Travel Style: What I Packed and Wore in Japan

  If you follow me on Instagram, you have already seen a peek at my recent Japan and Bali trip. This trip was a pandemic reschedule centered around the destination wedding of two of my longtime dear friends. I was over the moon to be invited to their rescheduled wedding, be able to attend, and plan out a two week Asia trip around it. Our itinerary included time in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Bali. You can read my Tokyo travel log here, my Kyoto travel log here, and please stay tuned for a Bali travel log coming soon. 

You have seen these outfits in my blog and social media posts, and today I want to share details on what I packed and wore during our late November Japan trip. The weather was honestly perfect for late fall and early winter, with sunshine and temperatures in the mid 50's F during the day (12ish deg C) and low 40's F at night (5ish deg C). It was perfect layering weather! We split our week between Tokyo and Kyoto, using the bullet train to move between the two cities, so we wanted to keep our luggage fairly light for the journey. I packed a mini capsule of pieces in neutral black, tan, and white hues in my usual luggage combo of my Tumi 19" Aluminum International Carry-On Case and my Tumi Voyageur Contine Weekender Laptop Bag. Please continue on to see photos of my outfits along with links to either exact pieces or similar current alternatives.

Blazer c/o Sézane: exact here

Top: exact here

Skirt: similar here

Tights: similar here

Booties: exact here

Bag: exact here (via The RealReal) or similar here

Sunglasses: exact here

A tan blazer is a wardrobe workhorse, you all already know that, and this Sézane Christie blazer has already racked up the miles in my closet. The high quality wool material and on-trend relaxed fit make it so easy to style! It comes in a whole bunch of colors so definitely check it out if you are in the market for a new blazer. Here I styled this blazer with a cropped sleeveless sweater, flared knit skirt, opaque tights, Louboutin booties with a thicker heel that make them quite comfortable, my Chanel caviar mini flap, and favorite jewelry pieces for our Saturday morning visit to Shibuya Sky followed by omakase and shopping.

Coat: current version here

Top: exact here

Faux Leather Pants: similar here or here

Sneakers: exact here or here

Bag: exact here (via The RealReal) or similar here

Necklace: exact here

Sunglasses: exact here

Faux leather leggings are a favorite of mine during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, so of course I packed mine for our time in Japan. Mine are a few years old, but I linked a couple of similar pairs above (this one is currently on sale and priced under $40!). Similar story for this camel wool coat--I purchased mine on sale at the end of the 2022 spring season, and I highly recommend doing the same for timeless pieces like a neutral toned wool coat in a classic cut that you can wear forever. I linked a current style from the same designer above. This classic coat and faux leather pants plus the same sweater tank as the first look and black and white sneakers were perfect for a full day of walking around Tokyo.

Coat: current version here

Sweater: exact here (available in a bunch of colors!)

Skirt: similar here

Tights: similar here

Sneakers: exact here or here

Bag: exact here (via The RealReal) or similar here

Leather gloves: similar here

You will notice that I mixed and matched pieces from the first two outfits for a day exploring Kyoto's beautiful temples and fall leaves. You can read more about that day in my Kyoto travel log here. I wore the same black knit skirt (it's hard to see under my coat, I know) with a relaxed fit sweater, a thicker pair of black tights, the same black and white sneakers, and of course the same wool coat. Kyoto was a bit colder than Tokyo, so I was glad I packed warm layers. I forgot to pack my leather gloves on this trip, but I stopped in a store on Kyoto's main shopping street and bought a knit pair to keep my hands warm.

Coat: current version here

Sweater: exact here

Jeans: current version here

Sneakers: exact here or here

Bag: exact here (via The RealReal) or similar here

Leather gloves: similar here

Hat: exact here

As I mentioned above, Kyoto was a bit colder than Tokyo and evenings were especially chilly. Here I swapped the skirt and tights for a pair of black high waist skinny jeans, changed my white sweater for a darker tan Vince wool one, but kept the same camel wool coat and sneakers. A knit hat and gloves kept my head and hands warm for an evening walk through Kyoto's Nishiki Market, ramen, and drinks at one of Asia's 50 Best Bars called The Bee's Knees. You'll see I continued to wear the same Chanel caviar mini flap throughout the trip as it is a versatile bag perfect for travel.

Dress: exact style in pink here

Belt: exact here
Pumps: exact here

This final outfit is what I wore to our dear friends' wedding in Kyoto. I was so happy to see and catch up with friends we haven't seen in several years that I completely forgot to take typical outfit photos! However, I had to share this beautiful velvet dress that is perfect for a winter wedding. While the black is sold out, there is a gorgeous pink still available and linked above. A dress like this is a statement on its own and all I did was style it with my Celine Triomphe belt and Louboutin Pigalle 100 heels.

You can scroll through the widget below to see exact or similar pieces that I packed for our week in Japan:

What are your favorite pieces to pack for a winter vacation? Please don't hesitate to leave me a comment below to let me know. Thank you for visiting my blog today and I hope you have a restful weekend!