Five Holiday Travel Essentials

While the words "holiday travel" can bring to mind insane airports, delayed flights, and stuffy planes, we've found one trick that can significantly reduce any travel-related stress. It's something your dad has likely told you time and time again, and like the stubborn daughter you are, you've continued to resist. But we're telling you now.  PACK A CARRY-ON. And only a carry-on. Seriously. Trust us when we say we understand that stashing all your looks into one tiny suitcase can be hard--we're major offenders of overpacking for trips past. But we've come to learn that when you finally deplane and escape the kid in the row behind (you know, the one with the penchant for kicking seats), the last thing you'll want to do is wait on a lost bag. So whether you're heading home for the holidays or wanderlust-ing hard à la Cleobella's boss lady Angela O'Brien (BTW her recent travels are insane--read about those here), we've got five must-have essentials that will fit in your carry-on AND keep you fitted for the festivities.

Black Leather Ankle Booties

Resist the urge to pack your pointiest, highest heels. We're no strangers to the idea of sacrificing comfort for fashion for certain situations, but holiday travel is not one of them. You CAN make a trip on just one pair of shoes so long as they're versatile (and comfortable), like these Matisse Victory Boots. Clean lines, a low heel, and basic black leather mean these pair well with a party dress, but are equally as easy to dress down with jeans and a tee. Which brings us to our next point...

Double-Duty Denim

When packing our bags, we always default on black denim in a slightly baggier silhouette, like these One Teaspoon Awesome Baggies. Go ahead and take down as many of mom's Christmas cookies as your little heart desires (YOLO)--it's impossible to feel restricted in these relaxed fit jeans. While we love dressing up black denim with statement jewelry and a bold lip for an easy going out look, the distressed detailing on these means they work for daytime too.

Vintage-y Tee

If this holiday travel checklist had a theme, comfort would definitely it. A super soft, just-oversized-enough rocker tee like this one by MATE The Label is perfect for wearing on the plane, out doing last-minute shopping with mom, and while lounging around the house with the fam. Think of this vintage-inspired tee as a heightened version of the oversized shirts you're apt to wear to bed--only if you end up wearing this one on a coffee run, you won't feel totally awkward when you bump into your old high school fling.

Lacey LBD

There's a philosophical belief that no matter where one goes, one should always pack a party dress. And although holiday travel finds most of us heading home, you never know when you'll need an outfit that ups the ante (maybe when that ex-fling you ran into at Starbucks asks you to grab drinks later?). A lacey LBD like this Free People Party Mini feels luxe with Victorian-inspired black lace, but looks totally low key paired with ankle booties.

Killer Statement Jacket

Depending on where you're headed, some form of outerwear is likely necessary. There's a time and a place for puffer jackets for sure, but we prefer something that makes a bit of a statement whenever possible. When it comes to on-trend outerwear, the Cleobella Jimmy Jacket kills it. With geometric Bali lace, a high low hemline and fringe trimmed sleeves, this jacket feels so "model-off-duty" and we love it. Wear it with distressed denim during the day to dress it down, or layer it over your black lace LBD for an insane party look.