Everything to Pack in Your Going-Out Bag for a Night Out

Oh, the going-out purse. We all know the going-out purse: the tiny bag that becomes a fifth limb on nights out, accompanying you from the bar to the party to the Uber. Seasons change,Β and trendsΒ come and go, but the going-out purse will truly be forever. When packed to perfection with tried-and-true purse essentials, it’s your lifeline with everything you could need throughout the night inside.

Since you’re likely not bringing your tote bag out with you at night, the key to fitting all the essentials inside your purse is to downsize them. Instead of bringing a compact mirror and powder, a powder that has a mirror built in; instead of bringing an entire pack of gum, take out two or three pieces and store them in a zipped area of your bag.

I feel like I’ve mastered packing the going-out purse. Call me the mom friend, call me the overly prepared one, but no matter what,Β if you need it, I’ve got it. And trust me: Someone’s always going to need something. From worst-case lifelines to the bare necessities, this is everything you should pack in your purse for a night out.

Advertisements

CUYANA Zip Cardholder

Compact is key when it comes to packing your going-out purse. A cardholder will hold all of the things your wallet does, but in a compact, space-saving way.

TOUCHLAND Power Mist

Hand sanitizer is an absolute must-have when you leave the house. This one is a spray, which makes it easy to use on a night out. Plus, its spill-proof packaging will ensure you don’t have any incidents.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Lipstick Balm

It’s a lipstick, it’s a lip balm…it’s both? This Charlotte Tilbury lipstick is the only lip-balm advertised as lipstick I’ve tried that actually does both. It’s got the shine and tint of a normal lipstick but the extreme-hydration component of your favorite Chapstick. Avoid packing two lip products by reaching for this instead.

Advertisements

BELVITA Breakfast Biscuit

One thing about me, I’m always bringing a snack in my purse during a GNO. There is alwaysβ€”I repeat, alwaysβ€”someone who needs a snack. Whether it’s a granola bar or these breakfast biscuits, I like to opt for something that has multiple within the package so I can share with friends.

NIPICHSHA Pill Box

If you’re prone to headaches, tummy aches, or have a nightly medication to take, a chic little pillbox is a must in your going-out purse. Perfect to hold TUMs, Advil, or anything else you need to prepare for worst-case scenarios, it’s better to have them on you than to not.

KITSCH Hair Ties

These hair ties are easy to pop into your bag but still cute enough to rock if they accidentally (inevitably) end up on your wrist the rest of the night.

BAND-AID Sheer Band-Aids

When you’re going out for the night, odds are, you or someone else is going to have a blister somewhere on their foot from the new shoes they’re taking out for a spin. You’ll never regret having these handy.

Advertisements

ARMANI BEAUTY Acqua di Gioia Travel Spray

Any rollerball or travel spray perfume will do, but lately I’ve been loving Armani’s Acqua di Gioia perfume. It’s fresh, musky, and different if you’re a floral or vanilla scent-girl. It’s not too overpowering yet will still have you getting compliments non-stop.

ANKER Magsafe Charger

With this nifty MagSafe charger, you can ditch the cord in your bag completely. This charger sticks to the back of your phone with a magnet and gives your phone a charge when it needs it (and can charge it from your bag without any hassle).

FENTY BEAUTY Oil Blotting Powder

Another 2-in-1 item for you, this oil-blotting powder from Fenty Beauty is all the touch-up you’ll need all night. Equipped with a mirror, it’s ideal to reapply lipstick, blot your forehead, and keep you shine-free all night long.

Amazon BIC Classic Lighter, Fashion Assorted Colors

You can get this lighter off of Amazon or at your nearest dollar store. Whether you are the smoker or you have friends who are, this is always great to have. It is small and light, takes up no space!

This Viral Fall Trend Would Make Blair Waldorf Proud

Step aside, coastal grandmotherβ€”Eloise is at The Plaza. The mischievous literary heroine took over a world-famous luxury hotel, and now almost 70 years later, is running the world of fashion TikTok. Plazacore is the new, not-so-new aesthetic inspired by the lavish style of a fictional 6-year-old, and we’re very much here for it.

