Five Days, Five Pieces: Our Fashion
Director Takes the Challenge
Ali Pew approaches her suitcase the same way she does her closet: tactfully, and with Tetris-like precision. “I’m extremely minimal when it comes to packing,” says our fashion director, who likens outfit plotting to a game of strategy. “When I recently went home to Utah for a month, I limited myself to one carry-on plus my cat Randy as the under-the-front-seat bag—that’s it!”
When Ali told us she was fleeing the city for a five-day lakeside getaway in Idaho, we asked if we could put her minimalist modus operandi to the test: How light and tight can one go? Can you really get away with less, all activities considered? Fortunately for us, she’s never one to turn down a good fashion challenge.
THE PACKABLES
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G. Label ELLIAN ORGANIC
COTTON VINTAGE TEE goop, $95SHOP NOW -
G. Label LEE RIB TANK goop, $195SHOP NOW -
G. Label CAROLYN UTILITY
PERFORMANCE JACKET goop, $595SHOP NOW -
G. Label DANI WIDE-LEG
DRAWSTRING PANTS goop, $495SHOP NOW -
G. Label MARTY HIGH-WAISTED SHORTS goop, $325SHOP NOW
1
WORK THE ZOOM
“Honestly, I can’t say that this five-day, five-piece challenge was hard for me. Before yanking things off hangers, I always make sure every item works with at least two other pieces so that I can mix, match, and maximize wears. This easy tee and these pleated shorts hit all the marks (see: looks three and four). And I’ll layer on a few necklaces whenever I need to be video-ready.”
2
LATE-AFTERNOON LOUNGING
“Comfort isn’t just key; it’s everything these days. Which is why I’ve been living in these super comfy wide-legs that work with everything and fit a number of needs—downtime being one of them. Keep the rest simple with a tucked-in tank, and put all the emphasis on hydrating skin (especially important at altitude!).”
3
TAKE A HIKE (OR A WALK)
“I always look for items that I can stretch throughout the trip without a wash cycle—like this rainproof jacket that’s great year-round. It has an inner drawstring (and lots of practical pockets) that you can cinch when the weather cools down, making it as perfect with hiking gear as it is with a pair of nature-walk-friendly Birkenstocks and summer’s most versatile bottoms, of course.”
4
DINNER ALFRESCO
“One of the easiest ways to streamline packing is to stick to a color scheme. For this particular trip, I narrowed it down to navy, white, and black with some olive green peppered in (a shade that works on almost everyone). This ribbed tank is a chic base layer, especially with a monochrome pullover for whenever the sun dips below the mountains.”
5
WAKE AND LAKE
“It may sound obvious, but the key to bringing all of the right things and none of the wrong ones is planning ahead. Hiking, boating, swimming—whatever activity is on the docket, I try to build my outfits around that. I love these wide-leg pants so much that I’ll even throw them on with a simple black swimsuit. The long drawstring really ties back to the lake-life vibes.”
