TSC, Vol. 11: How working with a stylist helped me stop overpacking
...plus everything I packed (and what I actually wore) for 9 days in Ireland & the UK
Gearing up for my friend’s wedding in Ireland I decided to reach out to a stylist to help me pull some looks together for our trip. As you’ve heard enough about by now, we had a very busy June prior to leaving town so anything I could even remotely outsource - like packing and outfit planning - sounded nice. Teagan, the stylist I reached out to, had taken over my TikTok FYP and when I discovered she was also San Diego-based I reached out to see if she would come over to help me. Working with her ended up being one of my better decisions of the year so far! Not only did she help me pack WAY less and wear WAY more of what I actually brought, but she also helped me put pieces I already had together in ways I wouldn’t have thought of, making my existing wardrobe even more useful and wearable. As a lifelong praise and approval junkie, I also think it was something about having her co-sign my looks before we left that made it so much easier to get dressed while on vacation.
As you can probably tell by now, we love to travel and do so as often as we reasonably can. Given our affinity for jetting off whenever the mood strikes, I always try to pack strategically and am strictly a carry-on only girlie. I like to bring separates, easy dresses and sets all in a tight color palette so I can mix and match to get the most out of my suitcase. But for some reason it never works out quite as well in reality as it does in my mind. Having Teagan put just a handful of looks together (and then send me a little pdf of how I could wear and rewear all the pieces!) gave me an extra layer of confidence in what I packed so I didn’t do what I usually do: pack an acceptable amount of items, freak out the night before, then stuff a bunch of random things in at the last minute just incase I get there and have “nothing to wear.” Cue Luke dropping a few F bombs every time I ask him to zip up my suitcase lol.
Here’s what I packed (all in my away bigger carry on) and the outfits Teagan helped me put together…
» surprise, surprise - this post got a little long so you might want to click over to Substack to read :)
IN MY SUITCASE
TOPS:
sheer tuxedo shirt (sold out, one here in a small)
brown cropped cardigan (worn as a top and as outerwear)
BOTTOMS:
fun knit pants (old Staud)
drapey knit pants for travel / lounging
(dressier) A-line shorts
DRESSES:
an easy HHH Nap Dress
HHH Matilda puff sleeve dress (old colorway but lots more available! so flattering)
my wedding guest dress! (maybe my favorite dress I’ve ever worn, not including my own wedding looks of course!)
OUTERWEAR:
cream quarter zip (in my hand luggage)
SHOES:
mesh flats (similar)
beige patent pumps
green espadrille wedges
raffia block heel (old, super similar)
sexy tevas (for fly fishing)
ACCESSORIES, MISC.:
one pair of pjs
a swimsuit for the hotel pool (more on my fave swim brand in Volume 5)
one pair of leggings, a sports bra and my favorite work-out shorts
bras & undies
a classic ball cap/dad hat
cream belt w/ gold hardware
crochet bag, slouchy raffia sling bag, vintage clutch
OUTFITS WORN
dark denim + white button down + white sneakers + sweater around the waist or shoulders (good travel day/pints at the pub/bopping around outfit… added a belt and swapped in flats when I wanted to dress it up a bit)
dark denim + cream quarter zip + sneakers or flats (grabbing coffee or hotel breakfast)
brown linen pants + cropped tank + cropped cardigan around the waist/shoulders + sneakers or flats (wore a version of this on a travel day and the day we drove the Ring of Kerry)
nap dress + sweater or cropped cardigan around shoulders or waist + sneakers, flats, flat sandals or espadrilles (wore a version of this too many times to count, the HHH Ellie comes in so handy, no matter where I’m traveling)
fun knit pants + v-neck sweater + mesh flats (this was what I planned to wear on the Peppa Pig bus tour but it was sooooo hot so I pivoted to denim shorts and added a belt to help it feel more polished)
HHH Matilda dress + espadrilles + crochet bag (I wore this exact look twice - first to the Garden Party the day after the wedding and again for a fun dinner out in London)
my wedding guest look! green jacquard dress + beige pumps + earrings + gold bangle + vintage clutch + beige wrap (I’d been eying the dress for a while and asked Teagan to style it for me once I finally pulled the trigger. I love the dress so much. It fit like a glove and felt perfect for both the occasion and castle venue!)
» Ada’s dress and adorable shoes, if you’re interested <3
dressier a-line shorts (so obsessed with these btw, worth every penny) + sheer tuxedo top layered with a white lace bra + strappy raffia block heels (this might be my favorite outfit Teagan helped me put together - for our fancier night out in London - though it was our last night of the trip and we were pretty wiped so it didn’t get as many photos as it deserved… I made Luke snap these during intermission at Michael Jackson, The Musical lol)
my long haul travel outfit - draped knit pants + whipped tee + sneakers + cream quarter zip (as I shared - in great detail! - in my London Dispatch letter, I think I’ve finally nailed the ultimate travel outfit …so comfy but still chic)
Hope something in there was helpful for your next trip! If you have a fun occasion coming up and want a look put together for you, you can message Teagan on her IG. And be sure to check out her styling videos for more inspo too. I’m obsessed.
Now onto the fun stuff! —>
A more literal “consuming” this week… we snuck out for a date night on Thursday and finally tried Mabel’s Gone Fishing, a charming seafood-forward bistro in North Park with a Michelin nod. The drinks were incredible! Especially the martinis. Food was good but I felt like everything was missing a sauce…? We did the stuffed dates, pan con tomate (make sure you add the Jamón!), kanpachi sashimi (our favorite bite of the night - with a cashew leche de tigre, fresno chile and passionfruit), patatas (a miss for me, they were begging for an aioli) and the seabass. Then we ducked over to their sister restaurant, The Rose, in South Park for a glass of wine and dessert. Super random but we ended up sharing the most incredible donut! It had a goats milk and poppyseed glaze and was served with dulce de leche ice cream. Heaven.
First off, I am absolutely salivating over this loveseat from the new Zara Home collection by Vincent Van Duysen. The yellow color is giving me major iced lemon poundcake vibes. I do not need it nor do I have anywhere to put it but hoping this finds one of you in the market for an objectively perfect loveseat meets oversized chaise lounge in the cheeriest, butteriest iced lemon bar hue. I mean how good would this be in a nursery. Or an airy guest room!
Secondly, my mom just moved into a new place and I told her I’d help her finish furnishing and styling it. I’m in the thick of sourcing and planning and found this beautiful linen bed for her guest room (aka my room) for a great price, though I’m a bit wary of Quince. Has anyone bought furniture from there before? Send me a message if so! She recently moved to Tucson from Dallas so I’m going for an elevated desert vibe with lots of neutrals, terracotta and blush while still incorporating her more traditional pieces. Will share more as it comes together!
Loved this summery little outfit I wore to Mahj this week… I tucked my DÔEN Henri top into an old pair of HHH shorts (similar) with some raffia slingbacks and this little light blue croc shoulder bag. A girl I played with told me it was giving Renaissance Mermaid and honestly, I can’t think of a better compliment.
See you next Sunday. Xx, LKJ
some housekeeping:
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