Love Brightly

After following my 7 Universal Tips for Packing in Winter , here's how my outfits panned out for my 7 days in Rome! I was there to take a seminary course, but the week allowed for a little time away from studies for sight-seeing and fun dinners out with friends. Hubby kept the kids at home for the whole 7 days! And as usual, my fashion disclaimer: I do not idolize clothes, nor what people think of me wearing them. I do enjoy clothes, and all things of beauty--colors, textures, etc. Putting together outfits is a creative expression for me, and I feel like challenging myself to keeping the creative pieces to a minimum is a good way to steward my resources. See the post for how I chose my layers.  Day 1. Layering allowed me to forgo my bulky coat on this chilly yet sunshine day. This striped sweater is actually a tunic that I turned under to create a different look. Day 1, evening. For a night out I removed the striped sweater and added this infinity scarf and lipstick....

Packing a week’s worth of clothing in a carry-on is fairly easy in Summer, but in Winter—when you have bulky sweaters, hefty shoes, and multiple layers of clothing, it can be a bit tricky. After I spent an afternoon planning ahead, I managed to get it all in one carry-on with room to spare for other essentials.  A friend who wanted my packing help said to me, "I love your outfits, but I don't think I can do what you do because not only is your style is different than mine, but also your size." So I'm aspiring to share 7 universal tips for packing in Winter. These tips are cumulative, so I've labeled them in Steps-- and if you want to see my personal 7 day wardrobe, click here . Step 1: Check the weather. My 7 days in Rome forecasted 5 days of cold rain. Step 2: Plan your shoes. Most of the time when you travel, you spend more time on your feet than on ordinary days, plus you don't have access to your entire closet of shoes. You need GOO...