Bon Voyage

The hardest part of a vacation is crafting your out-of-office message. The second hardest part is figuring out what to pack. You could always develop a foolproof, yet monotonous system… You could toss lots of clothes in a bag and hope they add up to enough functional outfits. You could waste hours building them up front. Or you could commit to the three simple rules of packing simply!

  1. Limit yourself to a bag that only allows the essentials.
  2. Pack for the trip that you are going on, not the one in your head.
  3. Favor pieces that pull double duty.

With this dummy proof system in mind, below are a few staples you should pack no matter what warm-weather locale you’re headed to this summer.

THE BEST POLO SHIRT YOU OWN

Alex Beck in Good Man Brand

You Yes, I know, this whole vacation deal is escaping your 9-5 dress code, but trust me, being the best dressed guy at the tiki bar definitely has its advantages. A knit polo looks luxe and laid back all at once, especially when you have one from Good Man Brand.

A PAIR OF SHADES

Jamie Lee in Randolph

If you’re going to buy one thing before sunnier days, make sure it is a fresh pair of shades. Try a new shape, new frame, new color, just be different. Randolph has a great selection. And since shades are the one thing that you’re going to wear the most, spend a little extra on a pair that’s built to last.

THE BEACH TO BAR SHIRT

Nicky LaVillo in Eton

The t-shirt has done great work for decades, but right now the standard beach to boardwalk look includes a button up from Eton. It lends any outfit some Italian-vacation vibes and it can sub in nicely for your polo as an after dark shirt.

A DUFFEL BUILT FOR TRAVEL

Duffel by Ghurka

The whole point of a weekend getaway is to get away. That is why I’m a fan of a well-made weekender bag, especially Ghurka bags for quick trips instead of rolling around heavy luggage. It’s real simple… if you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you’re doing vacation right.