Chic and Stylish from Denver to SoCal: Packing and Dressing for a Two-Climate Trip

Over the holidays, Barry and I took a lovely trip to Denver, Colorado, and San Diego, California. We left a few days before Christmas and flew first to Denver to spend the holiday with my family. After that, we headed down to southern California for six days of fun and relaxation leading up to New Year’s Day.  

One of the challenges of this trip involved packing for two different climates. During the time we traveled, Denver averaged 40 degrees during the daytime and 20-30 degrees at night. On the other hand, southern California averaged a milder 64 degrees during the day and dropped to only around 50 degrees at night. I knew I would need to be strategic to pack the best options for these varying temperatures without bringing too many clothes. Luckily a few layering pieces and a good cold weather jacket helped me get by despite the more extreme temperatures.

Let’s begin with a list of what I packed for the 10-day trip:

Pants: 

1 dark denim pant (wearing on the airplane)

1 black denim pant

1 grey legging pant

1 animal print pant

1 black dress pant

Tops:

2 white t-shirts

1 charcoal sweater

1 black velvet long shirt

1 animal print sweater (wearing on the airplane)

1 cream sweater

1 orange sweater

1 striped t-shirt

1 black dressier top

1 silver fringed faux leather jacket

1 navy sweater jacket (wearing on the airplane)

Activewear:

2 exercise leggings

3 exercise tops and an athletic bra

Outerwear:

1 black Patagonia coat

1 scarf

Footwear: 

1 black pump for evening

1 ballet flat for warmer weather

1 sneaker for workout shoe

1 black bootie (wearing on the airplane)

Jewelry:

1 grouping of silver-toned jewelry

1 grouping of gold-toned jewelry

Tip: When traveling, it’s a good idea to keep your jewelry neutral enough that you can style it with a variety of looks. For this trip, I brought silver-toned jewelry and gold-toned jewelry that worked with nearly every outfit.

Bags:

1 Tumi crossbody bag for daytime

1 black bag for evening

1 brown backpack

Several of my friends have raved about the organizational prowess one can achieve by using packing cubes. So, in light of my need to pack relatively lightly, I decided to give them a try on this trip. The verdict? Packing cubes are winners!

For those unfamiliar with these little wonders, they are lightweight zippered bags that come in various shapes and sizes and help you compartmentalize your clothing inside your suitcase. Packing cubes can help you group like items together inside your suitcase, but their greatest benefit is in maximizing your space. You can fit a surprising amount of clothing inside each cube, which makes travel cubes a great asset when you are using a carry-on bag or smaller suitcase. The packing cubes I use are eBags brand, and you can find them here on Amazon.

I was able to fit all my pants and my silver fringed jacket in a large cube, and all of my tops fit inside another. I used a medium-sized cube to pack my workout clothes and used another for underwear and socks. Finally, I used a small bag to store the exercise bands and a timer that I usually travel with. When I unpacked in Denver and California, I decided to hang my pants, jacket, and tops in the closet for visibility, but I left my fitness wear and underwear in their respective cubes and simply stored them in the hotel drawers. It is so convenient to know where everything is!

Once the packing cubes were filled, I was able to quickly zip them up inside my suitcase and be ready to go. By the way, for this trip, I brought my 27-inch Hartmann suitcase, which is incredibly lightweight and easy to maneuver. Though this brand can be pricey, their products are real workhorses and are every bit worth the splurge.

Now, on to Denver, and what I wore on this festive holiday getaway!

I write a lot about the benefits of building a good travel uniform. For air travel, it’s best to choose clothing that is stylish yet comfortable enough to wear on a long flight. To pull this off, I recommend dressing in a nice pair of jeans or slacks with a lightweight layering top like a t-shirt or thin sweater, and then adding an outer layer for warmth. If you wish, you can also wear a scarf since airplanes can be chilly. Good options for footwear may include either fashion sneakers, flats, or boots. Finally, accessorize your look with some of the jewelry you already plan to wear during your trip. This is especially useful when you’re traveling light, as it frees up a little extra room inside your bag.

For the first leg of my journey, which consisted of a cross-country flight, I wore dark denim skinny jeans with a cotton animal print sweater that I bought on my June 2018 anniversary trip to Paris. Over my sweater, I wore a navy sweater jacket that provided the perfect level of warmth. I paired my outfit with black ankle boots and accessorized the look with my favorite crystal necklace. This uniform—which is a modified take on column dressing due to the dark on dark elements—was comfortable and warm on a long flight and looked great to boot!

