What is it about getting dressed on vacation
the power of packing only your favorite things (even if it means you overpack!)
Jump straight to the shopping here.
A thing I love about vacations is that I always love what I’m wearing. I don’t know what it is, but there is just something about wearing your favorite (or new, THE DREAM!) outfits on vacation that just…hits different.
It makes packing a challenge because I want to bring all my favorite things, which doesn’t always make for the right “number” of pieces. I don’t need everything I bring. I reach for all my “regulars” and trust they will get me where I want to go. This is a useful practice especially lately, when the time I have to get myself ready for trips— taking time to try things on, and put together ensembles and outfits— that time is basically nonexistent.
Pre-kids, (and still sometimes on kid-free vacations), I had a whole ritual and process around packing. I packed carefully and minimally. I would create a day-by-day itinerary for the trip, make a list for packing and cross-referencing it with outfits for different occasions, try various things on ahead of time to edit, edit, edit. It was a very satisfying and enjoyable process.
Nowadays, packing for myself is happening at the last minute and in as little time as possible. All I want to do on that last night at home before going away is veg out on the couch. Traveling with my kids means time to just veg out and chill is few and far between!
The process is this: I have pull-out valets in my closet (thank you and a giant hug to whoever designed the closet in our primary bedroom, that was a VERY good call!), so a day or two before we are leaving I take a few minutes to pull out the hanging things I want to bring, put them on the rods and then check in a couple of times over the course of the next few days to edit. That collection of clothes on the valets (even though I do slim it down because I absolutely have to), ends up being my most loved pieces, my favorite items for the season — the ones I know that I will feel my best in and that I just love wearing.
On our past few vacations, I have employed this “method” (I recognize that method might be too strong of a word). I did it earlier this week to get ready for one last summer hurrah! I miss that person who was a careful packer - but also, there is something pretty great about not doing that careful editing. It’s funny, because the outcome - number of items aside, is similar — I bring things I love. Obviously my approach would be different if I were to be flying on a plane or trying to only carry on (something you should know about me is that I am a die-hard carry on traveler. I learned this from my dad who ALWAYS carries on. Several years ago, we spent 3.5 weeks in Europe, visiting 3 different countries and I carried on. TBH, probably one of my proudest accomplishments, ha!)
I love knowing that I will be happy with whatever outfit I choose on a given day. That is the vibe I want to have on my vacations. I want an outfit diary where I love every day a la my Nantucket outfit diary.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
It brings a level of joy that I need. I love wearing whatever I am in the mood to wear and never having to put on something that makes me feel meh. Sure, I overpacked a little, but even when we just go for a morning walk to get coffee, I have my favorite athleisure combos to pull on. It’s a little escape - an opportunity to dress exactly the way you want to, maybe even try things you wouldn’t normally try in your day-to-day life.
You get a week, or two, or three (!!!) of consecutive time where your clothes make you feel great. That’s the connection between how I have been packing and the practice that stylists and professional packers are telling you to think about and go through when you do a closet edit, start a capsule wardrobe, think more critically about your personal style, or pack just the right amount of things for a trip. It’s about focusing on your favorites, the things that make you feel great! When things make you feel great - you want to wear them and will actively find ways to do so.
That’s the thing about clothes, you know. Not just that a great out makes me feel put together. It’s that feeling put together has a direct impact on my mood. It makes me happy! A great outfit can set the tone for your day, your week, maybe even your whole trip! I know so many people will think it’s weird or shallow or whatever, but I don’t care because it’s true! I love a week of wearing all different kinds of things that just make me feel great. It feels great at home, but there really is something about it that just hits a little different on vacation.
I know I won’t have a minimalist or a capsule-style wardrobe, but my goal is to have a closet of things I love. There is really nothing more important than that when it comes to getting dressed — truly any day or any time — you should love what you wear and feel great wearing it. You can love pieces for all different reasons, — its okay to love one piece because its a regular that you wear all the time (my denim shorts, for example) and another because you only wear it on the most special occasions (a beautiful party dress). The common thread that holds it all together is two things - you love it, and it makes you feel great when you wear it.
And the thing about vacations, is that even if you don’t feel that way about all the clothes in your closet, or in everyday of normal life, a vacation gives you the chance to feel that way for a suspended period of time.
Even though I packed myself in about 20 minutes for our last summer hurrah, I have spent a lot of time thinking about the perfect list of things I would be taking on one last warm weather getaway. It’s not a long list, but it could be shorter. You can’t wear everything together in 2-3 ways, but you can wear a lot of things together. I have most of these things (or a similar version), but I have some gaps too, so they are things I either have or would want to buy for myself. Maybe it’ll inspire an extra-awesome vacation experience for you! (You can jump straight to browse all links right here).
And finally, it hopefully goes without saying that I’m obviously bringing a couple other boring things - like pjs, underwear, a workout outfit and something really lounge-y for a travel day or for a lazy night, but I didn’t feature those things here.
Cheers to wearing clothes that make you feel great, vacations, and #summerforever.
