Packing for Puglia with Marlien Rentmeester

Neither Marlien nor I check bags, but if I grabbed the wrong suitcase off the baggage carousel and found out it was hers, I’d be pretty thrilled. She’s a born-and-bred New Yorker who moved to California to become the West Coast editor for Lucky magazine and her style reflects her bicoastal status—polished, laid-back, and effortlessly cool. These days, Marlien shares behind-the-scenes glimpses of her wardrobe and shopping first dibs on her blog and Substack, Le Catch, and collaborates with her twin sister, Coliena, to curate brands and steep them in their distinct, ever-evolving filter. —C.S.

What’s your go-to luggage for this kind of trip, and why? 

I’m a stalwart carry-on only traveler with a decade-long allegiance to a black banged-up Rimowa Cabin. It has racked up about a million miles with me and endured just a few setbacks along the way, such as when the zipper split open in Split, Croatia (no joke), due to my over-packing it (Rimowa promptly repaired) and the bellman at The 22 in London ripped off the handle while tugging it out from the trunk of an Uber, but replaced it within hours. I won’t give up on it because it really does manage to accommodate my perpetual over-packing! For Puglia, it whole-heartedly lived up to its hard-won reputation—but I enlisted a helping hand from an extra-big “personal item,” AKA my Rothy’s weekender tote that doubled as my handbag and heaved a stash of too-many bikinis and cover-ups. 

How do you approach the basics? 

My basics-to-fun ratio is like 1 to 5. In other words, there’s a lot more sparkles, lace, embellishment, and other festive statements hogging up my suitcase than pared-down essentials. Puglia specifically called for lightweight dresses—lots and lots of them. On top of those, I packed two utilitarian button-downs. The jeans I took were the jeans I wore on the plane, along with a light linen blazer. I always pack my underpinnings in a mini sack, so that they’re contained in one spot and I don’t have to fish around them in case I’m tripping out of my suitcase, which I did in Puglia—hotel-hopping (Palazzo Daniele, Castle Elvira, Paragon 700, San Michele Suites) over the course of six days! 

And how do you think about how they’ll work together? 

My goal is simply to take as much with me as I can! Then, secondly, I try to wear everything I packed. Which I successfully pulled off in Puglia: 13 dresses, six bikinis, 2 skirts, 2 pairs of linen shorts, one sarong, exercise clothes, and pajamas. I’m not against repeat outfits, but I love the feeling of wearing a new and different outfit everyday. I try on everything I want to bring before I pack it, then edit the selection down to pieces that straddle the day to night divide. That’s key!

How do you think about accessories? 

I always take one or two extra bags (can you tell I have a bag obsession?), like an evening clutch from Prada or Chanel and another daytime carryall and I pack these like Russian Dolls, one inside the other! I also bring a bunch of necklace charms by Adina Reyter and Maison Mayle, so I can tweak my necklace stack according to occasion or outfit.

Are you a roller or a folder? 

I fold, press down (arguably ineffective?), and then roll random small items like sports bras, pajamas and leggings and cram them into any open nooks and crannies. 

Any other packing tricks or hacks? 

My MVP is the secondary carry-on that doubles as my handbag. I always make sure it’s roomy enough to accommodate suitcase overflow and things bought along the way, along with my real handbag, computer, vitamins, book, and water bottle. Truth is, this second carry-on is what allows me to not check-in a bag—and store more in the overhead bin than a standard carry-on normally permits! I love my Gucci duffle (I actually have two!). My Rothy’s weekender usually comes to Europe with me because it’s soft and malleable (read: expandable and collapsible) and boasts side compartments.

What’s your shoe strategy?

Usually, I wear my exercise sneakers on the plane to afford room for more cute footwear options. During the summer, I like to pack lots of flat sandal options, ranging from casual to statement-y, since they don’t take up too much valuable real estate. Winter is more challenging with boots, loafers, and ballet flats all fighting for the spotlight and little room in my carry-on. Then it’s usually an either/or situation, not all. 

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

I never leave home without my vitamins: B12 and D3 + K2, Adrenal Nourish, Omegas, probiotics, and Sarah Wragge Wellness Restore, a magnesium-rich powder drink that I guzzle before bed, and Alkalize, a green powder drink that I have first thing in the morning—both help reset my system. Because traveling always dries out my skin, I bring at least two different and efficacious facial moisturizers with me. I love YSE Beauty Xtremely Rich and INNBEAUTY Extreme Cream. I layer them on top of each other because, for me, more is more on the road. And YSE Beauty’s Overachievers to help mitigate the red-eye aftermath.  

Do you have a travel uniform? 

I typically wear a Blaze Milano blazer, a button-down shirt, loose-fitting jeans and Adidas Sambas or Hokas, plus a striped sweater thrown over my shoulders, so I have an extra layer if I get cold on the plane. I am thoughtful about my travel outfit and the individual pieces of clothing that compose it, because I want each of them to be re-wearable during my trip. I also like to look “dressed,” poised to fit in wherever I am going. In other words: no leggings or sweatpants for me!