Packing for Morocco in the Winter: 10 Days in a Carry-On
As a couple of photographers on a budget, we definitely prioritized bringing gear over clothing. While our personal items were primarily taken up by camera gear (and our toiletries and journals), our one carry-on needed to fit everything else (aka clothes & shoes). I had one half, my fiancé, Calin, had the other. We would be gone for a total of 10 days, and visited Marrakech, Fes, and road-tripped to the Sahara desert in between. If you’re looking for my full guide on our time there, I wrote it all in this post, including the story of the traumatizing tour. But if you’re just interested in everything I wore on the trip, you’re at the right post. I’ll try to link everything down below, but keep in mind, many pieces are vintage or second-hand, so I’ve done my best to find similar dupes.
first arriving in Morocco.
I wore the sneakers, my vintage men’s trousers, cashmere tee, and blue sweater on the plane, as those were my bulkiest pieces, but everything else on this list went into my half of the carry-on.
the packing list:
outer layers:
knit vest
oversized navy sweater
cream vintage coat
tops:
cashmere knit tee
cream long sleeve
white button-up shirt (this doubled as an outer layer)
pink button-up blouse (this could be used an outer layer too!)
turtleneck tank
lightweight cardigan
long-sleeve floral blouse
bottoms:
vintage mens trousers
linen navy trousers
long satin skirt
cream trousers
shoes:
sneakers
sandals
flats
accessories:
oversized scarf
rattan belt
basket bag
silk neck scarf
necessities:
pjs
cozy pair of cashmere socks
two-piece swimsuit
undergarments & socks
in Bahia Palace, Marrakech, wearing the scarf, cashmere tee, pink button-up blouse, flats, and basket bag
visiting Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, wearing the pink button-up blouse, the basket bag, and navy linen trousers
inside our riad in Marrakech, wearing the vintage coat, the turtleneck tank, cream trousers, and flats
what I purchased:
during our time there, I stumbled upon this beautiful local designer’s store, Hanout, and purchased a pair of pink wide-leg trousers, and a stunning floor length silk dress. The lady inside the shop was wonderful to work with; she took my measurements and sent the pieces away to have them custom tailored to my body. They were ready the next day. You could tell she genuinely just wanted me to walk away with something that fit perfectly, and that I was happy with. It was one of the best shopping experiences I’ve ever had, and the pieces are of the highest quality. If you ever have a chance to visit, they’re quite a bit more affordable in person, and that’s where they offered the alterations, but they have an online shop too! ( I suppose it is probably cheaper in the long run than trying to fly to Marrakech haha). I managed to fit these into my personal item on the way back.
in the Merzouga desert dunes, wearing the cream trousers, flats, white button up, cream long sleeve, scarf, and navy sweater
visiting Dar el Bacha, in the vintage trousers, sneakers, white button up, scarf, knit vest, and basket bag
Marrakech in the Mellah, wearing the navy trousers, floral blouse, basket bag, and woven belt
what I wished I had (or hadn’t) brought:
to be honest, I used every single thing I brought with me, and the lighter under layers didn’t really take up any room at all. BUT before we left to Morocco, it was forecasted to be 25C everyday, and so I had only brought my one thicker sweater and jacket for at-night. We knew the desert would get cold in the evenings in the winter. Unfortunately, when we arrived in Morocco, the weather took a turn for the worst, and after three years of drought in Morocco, it finally rained. It ended up being cloudy for almost our entire trip, which in turn, made it a whole lot colder. I don’t think it got above 15C. I basically had to pile on everything that I had brought with me almost daily, and that one thick sweater certainly got a workout. With our one carry-on, I don’t think Calin or I could have fit what we would have needed. Just be mindful that if you decide to go to Morocco in winter, it can get quite cold, and their buildings just aren’t made to keep things warm. If you’re caught in a similar situation, it might be worth buying a couple of blankets or a wool kaftan to wear around. Keep in mind, we are Canadians, and are fairly adjust to the cold, so my packing list might not be warm enough for you in the winter!
because by the end of the trip we were so tired of being cold, I was getting over food poisoning, and Calin was getting sick (and remained sick for almost an entire month after the trip), there are hardly any photos of my outfits on our desert days and in Fes. It was definitely kind of a bummer, as we had such a wonderful time in Marrakech, despite the weather, but there was nothing that could be done.
shop the post:
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knit vest - I tried to find one similar, but it proved challenging. There are quite a few with the same vibes on etsy, including this one! I got mine in a local shop in Barcelona.
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vintage wool cardigan - another hard one to find a dupe for, my navy sweater is vintage from the UK. Best to scroll through the ones on etsy for your favourite!
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cream coat - mine was a vintage find here in Alberta, but this one has very similar vibes
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cashmere tee - this is the one I have in cream, I wear the small/medium. They’re ethically & sustainably made. Use cosy10 for 10% off!
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white button-up - I sized up for an even more oversized fit.
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rattan bag - a closet staple for me
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silk scarf - I need more of these
about the dress code:
I talk all about safety (and safety as a woman) in that other blog post that I mentioned (you can read it here), but here are some general rules for modesty:
cover knees, shoulders, and décolletage, and wear loose fitting clothing
cover arms to wrists, legs to ankles, wear something high-collared, and throw on a head scarf if you’d like additional modesty
As I mentioned in my Morocco travel guide, I was one of the most modestly-dressed tourists. I saw short dresses, tight-fitting clothing, tank-tops, low-cut tops, and even crop-tops. Local women dressed more modestly of course, but only older women had their hair covered. It’s completely up to you how much you want to cover up. My approach with it, was that I am just a visitor, and I would rather show more respect to the culture and err on the side of caution.
wandering through Fes, wearing the silk neck scarf, button up, woven belt, basket bag, sandals, and navy trousers
in the Sahara, wearing the scarf, woven belt, flats, cream trousers, button up, and cream long sleeve
in Fes, wearing the cream coat, white button up, turtleneck tank, cream trousers, and sneakers
Hope this post helps, and as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM on Instagram.
Best,
Cate
