Last weekend, Joe and I took the kids out to San Francisco to visit my sister and her partner. They’ve lived out there for more than five years and we had yet to make the trip! It was really special and we had a chance to do some proper sightseeing together.

Packing for a long weekend trip like this—to a city with three different climates on a given day—can be challenging. When I asked my sister what should go on my San Francisco packing list, she said layers—which means different things to all of us. 

Sometimes I like to pack outfits for specific occasions. In a case like this, when the schedule is as fluid as the weather, I find it best to pack within a unified color palette. That way, I can mix and match pieces according to my mood while I’m there. My colors of choice were neutrals like black, white, and navy, plus a few pops of tomato red.

Here’s my San Francisco packing list that helped me get the most out of our “Fogust” trip.

My San Francisco Packing List

Base Clothing and Accessories

• Blue denim shorts – Zara
• Black denim shorts – Zara
• Ribbed high-neck tanks in white and red – Target
• Black trousers – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Denim jeans – Mille (gifted)
• Black leggings – Aritzia 
• Long-sleeve pajama pant set – J.Crew
• Simple black tote – Sézane (gifted)
• Flip flops I used as “house shoes” – Havaianas
• Ivory sneakers – Dolce Vita

Clothing Layers

• Black sweater – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Red cardigan – Sézane (gifted)
• Navy cardigan – Sézane (gifted)
• Half-zip pullover – Adidas (thrifted)

Pieces to Mix It Up

• Short black long-sleeve dress – Sézane (gifted)
• Long white sundress – Gap x DÔEN
• Gingham blouse – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Strappy snakeskin flats – Dolce Vita
• Flat strappy sandals – Zara
• Brown suede sneakers – Adidas
• Statement earrings – Electric Picks
• Black shoulder bag – Mango
• Baseball hats in black and navy – Zara (similar here from Zara)
• A scarf to use as a headband, belt, or purse accessory – Vintage
• Sunglasses – Thrifted

A Simple Travel Makeup Bag

• Tower 28 Mascara
• Erborian CC Cream
• Jones Road Miracle Balm (gifted)
• MERIT Lipstick in Court

A Simple Travel Skin Care Routine

• One Skin SPF
• Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic Dewy Deep Cream
• Rosacea Rx

5 Favorite Outfits I Wore in San Francisco

Outfit 1: Effortless Athleisure

• Half-zip pullover – Adidas (thrifted)
• Black leggings – Aritzia
• Black baseball hat – Zara (similar here)
• Flip flops – Havaianas

Outfit 2: Bay Area Chic

• Black sweater – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Black trousers – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Brown suede sneakers – Adidas
• Black shoulder bag – Mango
• Vintage scarf
• Thrifted sunglasses

Outfit 3: Pop of Gingham

• Gingham blouse – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Blue denim shorts – Zara
• Navy baseball hat – Zara (similar here)
• Simple black tote – Sézane (gifted)
• Ivory sneakers – Dolce Vita

Outfit 4: Burst of Red

• Red cardigan – Sézane (gifted)
• Ribbed high-neck tank – Target
• Black trousers – Maria Stanley (gifted)
• Flat strappy sandals – Zara
• Black shoulder bag – Mango
• Vintage scarf
• Thrifted sunglasses

Outfit 5: Elevated Basics

• Navy cardigan – Sézane (gifted)
• Ribbed high-neck tank – Target
• Denim jeans – Mille (gifted)
• Simple black tote – Sézane (gifted)
• Ivory sneakers – Dolce Vita
• Thrifted sunglasses

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Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.