Friends! I’m finally returning to the newsletter after a truly chaotic last few weeks because of—you guessed it—work travel! Most recently, I was in L.A. for 36 hours, where Boucheron gathered a starry guest list (including Marie Claire November 2024 cover star Natasha Lyonne) at the Harvey House, to explore 167 years of jewelry history, told through displays of necklaces, earrings, and timepieces. We dined, we danced, we had an absolute blast. It also gave me the opportunity to brainstorm this week’s newsletter topic: the outfits I’ll always pack for this kind of work trip. I have to say, I think I did my big one this time around.
First, to set the stage, I took the 8 p.m. JetBlue flight to L.A. after a full day of meetings in New York. Naturally, I wanted to wear something comfortable enough to “sleep” in. I skipped my usual dedicated plane look, though, because it would take up unnecessary space. The result? A linen button-down, jeans, running shoes (which I could also hike in the next morning!), and a light jacket.
The next day started bright and early with a Runyon hike, a tour around LACMA, and then the Boucheron event. I felt especially proud of myself and the way I packed for this day because it was extremely streamlined. My hike outfit was just a pair of leggings and a sports bra, plus the jacket if I got cold. That afternoon, I wore the same jeans as on my flight, with a few strategic adjustments: I layered a white T-shirt under the aforementioned jacket, and replaced sneakers with loafers. The shoe swap gave my plane outfit an instant upgrade.
That evening, I changed into a tuxedo shirt (with my initials embroidered on it!), a black skirt, and heels. I forgot an evening bag, but a little pouch I borrowed from my friend held the few things I needed. Inspired by the Chanel 2026 runway, this combo styled together was dressy enough for the cocktail event. When broken apart, it could have yielded more than enough extra outfits if I decided to stay in L.A. for a few more days. It definitely reinforces my capsule wardrobe packing strategy.
The next day, I was back on the plane to New York, wearing my travel look from Tuesday. I actually always wear the same outfit to and from my destination—it’s one less decision to make! I highly recommend it.
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