This is a follow up to my original How to Pack post. With so much summer travel on our calendar, I thought it was worth revisiting with warmer weather destinations in mind. When I travel to hot locales, I like to think about my day in three parts:
Evening Dinner Out Look
- Morning workout.
- Midday by the pool.
- Evening dinner plans.
This simplifies my packing to mix-and-match items that I can wear at different points in the day. It also means that I can pack only a handful of shoes, such as a pair of wedge espadrilles, a pair of running shoes, and a pair of waterproof flip-flops. If I keep my packing to the same color palette, I can keep my shoes to a minimum.
Here's how I pack for each part of my day.
Morning Workout Meets Brunch Look
I am one of those people who wakes up somewhere between my second cup of coffee and my third mile on the treadmill. Exercise makes me feel better about indulging while I'm on vacation, but it's also just part of my daily routine at home. When I keep up a lighter version of my workout routine while I'm on the road, I sleep better, my digestion is better, and I feel entitled to that second glass of rose!
I try to pack workout clothes that look nice enough so that I can throw on a long sleeved lightweight top, or a pashmina and walk right into a restaurant for brunch. I always throw in a baseball cap in case I need to keep the sun out of my face, or for when I have bed-hair-don't-care but need to pop into the lobby for a coffee.
Tanks: Power Y and Power Pose, Lululemon. Hat: Lululemon. Long Sleeved Back Into It Top, Lululemon. Full-On Luon Luxtreme Wunder Under Pants, Lululemon. Water Bottle, S'well. Chloe Flip Flops, Oka-B. Sun Bum Sunscreens (Face and Body), Ulta. Oversized Sunglasses, Dior.
Midday by the Pool Look
Packing for the pool means bringing some kind of tote that will hold my sunscreen, chap stick, ponytail holders, snacks, and whatever novel I happen to be reading that week. This Kate Spade tote is the perfect carryall for summer. I will use it as my purse, but it also makes a great pool tote. And, to keep the packing minimal, I'll pick suits that have the same color scheme so that I can re-wear the same hat and cover-up.
Pom Pom Hat: Nordstrom. Eyelet Cover-up, J.Crew. Palm Print Bandeau Bikini, J.Crew. Iris Print Bikini, Tory Burch. Bee My Honey Tote, Kate Spade.
Over the years, I have learned that in hot weather, I'm probably not going to wear pants, shorts, or any clothing made from fabric that's not moisture-wicking, linen, or 100% cotton. I have also learned that in summer months, even finer dining establishments are a little more lax on their dress codes. I like to pair a simple shift dress with some fun oversized gold jewelry, or a maxi dress with some wedge heels and a printed scarf. If you bring a travel-sized steamer, you needn't worry about wrinkles. All of the options I picked in the edit below could be worn with a neutral pair of wedges or a pair of black or white flip-flops.
Everly Shorts and Top, Purpose Boutique. Jack White Dress, Sojourn Boutique. White Eyelet Drop Waist Dress, Nordstrom. Black Eyelet French Connection V-Neck Dress, Nordstrom. Black Cotton Current/Elliot Maxi Dress, Nordstrom.
