Buon Giorno Balenciaga

Nine days till I leave for Rome, Positano and Amalfi. Natch, what I fret about most when going on vacation is what to pack. Usually I start with the handbags, shoes and jewelry and work backwards towards clothes. However, since this is a family vacay, and we have a private driver shuttling us from city to city, there will be limited space for luggage.

For weeks I have been fretting about the handbag and shoe situation: namely, which every day handbag to bring and which every day shoes to bring that of course must match the bag. Nighttime shoes are not a problem—either black pumps or boots. But this was my quandary—it's spring in Italy and I didn't want to carry a black bag. But the eggshell bag I have is just too heavy. And my red bag too small. Same with the yellow, pink and gold bags. So that's why I so wanted the silver Tod's bag.

Typically, for a week long vacation, I would bring at least four handbags; two day, two night. And probably six pairs of shoes—can't forget the sneakers and the slippers.

The point is that I'm trying to simplify sartorially for this trip. One pair of day shoes; one pair of night shoes. One pair of sneakers. Not a ton of jewelry. No belts. But everything boiled down to the handbag—I needed that perfect, trendy (it is Italy after all) every day bag that would go with any color shoes.

And out of all my bags (this is my new handbag hookup; sick, I know) none fit the bill.




Enter mom. Stylish yet simple—she's elected to carry an old-school, lightweight, black, nylon Prada—she's generously offered up her coppery/grayish awesome Balenciaga that I helped her choose at Barneys.

Packing problems solved. Now onto jewelry, shoes and clothes. I already got this fab Caudalie travel kit at Sephora to cut down on the toiletries.