought it might be fun to do an updated version of a trip necessities Friday Favorites post; I did one last year, but this one has some new additions. I'm admittedly not a huge adventurer, as travel (and packing, especially) tends to stress me out. I'm the kind of person who always needs to make a list, so here's a handy dandy guide to my travel must-haves:

I'll just say it: I'm horrible at packing lightly. I always fear that I'll regret not bringing a certain item or that I'll forget something. I'm definitely better at paring it down than I used to be, but even so, I end up coming home with a bunch of things I never used or wore while away. I've tried to rectify that by packing only a few accessories that pair well with everything I bring.

a   ||   b   ||   c   ||   d   ||   e

For instance, I wear my black Aerosoles flats on the plane and pack a white pair (I swear by these flats – I walked all over New York City in them in total comfort and without getting a single blister), and make sure all of the clothes I bring will work with one or the other. I wear a white purse with everything, and since packing a petticoat would be troublesome, I wear a thinner pettiskirt on the plane (and no one can even tell). I've forgotten my sunglasses before on trips, and I hope I never will again!

I'm sort of high maintenance when it comes to makeup and toiletries and tend to pack things I could probably live without for a few days. However, there are a few lifesaver items that I could never leave behind.

1   ||   2   ||   3   ||   4   ||   5   ||   6   ||   7

I use my portable clothes steamer on a daily basis, even when I'm at home, and it's perfect for getting out wrinkles from packed clothing (and if you hate to iron like I do). I don't usually travel with a lot of jewelry, but I love this jewelry carrier because it has little individual compartments for everything; having to untangle necklaces is the worst, so being able to avoid that is key. Fashion tape is amazing – I use it all the time to keep belts, collars and other embellishments in place. I recently started using the Colorescience line because of a dermatologist recommendation, and I'm obsessed with the color corrector palette! It's the perfect size for traveling and you can achieve both full-face coverage and quick touchups with it – everything from red blemishes to dark under-eye circles. Oh, and a portable makeup mirror, a cute cosmetic bag and a quirky sleep mask will definitely come in handy!

a   ||   b   ||   c   ||   d   ||   e

And then it's time for tech! Since I usually take lots of photos on my trips, a travel tripod is a must. If you're a blogger, I also highly recommend investing in a camera remote timer – it's been a Godsend for me! (Be sure to check if your DSLR is compatible with the model I linked... if it's not, there are tons of other options on Amazon.) I love my backup mobile charger from ban.do, which also comes in other styles, and it's perfect for long layovers or a day at Disneyland! And of course, I had to pick adorable + delicious tech gear: a donut print laptop sleeve and pastel earbuds with a macaron carrying case!

What are your never-leave-home-without-'em items? Let me know in the comments!

Have a great Friday!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission, which helps to run my blog. I link only to items and brands I absolutely love. Thank you for supporting The Soubrette Brunette!