What To Pack For A Trip To Nashville: A Complete Style Guide For Music City
The Prelude
Well, well, well.. look who’s planning to visit music city (you!). I’m not sure what you’ve heard about Tennessee so far, but as a native, I’m here to tell you that the food is top tier. And although I have a long list of restaurants to recommend, I would much rather spend this time recommending clothing that you should pack for your trip instead (you did come here for fashion tips after all!). With that being said, let’s get into the different types of clothing that you’ll need in your travel bag. For your convenience, each recommendation has been sorted by season and to be honest with you our seasons are pretty consistent so feel free to bookmark this blog post and refer back to it as needed throughout the year.
What To Pack For A Trip To Nashville: A Complete Style Guide For Music City
Spring
Spring is my absolute favorite season and Nashville is like a breath of fresh air during this time. The warmest weather typically doesn’t trickle in until mid to late April and early May. So if you’re planning on traveling here for spring break then I would recommend packing lightweight sweaters, lightweight jackets (denim jackets are a popular style here!), cropped jeans (this will give you coverage if the weather changes up on you and it will also give you some breathability in case it’s a bit warmer during a certain part of the day), lightweight/flowy dresses, and a few pairs of comfortable and cute sneakers/flats because the outdoor events will be rolling out everywhere!
My Top Clothing Recommendations For Spring - Under $100!
Bright and Bubbly Cardigan: Perfect for those beautiful and cool spring days!
Joe’s Jeans Mutton Sleeve Denim Jacket: You’ll need this for the bipolar Tennessee weather. Thank me later!
Hudson Natalie Mid Rise Cropped Jeans: In my opinion these style of jeans should be a staple for the spring! They provide such great coverage and breathability for the everchanging season.
Plunge Neck Midi Dress: Not only is this dress jaw dropping, but it’s perfect for a daytime brunch or a romantic date in the evening as well.
White Dr Scholls Sneakers: You can never go wrong with a white versatile sneaker!
Summer
During most of our summers we can cook an egg on the sidewalk so keep that in mind as you’re packing your vacation outfits. Typically the record breaking temperatures take place between late June until August. If you’re looking to travel to Nashville during this time, I highly recommend adding these items to your suitcase: shorts, short sleeve or sleeveless cotton/linen tops, lightweight dresses, jumpsuits or rompers, and sandals (they can be heeled or flat). Bringing a swimsuit can also be helpful if you plan to stay at the Gaylord Opryland hotel, take a dip in the lake, or visit the notorious “wave country” for a quick swim.
My Top Clothing Recommendations For Summer - Under $100!
Lands End Men’s Traditional Fit Chino Shorts: I love a good chino short. This one doesn’t require any ironing iron either!
Nautica Men’s Classic Fit Solid Linen Shirt: This shirt comes in beautiful pastel colors making it the perfect summer staple.
Royal Blue Halter Top: Keep it cute (and cool!) with this eye catching halter top. It pairs perfectly with shorts and/or jeans!
Fuchsia Pink Midi Dress: Super trendy and perfect for date night (just make sure you aren’t doing too much walking downtown in this beautiful dress!).
Harbor Blue Wide Leg Jumpsuit: This is a piece that you want to wear when experiencing downtown Nashville (make sure to wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking!).
Fall
Fall is definitely number two on my favorite seasons list! Much like the spring, I really enjoy the balance between the warm and cool weather. Typically fall starts making it’s entrance in Tennessee during mid to late October and early November. During this time I recommend packing: booties or thigh high boots (booties are a fall staple and thigh high boots look amazing with short skirts and sweater dresses), lightweight sweaters (they can be long or short sleeve), short sleeve tops (these can help keep you balanced during the day when it’s a bit warmer and you can also layer them with a jacket in the evening as it gets cooler), an above the knee/knee length dress with leggings or a long midi/maxi dress (these dress styles will help keep you warm in the crisp fall weather), and one or two lightweight jackets coupled with pants or jeans. Keep in mind that we have a lot of fun outdoor events going on in the fall too, so make sure to pack a pair of comfortable shoes if you plan to get involved in the more active ones.
My Top Clothing Recommendations For Fall - Under $100!
Levon Leather Knee High Boot: This boot is so cute and it definitely gives off fall and iced latte vibes! At the time of this post it’s on sale so make sure to take advantage!
High Slit Midi Dress: Perfect for work, perfect for your trip, and perfect for the fall!
Men’s Topman Denim Trucker Jacket: Looking for a staple piece for your fall wardrobe? Then look no further than this classic black denim jacket.
Men’s Xray Quarter Zip Knit Sweater: Look polished, casual, and comfortable at the same time with this stylish quarter zip sweater.
Reverse Stitch Jacket: If you want a break from the muted and traditional fall color palette, then try switching things up with this dusty mint stitch jacket.
Winter
Our winters here are typically mild but as of lately they have been pretty cold and icy (disclaimer: northerners have nothing to worry about I’m sure this is child’s play to you all). For winter pieces I would recommend bringing a coat (make sure it’s stylish and functional), a pair of boots (they could be any kind that you want but make sure they are sturdy enough for ice especially if you’re coming between the end of December and February), lightweight and chunky sweaters (lightweight is a good choice for the earlier part of winter because the weather tends to fluctuate and chunky sweaters are good for the latter part of winter because it’s freezing!), jeans, and layering pieces (layering pieces are a really great option due to the unpredictable winter weather. You can always layer more when it gets colder and you can always take off a few layers on warmer winter days).
In short, the winters here are all about layering and how much you need to layer will depend on how hot or cold you get and which part of winter you’ll be here for. The earlier part of winter (late December) tends to fluctuate so lightweight sweaters, jeans, a mid size coat, and layering pieces will take reign here and the latter part of winter (mainly January through February) will be the coldest so it’s best to wear mid size to heavyweight coats, chunky sweaters, and scarves. Boots are good throughout the entire season but make sure they are as functional as they are cute - I don’t want you slipping on the ice!
My Top Clothing Recommendations For Winter
Good American Rib Crewneck Sweater: Winter is all about balancing keeping warm and looking cute. This Good American sweater checks both boxes!
Premium High Waist Cotton Leggings (Plus Size): Create warm layers with these premium cotton leggings by wearing them under your favorite dress or skirt.
Vance Co. Men’s Landon Dress Boot: Talk about stylish and functional! You can wear these boots with jeans for a casual winter look or with dress pants to create a dapper style that’s perfect for the winter season.
Men’s Colorblock Stripe Wool Blend Scarf: Here are a few words to sum this scarf up: classic, versatile, and fashion forward! This scarf is made up of 50% wool guaranteeing protection from the cool, brisk air and requires minimal cleaning.
DV Dolce Vita Women’s Villa Chelsea Lug Booties: It’s essential that you have a classic white boot for winter and this pair doesn’t disappoint! Plus they come with a cushioned insole and memory foam for added support.
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