In last month’s blog post, I shared five lessons I learned about creating a travel capsule wardrobe after my recent trip to England. This month, I’m sharing five categories of fashion-related items that are worth looking for when you travel, inspired by some of the purchases I made on my trip. Rather than bringing home souvenirs that end up tucked away in a drawer, these are practical pieces that you can enjoy during your vacation and continue using long after you return home.

If you pack strategically and keep your travel capsule wardrobe streamlined, you’ll have room in your suitcase for a few meaningful finds along the way. And if you happen to discover more than your suitcase can hold, don’t worry—I have a solution for that, too. Be sure to read to the very end, where I’ll share how shopping in a brand’s home country saved me over $100 on a single purchase. Your wallet will thank you!

Let’s start with the smallest items first. Jewelry is a great item to purchase when you’re traveling because it doesn’t take up much space, and you can already start using it on your trip! Jewelry is perhaps my favorite thing to look for when I’m on vacation. Every time I wear it, I’m always reminded of my trip and all the good memories from it.

Here are the items that I purchased while in England:​

I’m also a huge fan of stretchy bracelets. They’re so much easier to wear than ones with a clasp, and they come in such a variety of colors and styles.

I especially love bracelets made of crystals because each type of crystal has a meaning, which makes it unique and special. They make great gifts too! And they’re generally reasonably priced (between 20 and 30 pounds).

While on vacation, I’m always on the lookout for unique necklaces. I found this cute ladybug necklace (25 pounds) designed by Bill Skinner for English Heritage in the gift shop at Stongehenge.

Eden Crafts is unique in that you can customize any of their leather goods with as many charms as you’d like (and they have quite the selection!).

Both items totaled 55 pounds (charms included).

I also purchased the Classic Travel Wallet at Fabriano Boutique in Marylebone.

While this wallet is certainly helpful while traveling, especially for those who like to print out tickets and boarding passes, it’s just as useful to store all my travel essentials at home. I never need to wonder where my passport, Global entry card, or extra non-US currency is.

Bags, especially totes and pouches, are another great option to shop for while you’re on vacation. I don’t like to carry around a big purse while I’m on vacation. It might seem counter-intuitive, but I prefer to carry a tote bag in addition to a small purse when I’m traveling. I throw my bottled water, larger souvenirs, and cardigan/jacket into my tote.

Totes are great because they fold flat in your luggage, which makes them easy to pack. Or, like me on my England trip, you can use your tote as your personal item if you need to check in your luggage on the way home.

Not only did my new tote get a lot of use during our trip, but it served as my personal item on the flight home; it fit all the bulkier clothing items that I purchased on vacation that didn’t fit in my carry-on on the way home.

Zippered pouches are great because they can help keep you organized on your trip if you purchase a bunch of small items (like postcards and magnets). You can also use them for dirty socks and unmentionables. They make great gifts too!​

Outdoor markets like the one along Portobello Road in Notting Hill are great for souvenir hunting because you can find unique affordable items like these pouches that you’re not going to find in souvenir shops targeted to tourists.

My brother likes to joke that I always buy shoes when we’re on vacation. I can’t say that he’s wrong 😄. It started with a pair of white sandals in Porto two years ago, followed by two more pairs of sandals (one pale pink, the other black) last year in Vienna, followed by two pairs of gold shoes this year in London.

With these two pairs of gold shoes, that brings the number of pairs of gold shoes that I own to six. What can I say, I can’t resist a cute pair of gold shoes, especially when they’re all unique and different! I consider gold shoes a neutral, especially when the gold has a softer sheen, like these canvas espadrille wedges from Viscata, which I’m wearing in the photo with the tote above. And when the gold is brighter and darker like the Sezane sandal, a gold shoe makes a great statement piece.

I wore the Flabelus Mary Janes one of the days we were in London walking through Kensington and Notting Hill, and I have to say that these shoes are extremely cushion-y and easy to walk in with no break-in time required. I also love how lightweight these shoes are.

While these flats are an investment (they are handmade in Spain), if you are looking for a unique pair of Mary Janes made with sustainable materials, I would highly recommend checking out Flabelus. The shoes only come in whole sizes and run small so size up accordingly. I wear a size 8 US and had to size up to the 9 US (40 EUR).

One of the reasons why I love shoe shopping while on vacation, especially when I’m not in the U.S., is that you’re exposed to brands like Flabelus that may not have brick and mortar stores in the United States. Styles can be a little different too, and I know that I’m always looking for unique pieces when I travel. Shoes are also very practical. While it can be touch and go on whether or not a new pair of shoes requires any breaking in time, if you need a pair of shoes for whatever reason while you’re on your trip, it can be a very useful purchase from day one.​

On this trip to England, I was on a quest to replace my favorite coat, a Burberry quilted jacket that I bought in 2015 or 2016 while living in Atlanta that was by far the coat I wore the most. The coat was ruined by the dry cleaners when I moved to Richmond. If it’s possible to mourn an item of clothing, I certainly mourned that coat. While I was compensated for the coat, I really just wanted the jacket back. 

When I heard and read about all the thrift/consignment stores and vintage clothing markets in London, I was on a mission to find a replacement for my beloved coat, especially since England is the birthplace of Burberry.

While the coat isn’t an exact match, I’m thrilled that I found it. While London is full of vintage stores with Burberry trenches, quilted jackets like this one are harder to find, and to find one that was so similar to my original jacket and in the right size was truly a blessing. The coat was very reasonably priced too (195 pounds). Besides sustainability, great prices are another benefit of buying vintage.

While it’s helpful to have a game plan in mind when shopping vintage or consignment stores, keep in mind that you never know what you’re going to find when you peruse vintage and consignment stores, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t find what you’re looking for.

Some of my other clothing purchases were weather driven. While I knew it was going to be warmer than normal in England during our time there, I didn’t expect it to be as hot as it was, and after a day or two of 90-ish degree weather, pants weren’t going to cut it. Linen is a great natural fiber to wear in hot weather for its breathability.​

ME+EM is a British-based brand that has a handful of brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. I purchased the items above in London and paid with my credit card in British pounds. When I reviewed my credit card statement, I was surprised to discover that the total I paid for the two items was over $100 less than if I had ordered the exact same pieces from the U.S. website. After doing a little research, I learned that this isn't uncommon when shopping for brands in their home country and paying in the local currency with your credit card. In addition to benefiting from a favorable exchange rate, many brands set different prices for different markets rather than simply converting currencies. U.S. prices often reflect additional costs such as importing merchandise, duties, shipping, and distribution, which can make the same items more expensive than purchasing them in the brand's home country. If you're traveling internationally and have your eye on a local brand, seize the day—you might come home with an incredible souvenir and a little extra money in your wallet.

One of my favorite parts of traveling is bringing home pieces that remind me of the places I've visited—especially when they're things I'll actually use and enjoy for years to come. Whether it's a thrifted jacket, unique jewelry, or a timeless wardrobe staple from a local brand, the best souvenirs become part of your everyday life while preserving the memories of your travels.

As you plan your next trip, consider leaving a little room in your suitcase—and your budget—for purchases that are both meaningful and practical. You may discover a unique item you can't easily find at home, support a local business, and, as I learned in London, even save money by shopping in a brand's home country. That's a souvenir worth bringing home.

What are some of your favorite souvenirs from your travels? I’d love to hear from you! Send me a message at info@thefashioneaseta.com.