Are you packed up for your next spring road trip? Or perhaps, your first of the season? If you’re still struggling with what to bring in your stylish weekender bag, your hard-working Style Guide team of one can help you with that today. Much like dressing for winter travel, gearing up for a day in transit — be it by plane, train or automobile — requires you to meet a few different style scenarios. You could be migrating from temperate, breezy conditions to sweltering heat, as I did on a spring road trip to Florida, or you could be going from a dressy day at the office to a casual vacation. Either way, packing and traveling with versatility and crisp-yet-casual style in mind can only help you in the long run. So, the focus is on layering, solid fits, mobile fabrics and just a few spring style classics. Think you can handle all that? Hope so — and if you want to see a certain topic covered in this series, leave me a comment in my virtual suggestion box … on Twitter. OK, gear up and hit the road!
The Weekender Bag: Nisolo Leon Weekender in Chestnut — $397
A beautiful mix of durable leather and excellent style.
As previously covered in our
Style Pick of the Week series, there’s really no way you can go wrong with the handsome, supremely stylish and tough
Nisolo Leon Weekender in Chestnut. Done up in rich brown leather and lined with tan cotton canvas, the
Leon Weekender is a refined blend of style and functionality, and it’ll look just as great in any Instagram travel shots as it will sitting in your trunk or overhead compartment. Think of the
Nisolo Leon Weekender as an investment in great taste, great looks and great adventures.
The Bomber Jacket: La Paz Ortigao Bomber in Almond — $275
A unique shade of … well, almond, done up in a classic cotton bomber jacket.
We all need some stylish spring outerwear in our lives, right? That’s what you’re getting with the versatile, casual and well-made
La Paz Ortigao Bomber in Almond. This 100 percent cotton bomber — featuring raglan sleeves to broaden your frame visually — is made in Portugal, hence the higher price tag. And lest you be wary of the Almond color, think of the lighter cream/off-white shade of the
La Paz Bomber as being similar to a foray into
white denim — a move that when done right, looks great. I have a sneaky feeling you’ll like the rest of the
#menswear ensemble we pair it with, too.
A classic navy polo, made with comfort and care from a solid brand.
The vibe of this outfit so far screams comfortable, casual and put-together — not sloppy. So while you could feasibly reach for tailored sweatpants here, we’re going with another hybrid option — specifically, classic drawstring trousers from the fine folks at
Iron and Resin. Featuring organic cotton with 2 percent stretch and a straight fit, these are perfect pants for travel, what with room to move and versatile looks that can take you from the road to dinner without missing a beat.
The Sneakers: Johnston and Murphy Allister Lace-up — $145
A clean white sneaker from a brand known for its hard-wearing boots.
Who doesn’t love a pair of crisp,
classic white sneakers for spring? Your Style Guide author surely does. And while you could certainly swap these white sneakers for something a little more polished — like
refined suede Chelsea boots — the simple, clean silhouette of the Allister Lace-up works just as well. The cushioned footbed should keep your feet comfortable for hours at a time, and there’s hardly a spring style combination more widely accepted than tailored chinos and white sneakers.
The Belt (To Pack): J. Crew Factory Washed Leather Belt — $24.50
No need to get too fancy when it comes to a leather belt to pack for weekend trips.
Packing up your
Leon Weekender is going to require some planning. After all, if you’re only going away for a weekend, perhaps you can survive with only a brown leather belt — particularly if you’re wearing drawstring pants on one of those days. But, let’s say you also bring along some slim dark denim. Well, enter this affordable belt for classic style that’s wearable with everything from
tough leather boots to the aforementioned white sneakers. It’s as simple as that.
The Watch: Jack Mason Aviator 3-Hand — $205
A great-looking watch for a solid price — spring style on the go, without a doubt.
You didn’t think we forgot about including an essential leather watch, did you? Of course not. Just as with packing up only one belt, perhaps you can get through a weekend with just one watch — and if that’s your challenge, I’d humbly submit the
Jack Mason Aviator 3-Hand as your watch of choice, amigo. The folks at
Jack Mason make watches that pull from a variety of influences, from flight to seafaring, and the handsome
Aviator 3-Hand combines rugged good looks and crisp, classic style.
The Socks: Richer Poorer Griffin Socks — $8
Simple stripes and a nice. comfortable weight for spring.
If you’re going to drop some serious cash on a
slim bomber jacket and a
durable leather weekender bag, you might as well hang onto your spare change when it comes to buying socks, right? Fear not — Richer Poorer makes high-quality socks in a variety of fabrics despite the low price. Those options include the “Everyday Midweight” option seen here. Even better? They won’t look half-bad in terms of color and design when you take off your
spring sneakers, either.
The Underrated Accessories: Hudson Suttler USA Dopp Kit — $49.98 AND Decibullz Custom-Fit Bluetooth Wireless Earphones — $119.99
A durable dopp kit and high-quality headphones — both great pieces to have handy on the road.
If you’ve been hunting for a
stylish men’s dopp kit for a while now, end that search ASAP, because the
Hudson Suttler USA Dopp Kit is here to save the day. Heavy-duty olive drab canvas sets this kit apart, as do small touches like leather zipper pulls. In short, it’s a much better way to carry your grooming essentials than a plastic bag. And who doesn’t need premium headphones, right? The kicker with Decibullz? These headphones can be molded to the shape of your ear, just like a mouthguard. If you need some music to listen to on your trip, might I recommend
Lucius or
Local Natives? Onward.
There are a lot of details to consider when packing up for a spring road trip. Starting with a durable, functional weekender bag like the Leon Weekender is as good a jumping-off point as any, however. And for travel that could start out chilly and end up warm, layering essentials like the La Paz Bomber should prove premium, well-made and versatile. The same can be said for a classic spring polo — enter the Flint and Tinder Supima AirKnit Polo. Lest we leave behind any stylish travel accessories, don’t forget to pack a durable casual watch — certainly, the Jack Mason Aviator 3-Hand is the way to go. Clean white sneakers and grey Iron and Resin chinos also make for easygoing, high-low style, which is just what you want when on the road. And certainly, everyday carry pieces like the Hudson Suttler USA Dopp Kit are going to make your life a whole lot easier — and more stylish — when traveling. If you’ve got pieces you’d like to see added, or if you think this suggestion is just fine and dandy, leave a note on The Style Guide Facebook page.
See you on the road — stay stylish!
-Beau
The Style Guide 