It was at the point of teetering on mountain tops with sheer drop offs on either side of me, and tears of fear pooling in my eyes, that I realized that a "vacation," means different things to different people. It was during one of those moments that I realized that a vacation, to me, is something that does not include hyperventilation with fear, but rather is full of words such as "cabana," "massage," and "mai-tai (including virgin versions)." This blog is all about packing for a vacation - the kind where you will lose track of what day it is as opposed to knowing exactly how much longer a grueling "adventure," will take you to finish.
I write from Kauai, Hawaii, where I have just finished renewing my vows to the summer, jersey dress. This sacred event will help me remember that these gems are the must-have to every vacation suitcase. I have several jersey dresses with me and have used them as a bathing suit cover-up, a dinner dress, an easy throw-on to wear with flip flops, and even pajamas when the gorgeousness of the day has just been too much for me to consider changing.
If I had to choose one style that would be the best, it would be something in a bright colour that is not too low cut. If it is too low cut, then it may not pass for a dinner dress in some places, as well as not being able to cover up your chest from the sun as a beach cover-up. Again, my version of vacation includes a lot of dresses and a few pairs of shoes, so I don't really see the point of bringing just one dress. Dresses pack up tightly, and any wrinkles that might happen in transit, fall out nicely once it is touched by the tropical humidity. You could bring leggings and a layering tank, but in general, they require less pieces to complete an outfit than shorts or a skirt.
The key, as always, is to bring accessories like silk scarves, necklaces, shawls, cute jackets, cardigans, hair accessories, and shoes to give your dress the flexibility you are looking for from having to wear the same things during your vacation.
If you are lost as to what to bring on your vacation (& you live in Calgary or Vancovuer, Canada), book a free Diva Den at Changes. Bring in your favourite travel pieces, let me know about your trip, and we will find you some pieces that will complete your packing and make you walk with a skip-diddy-doodle of glee while you are in tropical paradise.
