Some pieces earn their place in every suitcase, no matter the destination. Loro Piana's red felt Happy Day tote holds the in-flight essentials, Adidas Originals' blush suede BW Army sneakers handle long walks, Toteme's off-white tasseled cashmere scarf doubles as a blanket and Magda Butrym's brown round sunglasses cover the jet lag. The four outfits below build on those.

For a city trip, wear your bulkiest layer on the plane and pack the rest. Burberry's taupe belted Ellingham gabardine trench goes over Jil Sander's brown striped long-sleeve cotton tee and Dries Van Noten's dark brown pinstriped crepe wide-leg trousers. Lemaire's black leather loafers are smart enough for a restaurant and comfortable enough for a full day of museums.

A long flight calls for layers you can peel off one at a time as the cabin temperature swings. Gabriela Hearst's sky-blue ribbed Aiste cardigan goes over Khaite's chartreuse ribbed Karla tank, with Extreme Cashmere's dark grey Rush sweatpants for the full cosy effect. The Row's black suede Stellene flats slip on and off at security, which matters more than it should.

Road trips reward clothes that can handle a gas station and a good lunch in the same afternoon. Nour Hammour's mustard leather Dalma jacket is the statement, Guest in Residence's yellow striped cashmere Showtime shirt sits underneath, and Mother's dark straight Reifler jeans hold up to hours in a car seat. Aeyde's grey suede Agata ankle boots are low enough to drive in.

For the trip where you land and head straight out, pack one dress that works with a jacket. The Park's navy Angelica jersey maxi dress barely creases, and Saint Laurent's brown double-breasted wool blazer turns it into dinner clothes. Gianvito Rossi's army-green suede ballet flats and Savette's tan canvas Symmetry mini bag keep the whole outfit light enough to carry on.

The best travel outfits are the ones you would happily wear at home, which is why nothing here is labelled as travel wear. If you take one thing away, let it be that a good travel outfit is really about layers, with something warm to take off, something neat underneath and shoes you can walk in for hours. We would skip anything that needs ironing on arrival, along with brand-new shoes, which have a habit of revealing their flaws at the far end of a terminal. A trench, a cardigan, a leather jacket and a blazer cover four very different trips, and each one works over the other outfits too. Pack for the itinerary rather than the destination and the suitcase gets noticeably lighter.