With vacation season coming up I am sure a lot of you have one common thing on your mind: "What am I going to wear?" Ok, at least I do. I plan really far in advance. I like to have options when it comes to my vacation outfits. What if the weather takes a drastic change? What if my mood changes? What if our plans change and we do something that calls for a different wardrobe piece? Yes... these are the things that go through my mind when I am packing! I am already thinking ahead to July!
Now I am sure you can imagine that I don't really pack lightly. I am the woman in the airport with the open suitcase throwing some shoes and other random things into her husband's suitcase just so the over-the-weight-limit fee can be avoided.
Honestly though, now that we have not one, but two children to pack for, I am determined to start packing a little bit lighter. Our drives to the beach this summer need to be limited to one car-that means all four of us, our luggage, and all the baby contraptions and toys need to fit in one car. Ultimately, that means I need to pack a lot lighter. Phew…is it getting hot in here?
I went through my closet and pulled some pieces that I know I will wear and that I can mix and match. Some things you want to consider:
-Styles that you can easily mix and match. (Prints are okay if you are brave enough to mix prints, but solids are best)
-Styles that can be worn in different destinations (beach one day, shopping the next, out to dinner, etc.)
-Keep accessories to a minimum (include earrings, necklace, bracelets, scarf and belt)
-If you do pack several pieces of jewelry make sure they aren't overly bulky
-No more than 2-3 shoes
-Whatever dress or dresses you choose, make sure they are easily mixed and matched with other pieces you are taking.
Here is what I chose to pack:
Dress: Black hi-low maxi
Bottoms: skinny jeans, white skinny jeans, navy blue/white print skirt
Shirts: chambray, coral t-shirt, white tank top (I decided against the black and white striped shirt. But, it is something that can be small enough to toss in your suitcase just in case you need it).
Accessories: brown wedges, black sandals, nude sandals, gold clutch, fedora, two necklaces, six bracelets
Take a look at how I mixed and matched these pieces to come up with 12 different looks.
At first, I must say that it was hard to get started, but I made it a point to pick a handful of items that I absolutely love and wear pretty frequently. Once I had them picked out though, mixing and matching was relatively easy.
Think about dresses and skirts when packing- they are so versatile and can change by simply tossing a sweater or shirt over the dress or pairing a different shirt with the skirt.
Another thing to think about is scarves. If you aren't much of a jewelry person pack a few scarves! You'd be surprised at how much the whole look of an outfit can change just by adding a scarf!!
For your next trip, spend some time packing. Try to not toss whatever in your suitcase. Plan ahead. I find it easier to make a list (I just use the "notes" feature in my phone), that way when it comes time to pack and actually wear what I pack, I have an idea and it cuts down on time!
Good luck! And just know, next time you are in the airport scrambling to lighten your load, I just may be moments away from rolling my suitcase right up next to yours!
