How did my travel capsule wardrobe work out? You may be wondering if you watched my video on the 12 capsule pieces I packed for my recent trip home to Thunder Bay.
Travel capsule wardrobe
In case you missed it, here’s the Youtube video:
I was gone for 15 days and only took a carryon suitcase. I didn’t want to pay the extra fee to check a bag. It was my small way of protesting all the extra charges by the airlines. Plus, I didn’t have to wait around the luggage carousel, or risk it not showing up.
I packed 12 mix and match pieces, 1 pair of pj’s, 1 swimsuit, 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of sneakers, and of course underwear. Of the 12 pieces, 7 were COKANNA bamboo and the other 5 were things I already had hanging in my closet.
12 pieces
Here’s a list of the 12 pieces in case you’re interested:
- Lindsay bamboo cardi-robe in black
- Maxine reversible bamboo tank in white
- Maxine reversible bamboo tank in black
- Jenn bamboo pants in charcoal. The new Joy pocket pant is similar in style.
- Carolyn reversible bamboo dress in black
- Pamela bamboo hoodie in raspberry
- 3/4 sleeve reversible bamboo top in white. I hope to introduce this style in future.
- Capri-style jeans
- Jean shorts
- Casual cotton pants in beige
- Wide leg pants in black
- Light weight rain jacket in white
My favourite piece
My favourite piece of the trip was the Lindsay cardi-robe just because it was so versatile. It was part of my airplane outfit. I was glad I had it in the cool airports and on the airplane. I wore it as a robe over my PJ’s and after showers, as a swimsuit coverup when we went stand up paddle boarding, and as a sweater when we went shopping. It also served as an elegant coat over my Carolyn dress.

Airplane travel outfit
Even though, we were in a heat wave most of the time, it was still cool indoors in air conditioning. And, it was always cooler on the north side of the city in Port Arthur. Believe it or not, it was darn right chilly on the waterfront. Lake Superior is a cold body of water and there’s typically a wind off the lake.
My experience
I thought I might get tired of wearing the same clothes for 15 days straight. Instead it simplified getting dressed every morning. It was okay to wear the same pieces because I mixed them up. I also thought I might end up buying a few things to supplement my travel wardrobe. But, I’m happy to report, I only purchased a necklace.
Oops, I almost forgot, I did buy a pair of flop flops for when we headed to Hazelwood Lake to do stand up paddle boarding. I didn’t want to get my nice suede sandals wet.
So all in all, my 12 piece travel capsule wardrobe was a success.
To be totally transparent, on the way home, I coughed up the extra $30 and checked my carryon because:
- I’m only 5’0″ tall so getting my carryon in and out of the overhead bin is a challenge.
- If the flight is packed (which they are right now with the airlines trying to operate as efficiently as possible), the overhead bins are often full so you may end up sky checking it anyway.
- I was bringing home amethyst rocks we dug up at the Diamond Willow Amethyst Mine so my suitcase was a tad heavier on the way back.
- I forgot you have to pull out your liquid travel toiletries when you go through security which resulted in my suitcase being pulled aside and searched. Not a big deal but a bit of a nuisance.
Your next trip
Have you travelled yet? Are you planning your next trip? If you need a few items to supplement your own travel capsule wardrobe, you can find all the COKANNA pieces here.
Until next time,
~ Colleen

I’m a recovering Chartered Accountant and Breast Cancer Champion turned Fashion Designer. My COKANNA Canadian-made bamboo clothing is all about comfort and style. Giving back to the community is important to me so I support Rethink Breast Cancer‘s metastatic breast cancer education, support, and advocacy work.