One rule of thumb when living/visiting in a big city, you should prepare for your entire day before you leave your home, hotel, or Airbnb in the morning. No one wants to waste time or money having to transport to and from home more than once in the same day to do inconvenient activities like having to change from work clothes, change into more comfortable shoes, or to charge your technology devices - we're all busy, ain't nobody got time for that! (is that still funny to say?)

You're probably reading and wondering how the heck do you plan and prep for the entire day ahead so you don't have to return home during the day - do not fret - I'm going to share the one tip you need to know!

Buy a fashionable, sizable, yet durable duffle or backpack!

Having a backpack or duffle allows for you to pack all your essentials for the day - it's essentially your suitcase while out and about. My friends call me Dora because I always have a backpack with me - it's literally a magicians hat and holds everything. When I travel, I always have my backpack which holds an extra pair of shoes (comfy tennis shoes in case my feet start to hurt), a spare t-shirt (you never know when you'll spill a drip of Starbucks on your white tee), portable chargers, earphones, gum, mints, Tylenol, tissue packet, a notebook, a pen & pencil, business cards, glasses (and sunglasses), and sometimes a spare coat/jacket.

I ventured to Chicago last weekend and I knew that I would be out and about the entire day. Rather than having to return to my hotel to change outfits, I dressed in versatile base layers so that I'd only have to change my coat (packed in the backpack) to create an entirely different, new look. I wore a black turtleneck, black jeans, black Timberland's, and a black scarf as a base layer. To have a more casual look during the early part of the day as I ventured through the city, I paired my base layers with a white & red fur striped varsity coat. However, in lieu of the after five hours, I wanted to have a more sophisticated look so I simply replaced the varsity coat with a camel topcoat. Instantly, my look changed from daytime-cruising to evening-class...without having to burden my schedule by traveling back to the hotel to change clothes.

Maximize the time in your day by simply packing and dressing smarter.

Photographer: @dakotamacek

#chicago #versatile