Advertisements

Pleated skirts, puffy sleeves, and all thingsΒ prep, prep, prepΒ are ruling our fall wardrobes, much like we imagine Eloise’s wardrobe if she wasΒ getting dressedΒ in 2022. Ready to experience the new aesthetic in all its glory? Here’s how.

What Is Plazacore?Β 

The name of the Plazacore game is all-prep everything. Pull off the trend by taking cues from another Fifth Ave icon, Blair Waldorf, who knows how to dress the part of schoolgirl-meets-Plaza Princess.

Advertisements

If you want to keep it simple, start with a classic black-and-white outfit and add extra oomph in the form of pink hair bows, pearl headbands, or a patent leather purse. If you’re ready to dive in head-first, opt for a tweed set and a pair of Mary Janes to experience it in full force. See? So posh. So polished. No Upper East Side address is necessary.

Advertisements

Our Plazacore outfit inspiration

For the ultimate Plazacore look, a preppy dress, velvet headband, and Mary Janes are your best bet. This one-and-done dress offers both flouncy blouse details and tweed texture, making it the perfect on-trend piece for work and play alike. The cherry on top? A pearl-embellished bag.

Advertisements

Miniskirts are still having a moment this fall, which means we’re taking advantage of the Plazacore trend by opting for one in a preppy tweed fabric that we can wear again and again. With a white button-up featuring a frilly collar and a pink cardigan, it’s a transitional fall day’s dream.

Advertisements

Looking to be in on Plazacore in a more subtle way? Opt for a Peter Pan collar blouse, trousers, and a pearl headband. It gives a preppy twist to a classic look that’s perfect for a crisp fall office dayβ€”especially with a pair of slingbacks.

More Plazacore-inspired pieces we love

Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements

7 Fall Outfits Inspired by Our Favorite Rom-Coms

Imagine life as a romantic comedy. Strangers would join you in spontaneous dance sequences set to Hall & Oates. You’d live in an extravagant brownstone apartment, steps away from your closest friends. Hinge dates wouldn’t be awful. You could finally delete all the dating apps because you’d soon reunite with theΒ one who got awayΒ while perusing your local bookstore in the perfect fall outfit. This best friend-turned-soulmate would profess their love at a New Year’s Eve party, and (surprise!) you’d live happily ever after.

If only the trajectory of our lives could be written by Nora Ephron. Instead, we must settle for realityβ€”i.e., fewer grand gestures and even fewer grand apartments (excuse me while I raise my eyebrows at Jenna Rink’s massive closet inΒ 13 Going On 30). But all hope isn’t lost. While our ordinary lives may never compare to a screenplay, there is one thing we can all emulate: our favorite rom-com heroine’s fall outfits. After all, there’s a Meg Ryan in all of us, daydreaming about bouquets of newly sharpened pencils.

Advertisements

You’ve Got Mail

Let us introduce you to Kathleen Kelly, the queen of versatile fall layers. Whether she’s ambling about New York City or emailing NY152 from her perfectly imperfect Upper West Side apartment, she somehow manages to look both timeless and effortless in every single scene.

While choosing the best outfit fromΒ You’ve Got MailΒ is an outright impossible task, there’s one look that’ll always work (in 1998 and 2022): a long-sleeve bodysuit under a jumper dress. Kathleen completes the ensemble with tights, loafers, and, later on, a chunky coat and scarf. These layers upon layers of muted neutrals are a fail-proof way to dress this fall.

Advertisements

Pretty Woman

Her on-screen chemistry with Richard Gere is palpable, and her evolving sense of style is a whole mood. When the weather can’t make up its mind between summer and fall, may we suggest channeling Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman? Because let’s face it: You can never go wrong with a short suit. One of Vivian’s slightly more understated (but trendy as ever) fashion moments deserves a place in your closet.

To 2022-ify it, keep the monochrome look going with a cropped blazer and matching jeans. It’ll become your go-to outfit on a 65-degree dayβ€”you know, the days when you can’t decide what to wear for the life of you. Now, you’ll be prepared.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Fads, by definition, will always come and go. Whenever you’re not sure what to wear, revert to the classics. Pull an Audrey Hepburn and Golightly on the accessories with a statement trench coat and hair scarf. You’ll be ready for anything that comes your way, including an impromptu make out session in the rain.

