First off– let me say, I’m not a good packer.
That whole nitty gritty part of folding clothes to fit into a suitcase has never been my strength.
What I am good at is discerning which pieces to put into the suitcase.
It’s like doing a closet cleanse, but a mini version.
Choosing what to pack on a trip is an important job because you’ll be forced to live with your decision for the duration of the holiday.
So you must choose well in packing the right things to fit your vacation state of mind, body and soul.
It’s not easy to know exactly how you’ll feel when out of your routine, but I’ve found answering the following questions are really helpful when it’s crunch time.
Before you put anything into your bag, take a good look at the item of clothing and ask this:
1. Is it appropriate for the weather?
Go on accuweather.com and find out what the temperature will be in the morning, day and night.
An 80 degree day may begin as 59 degrees in the am, and end at 49 degrees at night. Best to know about these ranges beforehand.
2. Is it appropriate for the occasion?
A beaded flapper dress may fit right for a retro wedding, but when else would it be the call? Though it may seem fun to bring out your special pieces while on vacay, think again — these could end up the culprits responsible for an extra baggage surcharge.
3. Will it work double duty?
Consider at least two different opportunities to wear one piece. That borrowed-from-the-boys button down top will wear well with shorts and wedge sandals shopping during the day, and then can come out again in the evening with a popped collar and tucked into a maxi skirt. Same with that wispy white dress — a great beach cover at noon, and perfect for sipping cocktails at night.
Lastly: Would it make your regular rotation at home?
On vacation is not the time to try out a pair of five inch heels. Go with the tried and true. Think less is more as far as baggage goes. And experiment with different ways to wear what you love to wear.
But most importantly– have fun. Be new. Be you.
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I love receiving this monthly gem. I was inspired to purchase a flower patterned pair of vans from the previous post. The gray Mexican style dress looks like an exact replica of the blouses I wore In the 70s when I lived in a mountain cabin in Colorado.
Your floral Vans sounds awesome as do the blouses you wore back in your hippy days (that is what those days in the Colorado cabin were, right? ????) So happy you’re enjoying the newsletter, Leslie. Thank you!!