Packing with Larissa Mills

I first came across Larissa on TikTok, of all places. She and her daughter, Ella, who is close to me in age, were making the cutest outfit videos, detailing all of their favorites and styling each other in their respective wardrobes. I was immediately hooked—not only because of their style, but also because of their utterly charming mother-daughter dynamic, which also reminded me of my relationship with my own mom. I’ve been following her ever since (now she has a Substack!), and I love the way she dresses—effortless layering, lots of texture, and perfectly considered splashes of color—so naturally I was dying to know how she manages to maintain her signature style when she’s on the road!

What’s your go-to luggage and why? 

I have to check. I like the freedom of dropping off a bag and only dealing with my purse, a laptop and some snacks. As much as I don’t love the look of roller bags, they’re kind of a necessity. I’ve tried out so many and in the end, I need light so the heavy metal ones are out for me. This is my current luggage and it’s polished enough but also just works.

How do you approach the basics? 

I tend to pack in colorways. I usually pick three colors, much like you would do when decorating a home, and refer back to those as a reference point. That way, no matter what the weather, or the layering, everything goes with everything else. When I was in Scotland recently, the weather was rainy and cold. Then when I got to London, it was sunny and mild. The sweater that was on with pants and a scarf in Scotland became the sweater to wrap around my waist when night fell in London. The dress that was paired with a leather jacket and socks was easily worn in warmer weather with flip-flops and a gold-beaded bag. The chartreuse cashmere sweater was the perfect layering color with denim, white, red and cobalt blue. A beaded bag by The Veil took each casual outfit into a night look with just that one item.

Are you a roller or a folder?

I’m an unorganized person by nature. So I do both, naturally. Lol!

Any other packing tricks or hacks?

This adds more weight, hence why I need a carry on, but I find one of the easiest ways of packing to make it versatile is to bring a lot of shoe options and bags. The same exact outfit can change drastically with a different pair of shoes and bag. Shorts with a blazer, flats and a duffel become shorts with a blazer, heels and a Fendi baguette. Same core outfit, very different vibe when you change the accessories. Flats by Alaia and loafers by Jamie Haller are my absolute go-tos whenever and wherever I travel. I walked all over Rome in new Jamie Haller ballet flats, not a blister in sight!

What’s your shoe strategy? 

I always wear my heaviest shoe on the plane. That’s pretty much my only strategy. So much depends on where I’m headed, obviously, but for Scotland/London, it was a combo of boots to walk around the cobblestone streets and wear thicker socks with, a lot of flats that could be worn with socks in the colder weather and without in the warmer ones. So instead of packing a lot of clothes and fewer shoes, I’d say I do the opposite. More shoes, less clothes.

How do you think about accessories?

When I travel, I usually leave a lot of my jewelry at home. I wear the pieces that I can almost sleep in so I’m not putting them down somewhere and then misplacing them or leaving them behind. What I tend to do instead is have a nice variety of colored socks (Comme Si!) and scarves to add some accessorizing that can also add dimension and be functional at the same time.

Do you have a great travel hat?

I hate having to bring hats, tbh. I only bring them on tropical vacations and even then begrudgingly. They just take up so much room, but I have to do it. I love any sun hats by Janessa Leone.

What’s always in your Dopp kit/toiletry bag/pharmacy kit?

I always have Oak Essentials Dew Body Butter stored in one of my Cadence capsules. I recently found this brand and I don’t know how I traveled before without them. I use the parcels, too, to keep things organized in my carry-on and for all my toiletries. I also always bring pretty much my full line of IS Clinical skincare, Oribe Hair Elixir (it keeps my hair happy even when the water is diff or I’m in sun and sea). I also pack distilled water for my steamer (since regular water will eventually rust in a steamer). I rarely buy anything on the ground unless my luggage is lost (which did happen). . .

On a plane, what essentials does your carry-on bag always contain?

At least four pairs of glasses—I always have my Phoebe Philo sunglasses or classic Ray Bans. But then I also need glasses to read and glasses to see far away, so until I get on board with progressives, this is my life. I love Miu Miu readers, Caddis, Kits Eyecare and Benny’s—my leather agenda book, a plain notebook for writing, a few magazines, pencils I always take from The Crosby Street Hotel because I’m obsessed with them, my laptop and ibuprofen.

Any wisdom on traveling with electronics? 

The Cadence parcels have helped me keep all wires/adapters in one place, which has been amazing. I am fairly low tech, so I never have headphones or gadgets. It’s a phone, a regular laptop, and both chargers. That’s it. 

Do you have a travel uniform? 

I tend to layer on as much as possible, so it’s less I have to pack! For Scotland that meant layers of sweaters, denim, heaviest boots/shoes, and a trench coat. But even when I am going to warmer climates or traveling in the summer, I still layer it up. Planes are cold and I always like to have added layers to wear, or wrap around my neck, or make into a pillow for impromptu naps along the way. I found the most perfect vintage Miu Miu trench in Copenhagen a few years ago so it’s hard to change that out. However, I also have a great trench from Sezanne with a plaid lining that I have gotten so much use out of. It has made the outfit many times.