NYC is one of my favorite cities in the world. In fact, my long term plan is to have a little apartment there after I retire so I can visit as often as I like (a girl can dream!) I’ve had a few requests come in to share a packing list for NYC, and here it is! I think this list would also work for any ‘walking’ city where you’ll be doing a lot of city exploring by foot.
Let’s talk a bit about how I put this packing list together and scroll down for eight NYC outfit ideas!
Packing for travel in a transitional season like fall and spring can be difficult as the weather can turn on a dime. I’ve put together these pieces based on mild temperatures – ones you’ll likely find in April and May in a city like NYC where you get all four seasons. If you’re traveling in early spring, I’d swap out the trench coat for a lightweight wool coat so you’ll have a heavier option. Likewise, if you traveling towards the end of spring in mid-June, you may only need one piece of outerwear. It goes without saying, but always check the weather before you travel especially in the springtime. I’ve also specifically curated this list to include lots of layers from a tank to a t-shirt, sweater, and jacket. You can add a layer or lose a layer based on the weather or your plans for the day. You’ve got options!
For this packing list, I picked out three pieces of outerwear (one utility style jacket, one trench coat, and one blazer), four tops (a denim shirt, sweater, tank top, and tee), three bottoms (two pairs of jeans and one trouser), one dress (optional!), three pairs of shoes, and a few accessories.
In terms of style, NYC is a HUGE city, and you’ll find people wearing all sorts of things from pajamas to designer clothes. When I think of NYC style, I think of casual, cool, and a little funky. I want to go there right now just to watch people! That being said, this packing list is what I would wear if I was going to NYC this spring. I’ve got a mix of trendy pieces with some more classic pieces. This is essentially how I dress daily with greater consideration for comfort and ease of walking.
One item you absolutely cannot skip for NYC (if you’re traveling as a tourist) is a comfortable pair of walking shoes. For me, this is a sneaker. I chose one with a low profile, but if you have issues with your back or feet, you may even want to pack one with more cushion like these. You will likely be walking at least 10k steps a day (we walked 26k in one day on our last trip!).
For this packing list, I also chose colors that you can easily mix and match. This is always an important consideration when I’m packing since I want to be able to pair different items together easily. I recommend sticking to a specific color palette when packing for this purpose!
Denim Shirt // Gray Sweater // Barn Jacket // Black Blazer // Trench Coat // Beige T-Shirt // Black Tank // Barrel Jeans // Baggy Jeans // Cropped Trousers (affordable option) // Ballet Flats // Sneakers // Slingback Heels // Evening Bag // Sling Bag // Sunglasses // Belt // Baseball Cap // Slip Dress (optional!)
Shop The Packing List
NYC Outfit Ideas
This is a catchall outfit for those days you’re visiting multiple sights around the city. Whether you’re doing all the first time touristy stuff or checking out more niche spots, this look will fit the brief. This one’s meant to get you through a day with tons of walking around the city. This outfit has lots of options for adjusting for the weather that day. You can add a tee underneath for an extra layer on a cool day or ditch the jacket if the weather is warm.
If you’re planning on visiting some museums around the city, I’d opt for a slightly more elevated look. This one is a bit more monochrome except for the black shoes (see: the wrong shoe theory.) I know wearing open toed shoes in NYC is controversial, but I think mesh flats work! For this tee and trousers look, I added a trench coat and a sweater over the shoulders. You could adjust this outfit by ditching the trench and just wearing the sweater over the shoulders, too.
This look is meant to be functional enough for a day of walking around Central Park and sitting on the grass. When we visited a few years ago, we grabbed some cheese and crackers from Zabar’s and spent a sunny afternoon people watching and relaxing in the park. It was one of my favorite parts of our visit. A hat is worn functionally here to protect from the sun, but I think it also goes well with this look.
On my next visit to NYC (we promised the kids we’d take them around the holidays soon), my plan is to sneak away for an afternoon of vintage shopping. Here’s what I would wear if we were headed there in the spring. This look has all.the.cool.things. A denim shirt (try wearing it unbuttoned with the tee showing), barrel jeans, mesh flats, and aviator sunglasses. I’d definitely feel like I belonged among the highly fashionable people of NYC if I was wearing this.
If you’re heading out for a nice dinner (and you should!), a smart casual look works well. This one includes a simple black tank, oversized blazer, baggy jeans, and a pair of silver kitten heels. I think these shoes really make a statement, but you could swap them for any fun kitten heel you have; the rest of the look is super versatile.
If you do go to NYC, you absolutely must grab a bagel. I created this look for that occasion specifically, but it would transition well into any sightseeing you have planned afterwards. This look includes a basic tee, barrel jeans, low profile sneakers, and a trench coat.
You can pretty much wear anything you want to a show in NYC, but if I were going, I’d take the opportunity to dress up a little. How often do we get to get a little fancy? Why not? My go-to look (and one I’ve shared many many times here on the blog) is this timeless combination of a slip dress and blazer. I included some reasonable but fun kitten heels and also recommend adding some jewelry to finish the look.
This outfit would work for a day of moderate walking (just make sure your shoes are comfortable or switch to sneakers if necessary). For styling this look, I would wear the sweater if it was chilly but tie it around my waist if it was warm. The sling bag makes it easy to stay hands-free for shopping, eating, or wrangling kiddos.
Read More:
Paris Spring Packing List
Casual Chic Summer Packing List
What I Wore In Hawaii
This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop my links, I make a small commission at no cost to you. This is how I earn an income to support my family. Thank you!
