New Zealand Carry-On Packing List for Spring

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, then you may know that I recently flew over to New Zealand for a short trip to visit my grandparents (and catch up with some friends while I was at it). I have a bit of a rule of taking a carry-on only for any trips that are seven days or less; generally, we tend to need less than we think, and it saves a bit of precious time when clearing customs. Now that I’m back, I thought I’d share my spring carry-on packing list for my latest trip home, in addition to what I wore, and what I probably could have done without.

The Weather

The first thing I do before any trip is take a good look at the weather forecast. I used to map out my suitcase a good month ahead of any trip I took, and more often than not, I’d find myself changing things up last minute. Now, I’ll take a more relaxed approach by having a few key pieces in mind that I’d like to take with me, and then centre everything else around my activities and what the weather is doing.

I have four full days in New Zealand, as well as two travel days either side, and the weather was a little mixed. Sunny or overcast at around 18 deg C for the first couple of days, and rainy and windy for the last few days with the temps dipping to about 16 deg C. In Sydney, that would call for a coat, though a few weeks out from summer I figured I’d take the risk and opt for layering pieces so that I didn’t find myself with bulky items that I wouldn’t end up wearing.

What I had Planned

A lot of my friends have moved away from Wellington, so trips home are generally centred around spending time with my uncle and grandparents. Basically, I come prepared to eat lots of delicious Greek cooking, and get cosy on the couch while I listen to my grandparents tell me some of their stories from their younger days.

In addition to that, we’d planned to pop up to Makara to visit mum, and I wanted to catch up with some of my girlfriends for coffee or brunch, and a nice meal out. I also visited my godmother who lives nearby my grandparents place, which usually involves the odd rum and coke.

All in all, my schedule was fairly relaxed. I knew I wanted to have some good casual wear that I could mix and match, and I also wanted to bring a couple of nice tops with me which I could pair with jeans for an evening look.

The Carry-On Packing List

So, let’s talk through my carry-on packing list. I’ll usually sit down in front of the wardrobe with a pen and paper to map out what I’m bringing with me, and despite it technically being only a four day trip, I figured I might as well make use of the space in my carry-on and bring a few options in case the weather turned on me. But, if you’re strapped for space, my best advice is to plan out at least half of your outfits, and opt for a simple colour palette where everything pairs effortlessly together.

TOPS/KNITWEAR

Based on the weather, two of the key pieces I knew I wanted to pack with me was a cashmere sweater, and a cardigan that I could throw on over little tees to feel really cosy and warm. I didn’t really want to iron if I didn’t need to, so I also tried to pick tops that would travel well (folded with a combination of the KonMari method and rolling). I ended up with 3x sweaters/knits, 3x t-shirts, 1x silk short-sleeve blouse and 1x fitted cami. Below is a snapshot of what I took and why.

CdG Play white t-shirt | RE/DONE black t-shirt | Boden camel/white breton stripe tee
Comfort is king when you’re travelling, and I figured that a few t-shirts would form the basis of many of my outfits. Instead of just taking a plain white and black tee, I also threw in a long-sleeved version in a camel and white stripe, which I figured would help to mix things up a little bit.

Everlane black short sleeve blouse | Chosen by Tuchuzy fitted tank (similar here)
These two tops were my dressier options. I wanted to go for something that was minimal and chic, but that would elevate a simple jeans and heels outfit. The short sleeved blouse seemed like a good choice (though let’s be honest, silk never travels well – it’s always crumpled), and the fitted tank is a newer addition to my wardrobe that is incredibly versatile and seems to just go with everything.

Everlane white v-neck cashmere sweater | Tradlands grey sweatshirt | Vetta oversized sweater
Sometimes a girl’s gotta have options, and what I liked about this trio is that each sweater served a different purpose. The cashmere option was a little more luxe, and I loved the fresh white cream hue; the grey sweatshirt was very casual and relaxed, perfect for lounging around at home with; while the Vetta oversized sweater become a catch-all solution for whenever I felt cold and wanted to wear an additional layer.

DRESSES

The opportunity to wear long-sleeved mini dresses in Sydney has kinda passed, but after finally snapping up this little number from ASOS, I was in the mood to find an excuse to wear it. Personally, I find that separates travel better than dresses, and I’ll usually only take them if I have an occasion to wear one for, but I figured there wasn’t any harm in including this if I could manage to get some use out of it.

ASOS polka dot mini dress
Polka dots are one of the few prints I have in serious abundance in my wardrobe, and when I spotted this little mini dress (and in my size!), I really couldn’t resist. It’s 100% cotton, and I really liked the details on it – from the tortoiseshell buttons, to the bow detail at the end of the sleeves!

