Dressing for Europe: Layers and Scarves

Our big Eurotrip was coming up and I didn't have a single thing packed into my suitcase. But because I am an avid fan of the saying "When in doubt, check the internet", that's exactly what I did, hoping it would give me some answers. I concentrated my search parameters on the three countries we would be visiting and the period of time we would be there--during that crazy transition phase between spring and summer when the weather gets SO unpredictable--and came up with TWO conclusions: One, "Layers!" and, two, "Scarves!"

"Scarves" is easy. "Layers" was tricky. It meant clothes that you could mix and match and wear over each other in different ways to create new looks so you don't end up looking the same. They should be light enough to stack on but not add so much weight to your luggage. I understood that part. What I did have a problem with was that most of the samples people posted on their parts of the web consisted of thin, strappy, short-y garments AND the estimated temperatures where we were going could get to as low as 10 degrees*. I realized these were blogs written by--I'm sorry to use this term--white people, or, rather, people who lived in four seasoned countries and were used to wearing short skirts in 10deg weather.

Unfortunately, where I come from, we only have two seasons: Summer and Rainy. We can actually use mostly summer clothing all throughout as our temperatures rarely get below 25, unless you go up the mountains. And though I've had experience traveling to a northern country, it was during Spring and Autumn when packing for the weather was a no-brainer.

So, with the photo samples I was given of a good, not-too-touristy tourist's European ensemble, I was... confused. I didn't want to believe I could survive with just thin strappy things, even WITH a scarf. So, I decided to bring some of my long-sleeved shirts and rummaged through my more fashionable sister's closet for dressier blouses that could be worn with or without tank tops. I filled the rest of my suitcase with a couple of pants, other bottoms and necessities, zipped it up, and crossed my fingers that there would be no wardrobe regrets when we arrive in Europe.

Photos of what I wore after the cut!



(Note: I only took photos after I got back home. So, excuse the crappy pictures of what is essentially my laundry. :P)

Two long-sleeved shirts. I got these from Cotton On.
I think they were 2 for 800 or 1200php?
These became my go-to shirts for cold weather.

Scarves!

Tank tops, the most number of pieces I had in my luggage.
All (except one) are from Uniqlo. I buy the ones on limited
offer! 

Another Uniqlo buy that's been used time
and again. Got this in Japan, and it's great to
wear by itself for when the weather isn't super
cold, or partner with long-sleeved shirts and
skinny jeans or black leggings for when it is.

Blouses thin enough to be worn with tank tops.

Another Uniqlo favorite. Bought this in Kyoto last year.
It's a stole. Used for those cold plane and train rides.

More blouses.

Leggings! I used the gray one for sleep pants. 

I bought this in Rome. Anecdote: I wore this in Paris,
when my mom and I decided to visit the
Notre Dame Cathedral. It rained, and the wind was quite strong.
I didn't wear this dress with leggings--BIG MISTAKE--
so I kept trying in vain to hold it down as the wind would blow it up.
(I WAS wearing something like black spanx underneath,
but they still constituted as underwear.) Eventually I
resorted to tying the scarf I brought with me over my
waist to serve as a double skirt.
So, lesson 1: When in doubt, wear leggings.
Lesson 2: Scarves have more than one use.

Not pictured: 2 jeans. 2 black cardigans. One pair of dark blue Skechers Go Walk. One pair of flats from Payless' Dexflex line. (I would use one each of these for the plane rides, thereby lightening my suitcase.)

Post-trip, I saw that I had made good calls on some things, and "should've brought that piece" on others. There were times when I discovered that only bringing half of the things I brought was actually feasible, since you can just launder or reuse clothes. There were times when I wished I could've been dressier, like maybe flashed more leg (btw, I did, in Paris, and it was a disaster. See last photo above.) But then I'd think I wouldn't be comfortable, and if I'm not comfortable, I won't enjoy myself.

Anyway, I wrote this post to show preparing clothes for a Europe trip from a tropical girl's perspective, a tropical girl who doesn't really like the cold that much and takes out her trench coat for 25degree climates. I recognize that there are people who don't mind such weather, as I've had trip-mates who wore short skirts and Fitflop sandals while it was raining and chilly in Paris, and nice dresses with stockings up in the hills of Lake Como. So, whatever floats your boat. Just don't forget the two things those travel blogs taught me: "Layers" and "Scarves".

*We use the Celsius scale.