I'm a writer in the making and a fun loving person. I like to make interesting observations about life, read books, write stories, and play games with my friends.
I put this sweater on today as a test. This is the first time I’ve worn it in over a year, and I decided I either needed to wear it or get rid of it. Honestly – I’m still on the fence. While I like the minimalist or European vibes I get from the sweater, it’s not a very warm fabric (which makes it really only good for summer here) and I have a hard time pairing it with anything other than these pants and this pair of shoes. On the other hand, it is quite comfortable, and I think it looks really nice so…
Maybe it will live to see another year.
This is one of my prime examples of playing with color using something called ‘color blocking’ where you combine multiple different colors from a similar palette but only use them in one block or segment of space. In this case the red necklace, navy blue and grey sweater, green pants, and brown shoes all each hold their own color space. It’s a really fun concept and a great way to play with color if it’s not your forte. I will eventually do a whole post on color and patterns that will go more into depth for those that want to learn my ways.
Sweater: This is a Liz Claiborne sweater that I picked up, gosh, years ago. I used to have another one from this set, but I got rid of it. This one however has stuck around and I think for a few reasons: – it’s comfortable – it’s classy – I love a 3/4 sleeve. I used this sweater as the foundation for the outfit.
Pants: These corduroy pants from Kut from the Kloth are really fabulous. They fit well and are not too warm or too cold (perfect for transitional seasons, but also effective come winter) and I cannot get enough of the forest green color. I have another pair of these in red as well. I wore them here because they fit both the mood and the color scheme of the outfit.
Shoes: I bought these YEARS ago on sale at Forever 21 — I’m pretty sure. They are a solid pair of oxfords and are reasonably comfortable. I struggle with their color of brown though, and do eventually want to upgrade these to a classier, sturdier pair of oxfords. Have any suggestions? Please comment below! Today I thought they tied the outfit together.
Accessories: Along with the lovely red necklace, I’m wearing some sunglasses I found in the Target kids section (my head is tiny), my silver origami bird earrings, and my rabbit watch that I adore and am trying to wear more often!
This was a great work outfit for the mild Seattle summer. The warmer sweater feel of the t-shirt and the comfortable swish of the silk skirt were a perfect pair. I also appreciated the fall vibes – this outfit feels really appropriate in August. It’s not quite ready to give up on summer, but still open to the coming fall.
Playing with colors and patterns meant that the accessories were simple: a lovely black scrunchie (thank goodness these are back in vogue!) and some small silver rabbit earrings.
Also I adore the print on this lovely skirt – a fantastic thrift store find! Not to mention it’s 100% silk so it will have some good lasting power if I take care of it.
T-Shirt: This is an Abercrombie & Fitch thrift store find that I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of. Aside from being the perfect color, I appreciate the softer feel and bit of warmth of the sweater like knit. Though this does make the pocket useless… I wore this shirt because I liked how it matched the flowers.
Skirt: I spotted this in the thrift store and thought “this can’t possibly fit” but I tried it on anyway, and boy was I glad. This Jones New York silk skirt has a great flow to it. It hangs in a way that really accentuates my curves, and overall just feels good. Plus, I love a print that looks like polka dots but is actually something else.
Shoes: You are going to see a lot of these dusty pink sneakers because they are some of my favorites. I love that they are monochrome and leather, which makes sense considering they are Tommy Hilfiger – a leader in classic, simple sneakers. Bonus: they are comfortable even for long periods of walking. I wore them here because I like how they pulled from the lighter pink shade of the flowers, in contrast with the darker red color represented in the t-shirt.
Accessories: I’m wearing my “Diva Dollar Store” sunglasses and my tiny silver rabbit earrings to keep with the delicate, summery feel of the outfit.
A few years ago, as we planned for our first extended trip abroad, my love decided that we would travel solely out of carry-on sized backpacks. Shocking as this was to me at first, I remember that I’ve always been a light packer. Admittedly, not for 14 days, but it was certainly worth a try. I couldn’t deny that it would save us a good chunk of money as well.
You can find my post about how I pack for extended vacations here.
Oliver capturing me post-morning pack. My look says “Are you ready to leave yet?”
After a good bit of research, and a lot of thinking about it, Oliver spotted some Osprey backpacks on sale.
“They’re supposed to be pretty good,” he said with a shrug, “and they are on a good sale. I think we should do it.”
Probably the best travel purchase we have ever made. The Osprey Porter 30-Liter Travel Duffel is an incredible backpack, especially for travel, and here’s why:
It opens like a suitcase. No more of the prioritized stacking like packing in a normal backpack, this time I could lay it on it’s side and pack it like any other suitcase. This feature also makes everything in the backpack easy to access at any time. It also makes frequent unpacking and repacking easier because you can see all the space you need to fill.
It’s a carry-on sized suitcase made of cloth on all sides so it fits so many more things. Coming home from any of our trips abroad, we have every ounce of our backpacks stuffed out in all compartments. Our first trip home, I was amazed at everything that fit. Since there aren’t hard case constraints, you can really max out the packing space.
