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One of the most fun and exciting things about travel is experiencing holidays abroad. Whether they’re traditions you’re accustomed to or celebrations you hadn’t heard of, it’s always exhilarating when you’re in a city or town that’s abuzz with enthusiasm. One of my favorite all time travel memories is celebrating Songkran, the Thai New Year, in Koh Phangan. What a rush!
But how do you pack if you’re on a Round the World trip during New Years and you want to get more dressed up? Lugging heels around all year won’t be very fun. Whether you’re on a two week vacation or on an extended trip, Travel Fashion Girl shares a few tips to help you pack for the holidays!
Packing for a Trip during the Holidays
Clothing
There’s nothing wrong with packing non-travel clothing on a trip – that’s what Travel Fashion Girl is all about! A single sparkly dress for New Years never hurt anyone. With a shimmery gold statement dress, you won’t need much else to feel festive on NYE. When your outfit is bold your accessories, hair, and makeup can be more subdued allowing you to pack less and still look fab!
For long term travelers, every travel bag should have a little black dress that can be pulled out for a special occasion. The color black alone creates a dressier appearance. If you’re on a RTW, don’t just pack a dress that can only be worn once on your entire trip. Choose a convertible travel dress that can also be worn every day. As an alternative to a convertible dress, you can accessorize a basic black dress or pair a black top and skirt to create your own LBD.
If you’re on a shorter vacation or holiday with specific NYE party plans, pack two outfits to fit your mood. It’s always good to have a back-up plan in case your new dress has a zipper malfunction.
Shoes
Ballet flats are the perfect option if you’re on a long term trip. Unless you’re going to be somewhere very fancy, cute ballet flats will fit the bill. While there are some foldable options available for occasional use, there are an abundance of regular flats available that don’t weigh a thing and still look great, especially for special occasions.
Going to be in an exotic destination? How about packing some dressy sandals instead? For vacation, choose neutral heels that work with the majority of your travel wardrobe or plan your outfits around your favorite pair. This is when those foldable flats do come in handy. Dancing the night away in 4″ stilletos may look hot but walking home barefoot doesn’t.
Accessories
Nothing jazzes up a boring travel outfit like accessories! Whether it’s a chic scarf or glitzy earrings, always pack key accessories that can dress up even the most basic of your clothing. Accessories don’t take up much space and completely enhance your travel wardrobe.
On a budget? You can buy inexpensive jewelry without splurging on an entire outfit. New Years is the time to glam it up!
Makeup
A little make up goes a long way. Even if your travel makeup only consists of a bit of mascara and lip gloss, you instantly feel more feminine and dolled up. If you only have one eye shadow and liner in your bag, create a smoky eye that not only creates a more dramatic look it can also make you feel more glam! Alternate the depth of your shading to create a stronger look that has varied tones.
If you want minimalist glamour, choose one statement beauty item like a set of false eye lashes, glimmery eye liner, or a bright red lipstick. Either will create a gorgeous holiday look without adding any weight to your bag!
Hair
Foam curlers don’t really weight anything and don’t require heat to create curls to add a bit of elegance to your holiday look. Throw a few in your travel bag and toss them when you’re done. You can also buy a cheap set on the road when and if needed.
If you have long hair you can use the sock bun to create a sophisticated look without much effort or other styles shown in these travel hair style tutorials. For shorter hair, try a triple braided bun like the ones showed in the simple and cute short hair styles post.
Can’t live without your styling tools? Pack a travel sized blow dryer or flat iron/straightener to get the look without going over the weight limit.
Use these travel tips for New Year’s abroad, Christmas, or any other special occasion. Glamming up your travel look just requires a little bit of creativity and fun! For specific packing details, check out the Travel Fashion Girl Signature Packing Lists.
What are your tips when traveling for New Years? Comment below!
For more fashion and beauty tips, please read:
- 7 Clever Travel Makeup Hacks
- 5 Best Makeup Palettes for Travel
- Fashionista’s Guide to Choosing Versatile Travel Shoes
Hi going round mexico for 1week Dec 22nd no idea what to pack for evenings
Hi Sandra, Not sure what part of Mexico you’re going to but you can take a look at this article which touches on various areas: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/what-to-pack-for-mexico-cities-to-beaches/
I use a mini curling iron, and I swear by it… it’s helped me out of many bad hair days.
amazon.com/TS-2-Curl-Mini-Curling-Iron/dp/B003AO13LS
Great tip! 🙂
i just love those travel sized hair straighteners –they don’t usually make it on my RTW’s, but for a short jaunt, they’re the best!
I also adore keeping a set of false lashes (and the glue!) in my emergency makeup section. Like you said, Alex, one large glamorous statement is usually enough to make up for the fact our shoes might have been crammed in a backpack for 6 months 🙂
can’t wait for NYE! happy holidays 🙂
In the market for a new travel sized straightener. Will write a review when I get one 🙂 Also about to buy my newest ballet flats for those emergenecy shoe situations. WILL DEFINITELY be reviewing those 😉 Happy Holidays!