Confession: I packed ALL the wrong things for my recent trip to Mexico, and I ended up buying many items while traveling to make up for the wrong choices I’d made. I learned a HUGE lesson on how to pack for a long trip, and I want to share the conclusions I’ve reached on what to bring so that you can stay comfortable, practical and stylish on your next vacation!
PICK 2 COLOR PALETTES
I recommend choosing neutral colors because they are easier to interchange across various items and looks. On this trip, I chose a navy palette and a black palette with gray and white as central colors that could cross over to both. Each piece I packed, including accessories, would contribute to a look in either one (or both) of those color palettes.
MAKE SURE EACH ITEM CAN BE WORN WITH 2 OTHER ITEMS:
Every top or bottom I packed or bought not only lived within the bounds of my navy or black color palettes, but also could be worn one other way. For example, these gray silk flowy pants (below) could be paired with a navy striped crop top or a grayish-black tunic. I just changed the jewelry, the hair, or the accessories to create different day and night looks. The crop top could also be paired with a short navy striped skirt, while the tunic also went well with black cropped pants. Those cropped pants also paired well with a striped boatneck, and so on and so on….I’ve tried to demonstrate the various looks I created with each piece in the grid below.
HAVE A SIGNATURE LOOK (OR TWO):
My signatures revolved around my hair for this trip. It was quite warm in San Miguel de Allende, so I wore it tied up or back every day for ease and to tame the frizz. For a playful look, I tied it up with a ribbon high on my head. For more elegance and glamour, I went for a slicked back low ponytail with swooped bangs.
CHOOSE A FEW KEY ACCESSORIES THAT CAN DRAW EACH OUTFIT TOGETHER:
I did not pack a ton of accessories because I knew I would be purchasing plenty of them while I was on vacation. They are my favorite thing to shop for when I travel – necklaces, especially. These two large necklaces below are among the ones I found at a cool outdoor shop where men were soldering and welding the pieces together in the back yard! Each was 150 pesos (about $10 USD)! As for what I brought from home: belts and hair-ribbons in each of my two color palettes, as well as a pair of feminine earrings, were among the items I paired with each look daily.
FINALLY, FLAT SHOES AND LOW HEELS ARE YOUR FRIENDS:
WHAT?!?!? Did I really just say that?!?!?! Believe me, I NEVER thought those words would come out of my mouth, but my mind truly changed about flat shoes while on my trip. Aside from the cobblestones preventing me from wearing anything BUT low heels, I’m starting to see that there is sexiness to be conveyed in your oxfords and your sneakers. I had to believe it before I could really own it. And now…well, I’m hooked! I can’t wait to start building my flat shoe wardrobe.
Well, friends and fellow vacationers, I hope my experience in travel style will help you avoid under- or over-packing all the wrong things and get you one step closer to looking good and enjoying your upcoming spring and summer trips! Bon Voyage!
XOXO,
Belle
