My Packing Style: Dorsey Founder Meg Strachan
When it comes to mastering the art of the travel wardrobe, it’s no surprise that our favorite fashion insiders also moonlight as packing pros. In My Packing Style, we tap some of the most well-traveled people we know for a peek inside their travel bags and vacation wardrobes to see how they take their style on the road. You’ve bookmarked the trip, you’ve screenshotted the outfits; now, a look at how it all comes together.
“The first gift I gave my now-husband when we started dating was a carry-on in heavy linen with leather straps. He still carries it today,” says Dorsey founder Meg Strachan. “I’ve always really loved luggage; I love the airport photos of people like Harrison Ford walking onto planes in the ’90s.”
A love for suitcases and glamorous travel style is not a requirement for the frequent flyer—though it certainly makes everything a whole lot easier. A staple duffel here, an outfit formula there… packing becomes less a chore, more a fun ritual. So when it recently came time for Strachan to pack up once more (this time for a trip to Corsica, to shoot Dorsey’s High Summer campaign), she fell easily back into routine.
Her formula is simple: A mostly neutral palette, broken up by the odd sparkly necklace (perks of owning a jewelry brand), and plenty of woven accessories. She has a few new pieces she sprinkles in, but mostly, her favorites are tried-and-true options she’s relied on for many trips and already knows work with a capsule closet. “Over the years I’ve realized that my style doesn’t change much from season to season or year to year, so it’s made it easier for me to shop and keep things forever,” she explains. Plus, there’s a simplicity to packing for the beach. “Grab a few suits and some sandals and you can really make anything work!”
We caught up with the founder and creative director right before she headed to the airport. Read on to shop her favorite suitcase (of the moment, at least) and see how she perfects seaside style.
For business trips, I pack a few hours before leaving because I tend to take late night flights so that I can put my little girl to sleep and then jump on the last plane out. (The airports are always empty at night and security is short and easy!) But when I pack for longer trip or vacations, I put a suitcase out the week I’m leaving and throw things in as I see them in my closet throughout the week. I’m always pulling things out last minute and changing my mind until I’m rushing out the door.
I don’t usually pack outfits for vacation because I love to get dressed based on how I feel when I wake up in the morning. I love neutrals with colored jewelry… a bone-colored one-piece, a black sarong, a chocolate silk dress. Jewelry is what dresses summer up. There’s really nothing more chic to me than a string of diamonds, a black swimsuit, and a low-rise, throw-on pant for the beach—easy pieces that all work together.
I have variations of the same thing in my closet but in slightly different cuts; since everything goes together, I think less about how I’m going to wear something and more about the components. I’ll be sure to always pack a one-piece, a cover up, and something to wear to dinner that’s slinky (like this Leset skirt—it’s the perfect midi length to wear with a black bikini top).
I love Eres, Tropic of C, and Same for swimwear. I love high-cut one pieces and bikini bottoms—very ’90s. When I get out of the ocean, I keep my bikini bottoms on but swap my top for a t-shirt. I think it’s really chic to have dripping wet hair, five necklaces, and a thin tee on at the beach as the sun goes down. All Three has the best tees; I think I own most cuts now. They are tissue-thin, perfect for the heat, but cut in a feminine way that doesn’t feel oversized.
Otherwise, Sophie Dirgard makes the most beautiful raffia bags. There’s no logo on them and they are really relaxed and easy. Janessa Leone made a knit dress this summer that I bought in two colors (white and black) as a cover up—I saw it on a Pinterest ad five times and then bought it. Aquazzura and Christen have beautiful summer sandals. Over the years, by accident, I’ve started to collect them; in the winter, I have new soles put on them.