What to Pack: Ireland/Scotland

My best friend, Stacey, and I are traveling to Ireland and Scotland in just over a week! We have been planning this trip for quite a few months, and I cannot believe it is so close. It is our big 30th birthday celebration - Stacey turns 30 in March and then I turn 30 in April. We are both also Irish and Scottish, so it will be fun to learn more about our heritage. Stacey has done a lot of research about her family. Me, not so much. Busy season got in the way. Now that it is over, I need to get on that. Stacey learned that her 12th great-grandfather was the King of Scotland, and we will get to visit a couple of castles her family lived in. Now, how cool is that?! I do not think I will find a King in my family, but you never know...

There is a lot to do in the next week and a half before we depart. I have a stack of travel books next to me that need reading. I visited Edinburgh, Scotland when I was studying abroad in college, but that was 10 years ago. Neither of us have been to Ireland before. Oh, and on the way home, we elected for a 24 hour layover in Zurich, Switzerland - why not? So, we need a good plan of attack for our day there too. And yes, in case you were wondering, we WILL be in Dublin for St. Patrick's Day! 

But, all that aside...WHAT AM I GOING TO PACK?

It was important to both of us to not spend a lot of money on new purchases to pack for this trip. We want to save our money for the actual trip! We determined a few staple items for a trip to Ireland and Scotland in March:

1. A Good Raincoat

This was something I did not previously own. I purchased the following coat from Nordstrom this weekend. I love this coat and know it is something I will wear often, which was important in the purchase. I did not want to purchase anything solely for this trip. This coat fits so well and is super cute on. Best of all, I felt the price was right. It is water repellant/resistant and wind resistant, which is important for March in Ireland, as well as spring in the Midwest.

Laundry by Shelli Segal Packable Water Repellant Anorak

2. Rain Boots

Rain boots are a must for a spring trip to Ireland and Scotland. I purchased the following pair of Hunters two years ago. They are one of my best purchases to this day. In terms of my "price per wear" rule, I have definitely met it with these boots, and then some. Hunter has recently come out with a packable boot, which I considered purchasing for this trip. At the end of the day, I could not justify the cost of another pair of Hunters, even if they would pack better in my suitcase. I will be bringing these Hunters that I already own on my trip and finding a way to fit them in my suitcase. If you live in the Midwest or anywhere with rainy/snowy weather, these boots will always be worth the purchase and meet the "price per wear" rule.

Hunter Original Tall Gloss Rain Boot

3. Comfortable Layers

Layers and comfort will be key for this trip. It will about 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Ireland and Scotland, but it will get colder at night. I think the weather is about as unpredictable as it is in Michigan. I plan to layer chambray and sweaters similar to this post with J.Crew Pixies, Loft Marisa Skinny Ponte Pants or a good pair of denim. It is also important to be able to mix and match during this trip, so I will try to pack blouses that can go from day to night with a pair of heels or flat boots. I will keep the colors pretty neutral so that I can maximize what I am packing. Luckily, I think the pubs will be pretty casual!

4. The Crossbody Bag

This is where I am open. I need to find a good crossbody bag to carry with me day by day. I have a nice Cole Haan crossbody bag, but it tends to get heavy fast. I need something lighter to carry. I will be searching high and low for something light and affordable this week.

5. A Carry-on Tote

Stacey and I are both trying to decide what we will carry on the plane. I have a couple totes, but none zip shut. I would ideally like something that zips shut to carry on the plane. I plan to carry on a change of clothes (just in case), my travel books (for last minute research), my iPad and iPod and some small toiletries. I will be hitting up Target this week for hopes of a #targetdoesitagain.

Obviously, I have a lot of planning to do still. It is so important (and hard) to pack light for this trip. We need to leave room to bring things back, after all! I have only been to Europe during the summer, so packing for March is definitely challenging. I will keep you posted on how the packing is going!

Have you been to Europe in March? Do you have any packing tips?