JACKETS

Knowing that the weather was going to be on the cooler end of the spectrum, a jacket was an absolute must, and I usually find it’s a good safeguard against the Wellington wind. I opted for 1x blazer and 1x trench coat.

Everlane trench coat | H&M check blazer (similar)
I’ve been thinking about upgrading my Everlane trench to one from Burberry, though in the meantime, it’s been a solid wardrobe essential. It’s waterproof (great if it rains), is fully lined, and it’s rather lightweight. A great topper to any outfit if it was a little chilly. I also took a check blazer to pair with some of the more muted pieces in my suitcase. I love the look of a blazer worn with a tee and denim, and naturally, knew this would be a look I ended up reaching for on the trip.

SKIRTS/TROUSERS

Aside from taking a few more tops than I actually needed, this is probably the other area in my carry-on packing list where I went a little overboard. I took four bottoms with me: 1x trousers, 2x jeans and 1x skirt. Let’s take a closer look at what I packed…

ASOS mid-blue skinny jeans | Levi’s faded black straight leg jeans
My ASOS farleigh mom jeans seem to come with me on most holidays. I love the high waist and the frayed hemline, and the mid-blue wash denim effortlessly goes with so much in my wardrobe. For something a little different, I decided to also pack my Levi’s faded black wedgie jeans. These have a straight leg, and again, that raw edge hem I seem to love so much. The straight leg silhouette is still a novelty for me, so I’ve been trying to wear it and get used to the style as much as I can.

Forcast check trousers | Willow leather skirt (old, similar here)
As an alternative to denim, I wanted to pack some trousers, and these check ones from Forcast are a nice high waisted style that dresses down well. As a wild card, I also threw my old leather skirt from Willow into the bottom of my suitcase. Truthfully, I couldn’t really see how I was going to get the wear out of this given I had so many other options, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have it with me just in case.

SHOES & ACCESSORIES

Shoes always tend to be where I go a little overboard on these trips, so I set myself a limit this time around of two pairs. Somehow, I managed to make do by opting for a low heeled pair, and another style with a bit more height. I took two bags with me, in addition to a clutch which housed all my travel belongings, as well as minimal beauty products – a lightweight full face of makeup, and my hair straightener. When you have a carry-on, space is at a premium, so I try to take only what I need in this category.

Vaneli two tone pumps | Valentino tango pumps
My most worn shoe of the last couple seasons have been my Vaneli two tone pumps (also here), and with good reason. They’re easy to walk in, and very comfortable, plus they seem to go with all my outfits. For something a bit dressier, I decided to whip out my Valentino tango pumps, which have been hibernating on the shelf for the better part of the last six months. These aren’t as comfortable, but they have an extremely walkable heel height, and the ankle strap detail makes these a little special.

Cuyana tote bag | Zodiac mini bag | Everlane leather pouch
I bought an ONA travel bag some years ago, but now when I travel I really only reach for my Cuyana tote (review here). It’s got a malleable leather, the straps are comfortable on my shoulders, and it fits everything I need to take with me on the plane. For a smaller option, I took my mini zodiac bag. As an affordable purchase, this bag has been a fantastic addition to my wardrobe, and it’s something I whip out a lot whenever I’m travelling. Then for all my smaller travel bits (and to stash my jewellery), I took this cute leather pouch from Everlane. I like the zip up closure, plus it doubled up as a nice option for heading out to dinner.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS

While I’m not going to run you through my whole travel beauty kit, I did want to highlight some faves. I took the UD primer potion which is fantastic for wearing under eyeshadow so it doesn’t budge, and I love the Clinique flutter to full mascara – perfect for the windy city, and it’s super lengthening. I stashed all my beauty into this transparent makeup case from The Daily Edited, which I cannot recommend enough. Finally, I packed my ghd platinum + hair styler. I only needed to wash my hair once while in Wellington, and it was handy to have this on me so that I could make my hair look a little less unruly.

What I could have left at home

Reflecting on what I took with me this trip, there were a few things that probably could have stay at home. All things that didn’t get a second look once I was at my destination. The leather skirt, which I’d packed on the off-chance that I’d want to wear it. The camel and white breton striped top, which is a great wardrobe staple, but the weather just didn’t seem right for this one. And finally, that short sleeve silk blouse; a gorgeous piece, but as I wasn’t really up for ironing anything, I should have really just left this one at home.

I probably also could have done without the sweatshirt, if I’d instead chosen to wear the cashmere sweater more than once, as well as the faded black straight leg jeans, which I felt almost inclined to wear.

So that’s a wrap up of my New Zealand carry-on packing list. Thanks so much for reading!