It fits the qualifications for carry-on for almost all travel – even tricky budget airlines with stringent guidelines.
You can stow away all parts of the straps and carry it on it’s side if needed (particularly helpful on airplanes) and then easily pull them back out when needed. Having the plush, cushioned straps is great for walking from one side of the city to the other, but they only get in the way when trying to stow them for travel.
There are straps specifically made to make the backpack smaller. We usually pack anything breakable or fragile right in the middle, buried in clothes (or keep it in one of the looser outer compartments) then stuff everything in and pull the straps tight. This results in shrinkage of 2″to 3″ – crucial for making those tight carry-on requirements.
It’s water resistant. We’ve taken this for a road test, having walked through most of Brighton (in England) during a freezing fall downpour. Our clothes were soaked through, but the contents of our backpacks remained dry.
Trudging through the wet weather.
Also remember those cushioned straps? There are both shoulder straps with good, thick padding, and also a strap for the hips. It seems excessive until you’re walking from one end of Naples to the other in 80 degree weather. Then it’s perfect to be able to make sure most of the weight is transferred to your hips rather than your shoulders.
They are durable. When I find something I love, I will wear it through because I use it all the time. These backpacks have been through planes, trains, rain, multiple packing and unpacking, stuffed in all manner of corners, dropped in the dust, kicked and tossed about, and every part of them still works like new. I don’t even see any visible signs of wear.
There are lot of perfectly sized compartments. The main compartment is large and spacious. Then there is an upper compartment – perfect for cords and chargers. A front, smaller compartment hosts many pockets and zippers and places to keep pens, toothbrushes, all of our toiletries, tickets, documents… and finally a great front compartment where we usually slide thinner notebooks and puzzle books for easy access.
Overall, I couldn’t be happier. They are sturdy, comfortable, and spacious backpacks that hold up to all sorts of scenarios. These backpacks make travel a breeze.
Have any concerns or questions I didn’t address above? Have you tried these backpacks too and have your own thoughts? Feel free to comment below!
Packing for travel when you like to be stylish is even harder. You want to look great, you want to feel great, and you want to be prepared. So when my love suggested we only use carry-on size backpacks for our travels, I was stunned. Our first trip abroad was coming up, and we would be gone for 14 days.
Me with my travelling backpack entering Nuremburg, Germany
Of course I managed to get everything packed. Since this trip, we’ve had many others, and I always find a way to pack what I need in the backpack (see my full review of the backpacks we use here). This is not going to be a list of the “essentials” that you should bring – you’ll find plenty of those about the internet (the one I am currently living for here).
Another note before we begin: I’m not a makeup person, and my body care needs are minimal at best. Some things we even just buy while we’re abroad to save space. If you do need space for these items, keep that space in mind while working through packing process below.
THE PROCESS
Know Your Trip
You are going to need to know your upcoming trip inside and out. This will help narrow down things while you are packing. Constraints of the location and planned activities might require certain pieces. Are you going hiking or footing it through cities? Will it be hot or cold? Will it be wet or dry? Are you attending any fancy events or mostly touring about? Answering these basic questions sorts out a lot of more specific items. For example, you won’t want to pack a velvet dress if you’re spending all of your time camping in the mountains, or you probably won’t need heavy hiking boots if you’ll be in the city the entire trip.
S H O E S
A bad pair of shoes can ruin even the best of trips. When you’re packing in a backpack or carry on, your space limited making shoe choice critical. For a two week vacation, I pack two pairs of shoes.
Trip One – Paris & Italy: I brought my wine colored Aerosoles sneakers and a pair of black strappy sandals
Trip Two – Germany: I brought the Aerosoles sneakers again and a pair of dusty pink Tommy Hilfiger sneakers
You’ll see that I favor sneakers for vacations, but that’s partially because of the type of trips we usually go on. It’s a lot of site seeing while walking around cities, and we are usually walking for many hours of the day. Sneakers – especially nicer pairs like the above – can be dressed up or down, and don’t have the trouble of being open toed which can stop you from getting into places like churches.
Focus on Color
Telling a color story or sticking to one color scheme makes packing hard but wearing outfits easy. While you’re traveling, you want things that will mix and match to make new outfits, and you want making an outfit to be as easy as possible. The best way to do this is with color.
To pick a color scheme, I start by looking at my closet and my chosen shoes. I figure out what I have a lot of this is the most comfortable. For me this is neutrals like black or fall colors like wine, mustard yellow, and forest green.
Now that you have a base color (or colors) in mind, you can figure out what colors pair well – gold, pink, and red all pair great with forest green. Any color pairs easily with black. The more neutral your base colors are, the easier it will be to pair items and make outfits.
Try not to expand out of three or four colors total; remember the main goal is to have pieces that will easily mix and match with each color to make new outfits throughout the trip.
