PACKING FOR A MUSICAL BIRTHDAY WEEKEND AWAY
Big adventures are calling! I am officially leaving my Stockholm apartment tomorrow morning and heading south to the gorgeous city of Malmö. The occasion? My dear friend Magnus Borén is celebrating his birthday, and I am going down to celebrate with him and see his latest theatrical triumph. Magnus is currently working as an onstage swing—an incredibly challenging, versatile theatrical role where a performer must master multiple ensemble tracks and characters to step in at a moment’s notice—in the smash-hit musical Come From Away at the prestigious Malmö Opera. Built in 1944, Malmö Opera is one of the premier opera houses in Southern Sweden, celebrated for its striking functionalist architecture and world-class musical theatre stagings. Come From Away tells the profoundly moving, true story of 7,000 stranded airline passengers welcomed by a tiny town in Newfoundland, Canada, following the events of September 11. As a single gay guy who completely lives for the energy of live performance, getting to watch my friend shine on that stage is the ultimate weekend getaway.
But before I can hop on the train, I have to tackle the absolute chore of packing my bags. Since I love sharing my wardrobe journey on social media, I decided to test out a viral styling trend I recently discovered online: the Sudoku Packing Method. For anyone who hasn't seen this algorithm hit yet, it is a brilliant, mathematical way to organize a travel capsule wardrobe. You arrange your clothing items into a $3 \times 3$ grid—three tops, three bottoms, and three layering pieces—ensuring that every single item can be mixed and matched across rows and columns without ever repeating the exact same combination. It is an absolute game-changer for avoiding overpacking while maximizing style, and it completely scratches that organization itch I get from working as a professional theatre dresser and costume supervisor!
UNPACKING MY 3X3 STYLE CAPSULE MATRIX
To make my packing grid work seamlessly, I dug through my closet and pulled a mix of everyday essentials and archival second hand grails. For my three pairs of pants, I went with a sturdy pair of classic dark denim, some ultra-thin camouflage cargo pants for a utilitarian streetwear edge, and a classic pair of tan chinos—which are smooth, lightweight cotton-twill trousers that offer a perfect smart-casual look. Next up are the three tops that will form the core of my outfits. First is my absolute prize: a white, vintage promotional t-shirt from the original 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. Following that is a bold red-and-black long-sleeve t-shirt featuring a graphic impression of a teddy bear on the front, and finally, a striking black-and-blue short-sleeved shirt from the exclusive H&M Studio line—which is H&M's high-end, limited-edition seasonal collection focused on premium fabrics and directional runway trends.
To beat any chilly Swedish coastal breezes, my three layering pieces are a vibrant mint blue hoodie, a classic dark denim jacket, and a striking yellow, red, and blue flannel button-down shirt from Levi’s—the heritage American denim pioneer founded in 1853 that practically invented the modern blue jean. Laying these all out on my bed to film and edit a quick styling transition on my iPhone was so satisfying. Every piece serves a purpose, meaning I'll look completely styled whether I'm grabbing a morning coffee or heading into the opera house.
SWEET TRAVEL RITUALS & DESTINATION PREP
Once the suitcase is zipped up, my final evening in the city is all about quiet prep. I'm whipping up a nourishing, vibrant vegan meal to fuel myself for travel day and checking the train schedule. Maintaining a healthy, plant-based lifestyle while traveling between creative hubs in Sweden is luckily super easy, but I always like to map out local independent spots in advance.
Tomorrow is going to be an absolute whirlwind of birthday cakes, backstage tours, and incredible music. Balancing my busy life as an independent creator with my deep love for supporting my fellow artists in the theatre community is incredibly rewarding. Thank you all so much for watching my packing journey today! If you want to see how these Sudoku outfits actually look on the streets of Malmö and get an exclusive peek inside the opera house, make sure to give this video a huge thumbs up, subscribe to the channel, and turn on notifications so you never miss the upcoming travel vlog!
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