1: Oversized Cardigan - You need a great layer for a late summer vacation. Most places are starting to get a little cooler at night and in the mornings (this is one of my most favorite things about late summer), and this sweater will keep you warm and feeling stylish!
2: Party Dress - This is a favorite piece you have, or something new you got for the trip. It’s just because. You are looking forward to wearing it, and its just that special piece that makes you feel amazing!
3: Strappy Sandals - I don’t mess with heels on vacation anymore. Be comfortable, look great. These give every outfit a little extra oomph.
4: Athletic Dress - I discussed athletic dresses in depth here. It’s a great piece for a vacation - wear to grab coffee, for a walk, to run to get CVS to pick up the one-millionth item you realized you forgot! If it’s chilly, throw your cardigan on top, or tie your striped sweater over your shoulders!
5: Striped Sweater - You’re going to wear this constantly. This is one of the hardest working pieces I have in my closet. La Ligne is the holy grail, and I’m planning to make the investment in one this year. I have one from Alex Mill that I love!
6: Gold Hoops - the go-with-every, works-with-everything, makes-everything-better pair of earrings!
7: Navy Silk Dress - I have been reaching for navy much more than black recently, and I love the effortlessness of a silk dress. Wear it alone with fun jewelry and simple sandals, layer it with a sweater if its getting chilly, pull a big sweater over it with a half tuck or a button-up shirt over it to totally change the look.
8: Sun Hat - I have basically never been outside without a hat this summer. This one from Monogram Mary is LE BEST.
9: Mini Dress - I am obsessed with the look of a long-sleeve block print dress right now. You definitely don’t need two dresses to wear during the daytime on a trip, but I didn’t promise practicality, so here we are. I saw a woman wearing a dress like this at a playground while we were on Nantucket earlier this summer and I absolutely loved it!
10: Light(er) Straight Denim - I always reach for a lighter wash in my denim when the weather warms up. The citizens are my holy grail, but AGOLDE and Gap have great options as well. You can dress these up with a fun top, wear with just a simple tank or tee shirt, wear with a button down tied at your waist and strappy sandals and your hair pulled back for dinner out.
11: Dad Sandals - Don’t know why, but these just work. They look good with every outfit you have.
12: Easy Day Dress - This is the dress you will wear several times when you just need something to wear. It’s light, it could be a pattern - but you want something you will feel happy wearing multiple times, so a simple pattern or stripe works really well. I go for my Hill House Ellie for this a lot of times!
13: Sunglasses - I have raved about Chimis all summer long, and then I tried on my sister’s part of RayBan Wayfarer IIs and now I love those just as much. Can’t go wrong, you just need a pair you love and that are comfortable!
14: Romper/Playsuit - Went deep into my search for the perfect romper in a recent “current obsessions” edition, and this is the best one I’ve seen. This is great at a lower price point!
15: Matching Set - I discovered this brand via Elizabeth Ariola. This set is really beautiful — ultimate in versatility — Liz wore hers all over the French Riviera, I have been wearing mine to the toddler birthday party circuit. In all seriousness, the set is great, fits really well (I took my normal size even though the brand suggests sizing down) and I love to have something thats really easy to pull on but makes me feel better than sweats or athletic shorts and a tee shirt. I love the gingham, but personally went with black.
16: Pareo/Scarf - wear with your bathing suit when you’re headed to the beach or the pool, or wear with one of your tanks for a night out!
17: Denim Shorts - These are the best denim shorts I’ve ever owned. I wear them constantly. If you don’t love jean shorts, then you might choose something more like these.
18: Oversized button up - This is going to be a real vacation workhorse. A coverup on the beach, a top with shorts (from your set), over your slip dress, tucked into jeans or tied over your linen trousers. I also love this one.
19: White Sneakers - For any walks, quick errands or when you just don’t want to wear sandals.
20: Crop Top - Just a fun top to wear a bunch of different ways! The key (for me at least), is to find one that is long enough to kiss the top of high waisted pants/shorts, so you’re not leaving a lot of skin exposed.
21: Linen Trousers - Linen is a great fabric to choose for summertime, and lightens up the look a bit for the warmer months. If you go high-waisted (which I would recommend), you can pair with the top from the Vitamin A matching set.
22: Solid Color One Piece Bathing Suit - All about the one piece bathing suits these days. A one piece will work great with pants, shorts, just a button up over it, under your pareo. You can even let it double as a bodysuit and wear it with jeans. Also, this is a good time to buy a bathing suit because they are all on super sale. Go for something classic and you don’t have to worry that it might go out of style next year.
23: Simple tank top (in black or navy & white) — these are sort of boring pieces, but they are closet workhorses, and you’re going to need a couple super basic things on vacation. You’ll wear them with shorts, with jeans, with athletic clothes when you need to run to grab a coffee. Gap does these really well (this is great deal!). So does Good American.
Hope this gives you the packing inspiration you need for your next trip - something in between a perfect utilized packing list and overpacking is the balance you can count on from me!