Keep it Classy
Unless you’re travelling to a festival a la Burning Man or you’ll be camping in the woods the entire time, you will want to pick items that are elevated and classy. This is helpful for a couple of reasons:
Preparedness! it is generally better to be fancier than an even requires over too casual. If all the clothes you brought are classy, timeless pieces, then surprise occasions during the trip are easily handled.
What you wear says who you are! this is most important when traveling abroad; people will treat you how they see. If you’re dressed in nicer clothing, it will be easier to communicate even if you don’t speak much of the language.
Photos! if you’re anything like me, you will take a million photos and be in a million photos, many of which will end up on social media. Packing classier pieces will help relieve stress about what’s being posted and where.
The following are my go-tos for staying classy and comfortable:
dressy jeggings: the fit and comfort of leggings but with elements that elevate the style to create clean, classic lines. See my current faves below. Remember: check the fit in a mirror, and make sure the fabric is thick enough even when bent over, to act as pants.
corduroy pants: these always look nice and pair well with both a sweatshirt/t-shirt for a casual look, or a button down/nice sweater for something more dressy. I love these from Kut from the Kloth (my pair pictured below).
a versatile dress: your goal here is something comfortable and nice that can be layered to change the look or elevated with accessories. Below are the ones I love to pack.
Easy Layers
I live for a good hoodie, sweater, hat, or scarf – especially since most of our travelling happens during transitional seasons like Spring or Fall.
You will most likely not want to stop at your hotel all the time. So, to keep things moving, I find fun layers that are easy to remove and carry, like this green hoodie or this thin scarf which both work well with my color schemes and are warm layers that pack small or tie around my waist.
I also habitually pack a thin raincoat that rolls up small but provides an easy protective layer in case of rain. The pink one bellow from Forever 21 fits nicely into a larger purse or ties around the waist.
Also, for colder seasons I find that a knit hat or beanie that’s plain and in a good classy color looks chic and keeps you warm!
Bring Your Favorites
Have a favorite pair of jeans or a sweater you wear all the time? Chances are there are good reasons; often this means they fit well, look good, and are comfortable. Bringing your favorites also helps stall the 10th day slog of a long trip where you have already worn everything and don’t really feel like wearing them again. If it’s a favorite piece, then it will still be easy to wear.
My favorites are these Zella Live-In Leggings (tip: these typically go on half off sales at Nordstrom which makes them much more affordable) and a swing turtleneck sweater dress.
Finally – Pair Up to Pare Down
If you are looking at a huge pile of things that definitely won’t fit into your backpack – you’re not alone! The best way to pare down the pile is to create outfits. You don’t have to make an outfit for every single day, but strive for at least four or five to make sure you have enough diversity.
If an item doesn’t fit into those four/five outfits, then it doesn’t get packed. This helps me get rid of items even if they are something I love, and helps me work through the barrage of “what if” questions that inevitably occur while packing for a longer vacation.
Think these tips will help you pack for your next vacation? Have any hot tips of your own? Feel free to comment below.
I wore this outfit to work and it was perfect. Dressing for work during warmer weather is always difficult for me, because my office is quite cold but I enjoy going on walks on my breaks in the sun. For this reason, layers like cardigans are perfect because I can wear them inside and take them off for a walk.
Work also requires comfort – I spend a lot of my day sitting at a desk. So pants that don’t hurt my waist while sitting are key and these are great. I kept the rest of the outfit fairly simple to highlight the joy of the sweater with matching shoes and simple jewelry.
Cardigan: I found this at the thrift store, and fell. in. love. The vibrant colored stripes are giving me serious “end of summer, start of fall” vibes and I like the way it sits open but still feels warm. I’ve been trying to incorporate more of that pale blue in my wardrobe as well, so it’s a good fit. The fabric is thick enough to hold heat, but also breathable.
T-Shirt: This is “A New Day” from Target – which I adore for basics. All the A New Day brand shirts are comfortable, fitted, super soft, and super stretchy. They have good length so they tuck easily, but also look fine untucked, which I like. For those into V-neck over scoop, they have lots of a different styles.
Jeans: Gloria Vanderbilt (which are AMAZING for a curvy body). I love that these are high waisted, but also fit snugly over my large butt and comfortable around my large calves and thighs. Calves are a huge pants struggle for me, so I tend towards a straighter fit, but Gloria Vanderbilt does have many different styles. If you’re on the hunt for some jeans, and your bottom half is curvy, I highly suggest trying some from this brand. It helps that they are reasonably priced – running around $20 a pair.
Shoes: Ellen Degeneres brand that I found at the thrift store and I’m obsessed. They are super light, which I specifically hunt for in shoes. They are also very comfortable, and made of a breathable fabric perfect for warmer weather. They perfectly match the beachy vibes of the sweater.
Accessories: I’m wearing my sunglasses which we lovingly call my “Willy Wonka Glasses”, a simple necklace on a longer chain with a mint green bear pendant, and my octopus earrings.
Curly.Curvy.Candid 