It happened on the second day of my honeymoon: I was was getting ready for a day trip to Hilo when I realized that three-quarter of the items I had packed were not Hawaii-appropriate. Actually, they were all appropriate: for instance my beloved Manolos, but only if I had had plans to go for cocktails or fancy dinners every evening. But since our plans consisted of things like checking out the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and swimming with turtles and manta rays – ok, these two were solely my husband’s plans – I didn’t need high heels or cocktails dresses. And since it was scorching hot outside, all I really needed were a couple t-shirts, a pair or 2 of shorts, 2-3 bathing suits and some flip-flops. As Habibi had hinted, him and I could have shared a suitcase and avoided the added baggage fee. But I didn’t listen and packed everything that I owned that was summery, cute and in another shade than black.

You think that I would have learnt my lesson after having to pay $50 in service charges for excess baggage. I didn’t. Over the holidays, I had so many things in my suitcases that, on our way back home from Los Angeles, I had to ask my brother to put some of my purchases in his suitcase.

Anyhow, I’m really trying to become a reformed overpacker and that’s why when I went up North a couple weekends ago my bag looked like this:

Good, no? Granted, I was going to the country and only sleeping there 1 night…

Therefore, the true test will be my upcoming trip to New York City, because it’s one thing to scale things down when going to the country, it’s a whole other when going to the big Apple. Here’s my game plan: I’ve been meaning to give the popular 5-piece French wardrobe concept a try for a while now – it sounds like torture, but so does chemically straightening one’s hair and yet I do it every month. Anyhow, this time packing will be all about true quality pieces and not quantity. Plus, I also really want to avoid doing that thing I always do: buying new clothes before going on a trip even though shopping is always on the itinerary when I’m traveling abroad. And finally, since I highly doubt that I’ll be the one to impress New Yorkers, why should I even try?

Here’s to being a light packer! I’ll definitely keep you posted on my success. Or failure.

P.S. Looks like Garance Doré and I have yet another thing in common.