When I booked a luxury train ride for a trip through Europe, I knew I had to call personal stylist Kim Appelt, a celebrity stylist and author of the book outlining the basics of fashion called "Style for Everybody."
My trip on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train had a dress code: no sneakers, no T-shirts, and no jeans.
Since I'm typically a casual dresser, I wanted Appelt's packing tips to create elevated looks out of the clothes I already owned.
But to my surprise, there were a couple of small items that Appelt strongly recommended buying for this trip as well as future trips, including plain, black socks.
The recommendation came after Appelt and I had already established a neutral, dark color palette and selected my key clothing items — black and white collared shirts, a black cardigan, two pairs of black pants, a black blazer, black ankle boots, and a scarlet scarf.
"Let's keep everything super clean," she said. "Do you have black socks?"
I pulled out a few pairs of black, navy, and dark gray socks with patterns from stripes to bumblebees.
"Those socks are cool, but so I want you to feel like you're elevated," she said. "Part of the trick is that you know your socks are dressy. It's not just a visual thing. Everything needs to be cohesive and flow."
Appelt said her preferred brand is Aritzia because their socks are comfortable and make her feel elevated, adding that she loves their variety packs that include neutral tones such as beige, white, and brown — three colors she would recommend packing for lighter color palettes.
I took Appelt's advice, and I found that she was right. Although my socks weren't typically visible, just knowing they gave me a streamlined outfit from head to toe made me feel more confident — especially as a business traveler.
There was one more item Appelt suggested I purchase for my travels — a neutral beanie.
Since I was traveling to Europe in November, I knew I'd need a hat.
Again, Appelt asked if I had a plain, black, or gray beanie.
I pulled out my limited selection: a gray hat that says "Locations" and a black one with text reading "Killin' It" on the front.
For the same reason as the socks, Appelt said my hat needed to be plain to match my dressed-up look, and she sent me this product link to purchase, which no longer carries the hat in black, but has other neutral options like beige, navy, and gray.
Once on the trip, I was thankful I had a hat that looked cute and mature. Like the socks, the beanie made me feel more confident in the elevated environment of a luxury train. And I know I'll be packing them for future trips.
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