With the holidays being the busiest time of year for the travel industry, there's even more incentive to strategize your vacation wear as you jet-set from one destination to the next. As a fashion stylist and reformed over-packer, when it comes to travel, both planning and packing can be two of the most stressful aspects of every trip. Whether preparing for a week-long excursion across the country or galavanting abroad, it’s best to lighten your load by bringing vacation-worthy looks that are not only essential but versatile enough for multiple combinations to wear throughout your trip.
Winter travel brings challenges of its own when visiting colder parts of the world. Unlike summer vacation, cold weather means bulky coats, oversized knits, and chunky boots that take up a lot more space in your suitcase. For my recent trip to London, to alleviate the stress of packing and overweight baggage fees, I prepared in advance with a try-on haul of what I planned to wear each day of my trip. From shoes to accessories and bags, I captured a photo to reference each look while on vacation. Staying comfy, cozy, and chic was my main priority and I wanted to achieve that goal with the least amount of clothes possible.
Making a mental note of necessary items ranging from sneakers, boots, and coats to matching sets, I narrowed my options to one of each style that would complement the few statement pieces I purchased for my trip. In the end, I opted for five neutral-toned staples I could rotate from day to night throughout the week.
Keep scrolling to see the five minimal items that maximized my winter London looks.
1.New Balance Sneakers
Shahirah Ahmed/xoNecole
Sneakers are a must-have when walking the cobblestoned streets of European cities. When planning outfits for this trip, I wanted a pair of sneakers that were just as functional as they were stylish. New Balance sneakers were at the top of my list because of their comfort, sleek and minimal design. When packing, I intended to create multiple casual outfits that were easily paired with one sneaker. In addition to their lightweight feel, the mix of silver, gray, and light neutral tones was the perfect combination for effortless cold-weather outfits.
2.Mini Telfar Shopper
Shahirah Ahmed/xoNecole
It’s hard not wanting a bag from every Telfar release. With each drop, there's a colorway I envision sitting pretty in my closet. My cream mini Telfar shopper was the perfect accessory while out and about, matching every stylish moment. Small yet large enough to carry essentials such as my phone and wallet, I wore it with ease as a crossbody keeping my valuables close at all times. When traveling it's best to be more mindful when walking in large crowds and taking public transportation around the city.
3.A Matching Set
Shahirah Ahmed/xoNecole
Wearing a matching set was top of mind when shopping for my trip. I came across this sheer nylon set with graphics and knew it would be a casual chic choice for my London aesthetic. To extend my range of options throughout the week, I separated each piece of the set into individual outfits. I wore the asymmetrical long-sleeve top with a maxi denim skirt for a transitional day-to-night look then styled the matching skirt with a layered corset for another night out to the theater. A set is a convenient and practical chic choice for a variety of options.
4.Classic Khaki Trench
Shahirah Ahmed/xoNecole
A khaki trench coat is a classic staple that continues to stand the test of time. Typically cold and rainy this time of year in the United Kingdom, this coat was perfect for layering and protecting me from the day-to-day elements. Traveling with one large suitcase, I was able to minimize bulk by avoiding oversized coats that would take up more space than necessary. The perfect winter look, this outerwear trend is forever a stylish moment when worn with just about anything.
5.Comfy Chic Boots
Shahirah Ahmed/xoNecole
With so much to do in the city, I brought my faux leather square-toe Jeffrey Campbell boots for cute and casual moments. From shopping trips to date nights, the trendy sleek design was the perfect complement to dress up both my daytime and nighttime looks. With a chunky platform and bulky heels, these boots were comfortable enough for all-day wear.
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Featured image by Shahirah Ahmed/xoNecole
RELATED
So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
"They asked for body products and we wanted to make sure we listened. But also layering fragrance begins with the body routine." The body wash is $33, and the body lotion is $35. Keep reading below to hear more about Tabitha and Chance's new collection, their body rituals, and what makes their partnership successful.
Fridays with Tab and Chance body collection
Marcus Owens
xoNecole: How did you come up with the scents for the collection?
Tabitha Brown: We love warm scents that make you feel sexy and loved. [We’re] both fans of gourmand [scents], including bergamot, vanilla, tonka and chocolate.
xoN: If you could describe your working relationship in one word, what would it be and why?
Tabitha: It's our first time building a product line together and our first time working with fragrance. So having patience with the process and each other has been the best way to build.
xoN: What is your body care ritual?
Tabitha: Exfoliate with a scrub a few times a week, but using a moisturizing body wash daily. After a shower, I spray a body mist that compliments what scent I am choosing for the day. Most times vanilla mist wins because it’s a perfect base for layering. I then hydrate [my] skin with lotion. Then, once dressed, I layer my favorite fragrance, Her Business, first and then His Business on top.
Chance: [I’m] way more simple. Just body wash and lotion and then my cologne and I’m good to go.
xoN: We enjoy watching you two together online, whose idea was it to start 'Fridays with Tab & Chance'?
Tabitha: It actually happened by accident. Back in 2018, my fans had just been asking about how we met, so we did a video answering questions one Friday and people in the comments [asked], will y’all do it again next Friday? And so we did and the next thing you know Fridays with Tab & Chance was born.
xoN: In what other ways do you plan to expand Fridays? Restart the podcast? TV show?
Tabitha: We are working on a lifestyle content show vs the traditional Fridays podcast. More to come soon.
xoN: You do many things together, but what would you say is your favorite quality time activity and why?
Tabitha: We are really simple. We love watching movies or TV series together on the couch or in bed. It’s really one of our favorite things to do together.
xoN: What is your favorite thing about the other person?
Tabitha: I love that he makes me feel safe and how hard he works to be an amazing father.
Chance: I love that she is crazy enough to pursue her wildest dreams.
xoN: What is the key to a successful partnership in business and personal?
Tabitha: The key is knowing that you both are going to change, and giving each other grace, patience, and understanding during those changes.
See more on tabandchance.com.
Feature image Marcus Owens