Aside from spending plenty of quality time with my family, a highlight of my Denver visit was the long-anticipated exhibit “Dior: From Paris to the World” at the Denver Art Museum. I was thrilled to have a chance to see this show, as it will not be coming to New York. In a word, the instillation was breathtaking. I wish I could have visited it twice to fully take in the stunning design and craftsmanship.

On the day of the Dior show, I dressed for comfort as well as style. I knew I would be walking around quite a bit, yet I was also visiting the work of one of the most iconic designers in the world and wanted to dress appropriately. Therefore, I wore my cotton animal print sweater, paired with dark denim jeans and my versatile black boots for a dressy casual look. I accessorized the outfit with my gold chained crystal necklace and my Fitbit, which I used as my watch on this trip. 

If you will be in the Denver area between now and March 3, I highly recommend visiting the exhibit and witnessing the stunning display for yourself. It is not to be missed!

I didn’t take too many other photos while in Denver because I was very focused on family activities and giving them my full attention. But here I am arriving in sunny San Diego, California, after checking in to the elegant Fairmont Grand Del Mar resort. We have enjoyed staying here for many years and always look forward to returning. Though Christmas had just passed, I was happy that the hotel was still festively decorated. Notice my second travel uniform: a white cotton t-shirt, black jeans, navy sweater jacket, black boots, and simple jewelry.

The next day, Barry and I decided to stay at the hotel and get a workout on one of their hiking trails. What a beautiful and relaxed day it was—the perfect way to unwind and recharge after the holiday bustle. On this day, I dressed simply in exercise shorts with a fitness top and my black workout jacket with tennis shoes.

Just before dinnertime, we paused to appreciate one of the beautiful views of the hotel grounds. The landscape is spectacular! On this evening, I wore nearly the same outfit I wore to Christmas dinner in Denver: a charcoal sweater accented with monochromatic scattered crystals and black pants. The only difference is that I wore my black heels on Christmas day, whereas I dressed in my boots in this photo. I especially love this interesting necklace of clear orbs fixed on black leather cords, which I bought at a museum in Massachusetts. It is a great statement piece.

This morning I enjoyed an early workout while Barry enjoyed his lesson with a tennis pro. Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast before continuing with our day. Once again, I wore fitness shorts, an exercise top, and a lightweight jacket perfect for cooler mornings. Behind me is a great view of one of the beautiful pools on the hotel property.

One evening in San Diego, we enjoyed a fun dinner-and-a-movie “date night,” during which we saw the film Green Book. On this day, I wore a cozy cream-colored silk and cashmere sweater with grey pants, navy ballet flats, and my long crystal necklace plus the beautiful necklace that Barry gave me for Christmas.

I wore this outfit once in Denver and twice in California. I paired my animal print pants with my long black velvet shirt and topped the look with a longer and shorter necklace.

One of the best parts of traveling is seeing friends who live far away. We were so delighted that Jamie, a friend we met while visiting Rancho La Puerta in September, could meet us for dinner while we were in town. Here, I am wearing an orange silk and cashmere sweater with a black jean pant, black boots, and my Patagonia coat.

On the cusp of the new year, Barry and I dressed up and joined his brother Howard, along with Howard’s wife, Joy, for a delicious dinner at Market, which is one of our favorite local restaurants. They live in Newport Beach, so we enjoy sharing this New Year’s Eve tradition with them when we’re in town. I wore a dressy black pant, with an interesting black underpinning, and topped the ensemble with my silver fringed faux leather jacket. I carried my small black bag and wore black kitten heels. I accessorized this festive look with my silver long necklace, a cocktail ring, and silver earrings. When living out of a suitcase during holiday travel, I prefer to wear the same dressier outfit for both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, as I did during this trip.

To complete my New Year’s Eve ensemble, I added my beautiful new necklace from Barry. You’ll notice that this outfit features both gold and silver jewelry, which works well and creates a cohesive look.

Overall, I feel like I packed appropriately for this length of a trip and for the climate-related challenges. I found that I was able to create many different looks without packing everything in my home closet, and this insight was very freeing. I believe spending time with a limited wardrobe, as we do during travel, gives us a chance to pay careful attention to our style potential. With fewer options, we are freed to be more creative, and the payoff can be immense. The next time you travel, challenge yourself to create a top and pant combination you have never tried before—or experiment with a new color combo. I predict that you will surprise yourself with the great new ensembles you conjure up!

This trip also reminded me that getaways—whether in celebration of a holiday, an anniversary, or nothing in particular—are great for giving you a fresh perspective. I was reminded how important it is to spend time with loved ones, connect with friends, and take time to give your body and soul the break from the norm they periodically need. We got all this and more from our journey and returned home feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to embrace the new year and everything it brings.