10-19-2025 MY WEEK: travel essentials and super products

sib was dropped off to the airport end of this week, for her "vacay" to start. don't be alarmed, by vacay, we mean harvesting the olives our parents own. meanwhile, i have a few days of prepping and packing.

i shared with you my packing list, months ago - was it vermont or pittsburgh trips? well, here i am to share my essential packing list for this month's big trip. 

somewhere on the indyx realm on substack, i read that 12 items can be enough for a two week trip, they used as an example, to europe. of course i was up for the challenge. i love a good no-fuss packing list. and i am grateful to have a semi-wardrobe back in croatia (and a love for shopping, am i right?). still, i haven't been in the homeland during fall, since my senior year of high school. through the years my fall/winter wardrobe diminished, due to the oversaturated summer trips and necessity for summer wardrobe space in my parents' tiny apartment. 

let's get onto what's in my suitcase.

most essential items - first - are my parent's wishlist items: kraft mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, and random clothes we think our mom may like (including items cousins sent for her). thank god lots of these fit me (and mom and i are both a size 7 - shoes won't be an issue there). 

i didn't pack exactly 12, but rather 19 items in total. this includes beanie, headphones, my ugg slippers, a cardigan, sunnies, kate spade shoulder bag (to let my mom borrow for a bit), and grunge boots. besides that, i truly packed 12 clothing items - including my plane fit.

the formula to packing only 12 clothing pieces? 

4 tops - 2 long sleeve, 2 short sleeve,

4 pants - 2  jeans, one pair of slacks, one pair of leggings, 

2 skirts - a mini and maxi, 

2 dresses.

each item is simple, a bit of color, comfortable (cotton tops, not too tight jeans), everything could mix and match. i try and mix and match for the season because, if you remember some past trips, i forget that i might have a colder/hotter day than usual. 

boyfriend's mom gifted me a travel jewelry case, and it fit the following:

2 pairs of earrings,

3 necklaces, 

one bracelet, 

6 rings. 

plus - i travel with some jewelry on already, so this will maximize the accessories. 

discussed with sib the optimal skincare/refresher makeup bag too. here's what you'll always find in my travel makeup bag:

travel perfume

mini toothpaste

toothbrush

floss

mini face cream

mini body lotion

mini contact solution, contact case, next month's pair

deodorant

wipes

extra lip balm

dramamine

extra hair tie

and in my purse, at all times i carry:

gum

compact mirror

two extra chapsticks

ibuprofen

tampons

hand sanitizer

eye drops

nasal spray

 matchbox (might have to take this out before tsa rips open my bag).

besides the parent essentials, my own clothes and necessities, i carry a supportive neck pillow, a book, and this year i invested in compression socks. we'll see if they truly do a great trick.

some fit examples i may be wearing during my trip

dive into this girl's skincare routine. it's affordable, no-fuss, and simple. i can't justify having a 72-step routine with "de-luxe" "essentials" that cost more than what they're truly worth. 

body

face

1. lotion - for body, currently using this fall scented bath and body lotion

2. dry brush - important year-round

3. deodorant - currently using lumé, it's long lasting, but a bit on the pricier side

4. sun screen - this falls under both face and body. cerave 50spf - all year round!

5. body spray - kind of a before-bed routine, and daily extra pizzazz (usually paired with a perfume), i am using this "wonder" bath and body spray

6. face wash - cerave

7. face cream - nivea cremé. my mom used to use the milk, but i think the tub is more economic. spending summers chronically sunburnt, this kept my face hydrated every time.

8. eye cream - i splurged on this la roche posay eye cream, but am on the hunt for a drugstore caffeine roller (my mom had one years ago, and i need the same sensation)

9. lip balm - vaseline, since i was a child

10. facial oil - this rose-based one, usually goes on after nivea to lock in moisture

11. eye brow gel - essence, and always paired with 12. eye brow tint also from essence

13. lip tint - another rare splurge, clinique black honey. 

this week's looks

back onto regular program as major repairs in room are being completed. the weather is slightly cooler with frequent threats of rain. i kept it simple, didn't feel like rummaging before packing, and i think further style challenges might await until after my trip to the mediterranean. i enjoyed color blocking + skirts for work, it felt fancier but still so easy to "just throw on". and with the transitional weather, the tights added some dimension, and it also wasn't that terribly cold for fussy layers

 

monday for work i wore a grey cotton turtleneck, paired with a maroon midi skirt (a-shaped), and not seen are brown tights and black loafers. not my proudest color blocking moment - but i blame the total bedroom revamp and my closets being semi-inaccessible at the moment. swapped for a simpler, less fussy look for coffee with cousins - same top, skinny jeans, and ugg slippers.

tuesday for work i wore the "new" vintage cashmere sweater, paired with a pleated hemmed grey skirt from my mom's old closet. polka dot tights, loafer flats from target, and kate spade purse with tortoise shell sunnies

wednesday i wore a light blue knit sweater with a cream maxi skirt for work, with my loafers from target.

i feel like this kate spade bag is becoming my every day purse. i wore it again fro boyfriend's birthday dinner, with my silk ralph lauren blouse, striped skinny jeans. 

clearly getting my halloween fix on thursday. for work, i wore a vintage halloween sweater with a pinstripe pencil skirt and opaque knit tights and not visible were my doc martens fisherman loafers.

last minute pre-travel shopping with sib and i wore leggings and ugg slippers. so midwestern of me.

here's a feature friday with sib before she gets dropped off at the orphanage airport. she wears an old navy white top, my flared sweatpants (not seen was my long champ she borrowed for "quiet luxury purposes", and her red converse paired with a red cardigan). i had to go to work immediately after, and i wore my first beanie of the season (spelling "no thanks" across my forehead), a tan blouse, matching poncho with plaid print, and skinny jeans sib wanted to get rid of. i wore my converse too! i wear the same outfit for dinner with boyfriend, sans poncho and beanie, and i swapped converse for ugg.

saturday for lunch date with boyfriend, i wore a nirvana sweatshirt and sib's old bootcut jeans, alongside blue sunnies (i switched from the originally chosen tortoise shell), ugg slippers (tis the season), and kate spade bag. 

it warmed up a lot in the afternoon so for my walk i did a set of tank and biker shorts with my trusted skechers and those sunnies.

sunday boyfriend and i met with his family and family friends for some chinese buffet. i wore a halloween shirt, cargo khaki's fisherman loafers (thankfully - it was pouring hard!), these beanie from croatia and calving klein vest. the vest and hat gave edge and sportiness to the otherwise tame look. i need to remember, a good accessory truly uplifts the most basic fit.

what am i looking forward to next week?

boyfriend and i are leaving for cro on tuesday evening, so i will share with you more about what's in my childhood closet, some fashion thoughts directly from mom, and hopefully some european shopping sprees. let's not forget the diaries of laborious work in the olive garden (i'm not talking about the restaurant) - the whole reason why i'm traveling "off-season". hint: always go off season. tickets are half the price, and no tourists ruining everyone's vibe.