Advertisements

When Harry Met Sally

It wouldn’t be a fall rom-com roundup without mentioningΒ theΒ fall rom-com. Look at thatβ€”Meg Ryan strikes again. How dare she be this consistently fashionable? While her Central Park outfit (the one with the bowler hat) might be the most iconic, her red cable-knit sweater tucked into a black skirt is a classic worth repeating. Yep, we would wear what she’s wearing.

Advertisements

Crazy Rich Asians

There’s so much to love about this movie: the storytelling, the representation, Henry Golding’s absβ€”and of course, the opulence. Sure, it’s not every day that we can do a Cinderella-esque ball gown. But the red baby doll dress Rachel wears while spending the day with her friend feels a tad more attainable. Slingback pumps and a trench will make this dressier look suitable for any occasion.

Advertisements

Love and Other Drugs

Before Taylor Swift released the 10-minute version ofΒ All Too Well, we were Jake Gyllenhaal fans. And we’ll leave it at that because this is about Anne Hathaway and her impeccable style both on and off-screen. InΒ Love and Other Drugs, we can’t help but fall for her free-spirited nature and effortless outfits, like the overalls and camel coat that appear throughout the film. For those days you plan to stay inside your sprawling, industrial-style loft, we suggest opting for a cozy cable-knit sweater and relaxed-fit jeans.

Advertisements

500 Days of Summer

It’s been 13 years, and we are still not over how anyone could reject the perfection that is Joseph Gordon-Levitt. We get it, it’s a story about love, not a love story. Such a refreshing take. Whatever. But Summer redeems herself with her romantic and retro style. Feeling blue (like Tom)? Go for a vintage blouse and a-line denim skirt.

French Girls Don’t Go to the Beach Without This One Accessory

Dressing for a beach day can be tricky. We have experienced a few battles with insecurities throughout the years but can finally say We feel more confident than ever when we are at the beach. It was an overnight change that we are so grateful for, and we still remember the first day we wore a swimsuit without feeling nervous. And who do we have to thank for this transformation? We attribute a lot of it to quite a few self-love rituals that helped us learn to love our bodies. But something that very much sped up the pace was finding chic cover-ups that made us look feel more styled and made me feel confident. 

French girls are our style icons, so of course, we are always turning to them for inspiration, and you will rarely see them at the beach without a chic and effortless cover-up draped over their bikinis. All you need for your swimsuit collection is one or two good styles and a bin filled with cover-ups that make them each feel brand-new every time you wear them. We love that with many of these style options, for example, a good button-down shirt or a barely-there dress, you can easily wear them with more than just swimwear. Bring the South of France to your backyard with the fun bathing suit cover-ups below.

Advertisements

1. Le Button-Down Shirt

Best bathing suit coverups
PHOTO:Β @LEFEVREDIARY

Our absolute favorite item to pack for any vacation is an oversize button-down shirt. It looks so cool over a swimsuit and can also be worn to dinner, on the flight home, or to explore the destination of choice. No pool day is complete without this in our bag.

2. Barely There Dresses

Best bathing suit coverups for summer
PHOTO:Β @CAMILLECHARRIERE

The sheer trend is all over the runways, and while we are loving it, we tend to shy away from such a risky fashion move with our everyday Miami wardrobe. However, a trip to the pool or beach is the perfect opportunity to have some fun with a see-through item. We are kind of obsessed.

Advertisements

3. Bottoms Up

Best bathing suit coverups for vacation
PHOTO:Β @ANNELAUREMAIS

Sometimes, when the bikini is so good, and the sun is relentless as can be, covering up is not ideal. In this case, it’s fun to try a pair of shorts or pants that still show off that bikini top. This is a great time to wear linens or knits.

4. Pareo Party

Best bathing suit coverups for 2022
PHOTO:Β @EMMANUELLEK_

A good pareo brings the party to whatever beach or poolside you land. We think this is the chicest add-on to any bikini or one-piece look that needs a little something to take it to the next level.

COMMENT BELOW YOU GO TO FRENCH ACCESSORY?