Never have I ever been so happy to be so wrong about which items to pack for a trip.
Let me tell you why:
In the week leading up to my quick trip to Albany, I checked the weather obsessively. The forecast never wavered—it stubbornly stated that it was going to rain the entire time Michael and I were visiting.
While I normally try with all my heart to subscribe to the sentiment that, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing,” I think we can all agree that a rainy, car-less trip isn’t ideal.
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With soggy clothes and muddy hems in mind, I set out to create an all-black summer packing list—save for one fun piece (and an essential pair of white sneakers, obviously). I debated over which shoes might fare the best in puddles, and made sure I would be appropriately dressed for a nicer dinner (which ultimately never happened as our flight was delayed—thanks Frontier!), all while only traveling with my under-the-seat bag.
To add a little extra interest to my monochrome outfits, I chose jewelry I could mix and match deliberately (some of my favorite pieces I brought this trip were 14k gold-fill jewelry from ABLE (save 20% with code WAYWARD20), Favor Jewelry, GLDN, and Madewell.
I packed everything in separate packing cubes and pouches, and we were off!
WEEKEND IN ALBANY PACKING LIST
At all.
Which frankly, was fine by me – even though I definitely noticed I felt a bit out of place in my all-black the entire time we were there.
With the exception of Pride, where everyone was in their most colorful garb or decked out to the nines (and I felt utterly drab by comparison), I felt very overdressed even when I was wearing my sneakers and joggers.
Looking for more packing lists? Discover what's in my suitcase each season: Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter
Style in Upstate New York is much more laid back than in the city, and most people were wearing some form of athleisure, or a shorts-and-tank combination.
Well, what can you do? Acknowledge any discomfort, accept that you cannot change the items you packed, and move on to enjoy your vacation.
Looking for More? You May Also Enjoy:
- Travel Guide: 36 Hours in Albany, New York
- 36 Hours in NYC: Lower Manhattan
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- The Complete Weekend Travel Guide to Rochester, New York
- From Scrabble to Suffrage: Four Rochester Museums You Just Can’t Miss
- 8 Essential Restaurants in Rochester, New York
- Traveling Light: Packing List for a Weekend in Rochester, New York
- Traveling Light: A Packing List for Buffalo, New York (in a backpack!)
- 10 Essential Restaurants in Buffalo, New York
- Italic Accessories Review
- Away Everywhere Bag Review + Packing Tips
- Choosing the Right Jewelry for Travel
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- NYC Winter Packing List
- Packing List for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Packing List for Providence, Rhode Island
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Have you ever experienced a totally “off” weather forecast while traveling?
