One oft-peddled—but hard-to-pull-off—travel hack is to avoid checking a bag at all costs. But while carrying on means you’ll never deal with lost luggage or carousel delays, it also presents challenges of its own, like what to do about toiletries or how to bring back souvenirs. So we called on Marlien Rentmeester—frequent traveler, founder of the fashion blog Le Catch, and a card-carrying member of Team Carry-On—to explain how she, a self-proclaimed maximalist and the kind of fabulous dresser you’d assume travels with three full-size suitcases, makes it work with just her cabin-size Rimowa.
Whether she’s headed for Paris or Puerto Escondido, Rentmeester’s vacation-packing strategy remains the same: Throw in a few versatile staples, then dedicate the remaining space to accessories. “I will bring extra sparkle or brooches or belts to give one dress three different vibes,” she says. “I’m not against repeat outfits, but I just love the feeling of wearing something new and different every day.”
When it comes to toiletries, Rentmeester sticks to a simplified routine of vitamin C, peptide serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen—all in small bottles under three ounces. As for her vacation pickups? She shares how she hauls everything home, plus more tips, below.
A Conversation with Marlien Rentmeester
What’s your packing style? Do you plan your outfits ahead of time?
Not fastidiously, but in my mind’s eye. I am not the type of person who spends hours getting packed. I do think about it ahead of time, though, and might even put something aside so I remember to pack it, whether it’s a dress I’m unearthing from years ago or something where I’m like, This needs to see the sun.
I do try to try on everything before I pack and then edit it down. The other throughline is that I try to bring pieces that go from beach to street or day to night. A top that I could wear over a bathing suit is also a top that I could wear at dinner and that looks completely elegant and dressed-up and you would never know that it was beach-worthy.
You recently returned from a trip to New York. What did you bring there?
I knew it was going to be warm, which I was so excited about. I love that in New York during the summer I can bare shoulders, day to night. It just really feels more like summer there, and so it is a different way of dressing. It means more shorts and lightweight, filmy dresses and skirts. In some ways, it’s more feminine, but also more durable—it’s outfits and clothes that let me walk 20,000 steps and truly go from morning till evening.
Pack early or the night before?
I typically pack the day before. If I’m going to New York or a place where I’ve been a million times, it’s kind of…not necessarily formulaic, but it always follows this protocol of packing in the surprises, the extras, the unexpected somethings that will elevate each and every outfit.
How often do you return from a trip having worn every piece that you packed?
Almost 99.9 percent of the time.
How often do you leave something at home you wish you had packed?
I rarely regret not packing something. I’m always like, Well, if I don't have it, I can always buy it or look for it. And then frequently, I travel with my twin sister, so it’s like having two wardrobes—although she totally dips into mine more than I dip into hers.
Does your approach change if you’re packing for a weekend trip versus a two-week long jaunt in Europe?
Yes—and it changes, too, if it’s a girls’ trip or if it’s a fashion week trip. The purpose then determines the amount of whimsy that goes in my suitcase.
What is your philosophy on shopping specifically for a trip?
I’d rather buy things abroad. When I’m in Greece or in Italy, I want to buy what everyone else is wearing. I want to look more like my surroundings, so I save my shopping for when I touch down, for sure.
How much space do you save in your suitcase for on-the-ground shopping?
I don't—that's when the expandable carry-on comes into play. My other trick is to always carry a suitcase-size personal item for whatever additions are procured while traveling. I am the person who will carry pottery back or a set of 12 dinner plates. I can’t help myself.
Once you’ve decided what to bring, do you have a specific method for packing the bag itself?
Packing cubes are a new thing for me, thanks to my youngest son, and I have to say, it has helped to organize my swimwear or my workoutwear—or even my accessories, like my belts or scarves or sarongs. And maybe, hopefully, I think it might condense things to make more room for more things, but I don’t know. I can’t confirm the science at all, but it feels like I’m being more efficient.
Go-to travel outfit?
Because I’m a runner, I typically wear my big, ugly sneakers on the plane to save space. And then it’s usually jeans, a button-down, and a blazer or a jacket. I’m always freezing on the plane and I hate being cold, so I usually have an extra sweater tied around my neck or in my bag. I always aspire to look cuter while traveling, but a lot of the bulk goes on my body rather than in the suitcase.
One thing always makes it into your suitcase?
Besides the obvious stuff, like my sunglasses, my laptop, my supplements, I will always bring some sort of blazer. I love the idea of throwing it over my shoulders with a dress or with a pair of jeans, and I like the pockets, too, for traveling. I rarely leave town without some sort of jacket or blazer, even if I’m going to a casual place.
Any must-bring beauty products?
I worked at Lucky magazine for ages with Jean Godfrey-June, and I remember asking her many, many, many moons ago, “What is the one thing that I can’t skip in my beauty routine? What should I always, always be using no matter what?” She was like, vitamin C—so I always pack that. I’ve been loyal to YSE Beauty’s Xtreme Glow Dewy Peptide Plumping Serum lately. And then I also bring a heavy-duty moisturizer and Counter’s SPF 25.
Something else that I’m trying to be diligent about is addressing my hair health, so I've been taking the Essential Wellbeing Complex from Highbrow Hippie. Even though it's a hair supplement, what I understand is that it has all kinds of ingredients in it that you should be taking daily, too.
What is the best packing hack you’ve learned over the years?
Something that I end up doing almost every single time I pack is I pack the night before, and then the next day I always end up taking one or two things out. You know when you write something and then the next day you edit it? That’s what it feels like. It’s like a review. It makes me feel like, Okay, I really carefully took stock of everything. It just makes me feel more thoughtful and ready to go.
Marlien’s Edit
