Packing for Vacation
Are you going to the mountains or the islands? Renting a place at the shore or hitting the big city? Wherever you’re going, you’re looking forward to your vacation.
We love our vacations. They let our minds rest and recuperate, leave our cares behind us and…and they give us a little bit of fantasy in our lives. We’re literally getting away, away from our routines and our familiar comings and goings, to places that are unlike all of that.
We’re different people when we’re on vacation. We do things we often only dream about. We sail the oceans, we lie on golden sands and splash in turquoise seas. And we visit sophisticated old world cultures and exotic ports of call.
And we can’t enter these fantasy lands in our everyday clothes. No, we have to have newer, prettier things for the people we become when we’re on vacation.
So, out with drab sweatshirts, T’s and beat-out trainers. Out with cut-off jeans and faded bikini tops. In with colorful maxi-dresses, nearly nude sandals, floral rompers and maybe a provocative cocktail dress and sexy high heels.
For vacations, I would say that a maxi-dress is your best friend. They’re comfortable, flattering and, above all, versatile. A maxi-dress will cover your back at the beach when you’ve had too much sun, it will go out to lunch and even dinner with equal grace.
And, there’s one more thing. You already know this—travel = bloat. Air travel all by itself is infamous for it. Add to that unfamiliar foods, water and schedules and you can easily put on 5 or more pounds in a couple of days. Your skirts are cutting your waist, you can’t zip your pants, but your empire-waisted maxi-dress still loves you.
I hate the look of an elastic waisted skirt or pants. That’s why the fashion gods have given us belts, sashes and long scarves - to cover them!
Take at least one elastic-waisted maxi-skirt, preferably two. A-line maxis are the best for travel because they fold neatly. You may love your lavish tiered maxi, but it takes up a lot of room. A couple of midi or mini skirts also earn their way because they’re versatile and take up very little space. I’m stressing skirts over pants because they’re cooler and more comfortable.
But, pants are important so pack a pair of long pants and a pair of knee-length. Show off your thighs at the beach or…take a couple of cute rompers. These little garments are versatile. They stand on their own or they can serve as a shirt under a skirt. Don’t take the frilly kind, Choose a couple of rompers with shirt tops and tailored bottoms for maximum utility.
For tops, your very best bet is tank tops and camis. They’re cool and they fold up like handkerchiefs. You can wear them on their own or under a jacket or one of a couple of shirts you should also pack.
For jackets, take a classic faded denim jacket and a khaki cotton twill utility or safari jacket. Leave the blazers at home, they demand too much space and attention.
Take one or, if you think you’ll need it, two sophisticated dresses for special dinners or a cocktail party if you’re likely to be invited to one. This is most likely to happen on a cruise, so keep the dress(es) simple and classic. You can use accessories to style them in different ways.
That brings us to the next item on your packing list - accessories. I’ve been banging on relentlessly about accessories. Hate to be a bore, sweetie, but they’re never more important than when you’re on vacation. They use up very little space in your luggage and they can take a dress or a utility jacket in a half-dozen different directions. Take a couple of belts, one everyday and one dressy.
I can’t stress this enough - leave your good jewelry at home! Instead, take beads, scarves, fake gold chains, earrings, pendants and chic wood or lucite bangles.
Among all accessories, scarves will serve you best. You’ll need a couple of 16” squares to tie around around your neck in various configurations and to cover your beach-crummy hair. You’ll need at least one 45” square to wear as a shawl, tie around your neck or hips and a couple of long scarves for hair, neck, waist or hips.
When you’re on vacation, you’re likely to do a lot of walking - shopping and seeing the sights. So shoes are very important, you’ll need several pairs. Get yourself a pair of new trainers if you’re going to be doing a lot of serious museum or antiquities crawling. Take a pair of comfortable chunky sandals, a pair of sexy little barely-there sandals, flat ballet slippers and a pair of high-heeled pumps or sandals.
Bags are also an important consideration when you’re on vacation. You need to think this through. Where are you going? What kind of security can you expect? Will you be in the city or country, on a ship?
Backpacks are popular with people on vacation. They’re even more popular with pick-pockets. There you are lost in the sights and sounds and you’re not even thinking about that light-fingered kid or old lady walking along behind you. Think they can’t undo those buckles without you noticing? Think again - that’s what they do for a living and they’re very good at it.
Small, cross-body bags situated toward the front are good, so are short-strapped shoulder bags where the bag fits under your arm. Clutches aren’t as bad as you’d think because they’re always in your hand. Just remember, don’t put them down.
And that’s it. All of these things should fit easily in a large suitcase and train-case if you pack carefully.
Have a wonderful time and make a lot of memories. I know I will. I’m off on vacation for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be back in mid-May.
- Gabrielle