Packing Report: Two Weeks In Ireland in November.

Hi! I am still jet-lagged because an eight-hour time difference will fuck. you. right. up. I don't know that I really realized how much longer it would take from the West Coast but from doorstep to doorstep it was close to 24 hours of travel each way with absolutely no sleep because I just can't ever sleep on a plane. (I tried to catch a nap during our layover in Amsterdam but a bunch of bros sitting on the other side of the bench started having a loud, braggy conversation and let's just say it was touch and go on my ending up in an Amsterdam prison.)

I've never taken a two week trip anywhere (seriously!) so packing was more of a challenge than normal. Two weeks is a long damn time to be away from my closet and I'm definitely not a minimalist but I managed to pack just the right amount of things and I wore everything I brought which has never happened. I took my Calpak 24" suitcase (similar to this one) which I checked and my Lo & Sons Hanover Deluxe backpack was my carry-on item.

Just a note: I bought the Hanover Deluxe backpack right before the pandemic started so I'd never traveled with it before. It's big, but if you take out the insert it's surprisingly lightweight and holds a ton. I also love the little top zip pocket which was great for holding my phone and my passport. Best of all, it has a suitcase sleeve and fits under an airplane seat. It was SUCH a good travel bag. Five stars. 

Another note: Please don't come at me for checking my bag. It was just impossible to pack a carry-on for a two week trip in November, especially knowing I wanted to buy things while I was there. Don't be afraid to check a bag! 

Now, here's what I brought: 

- Three cashmere sweaters (Everlane and Quince)
- Vuori Halo sweatshirt  (a new purchase - super comfy and cute as hell.)
- Five long-sleeve layers for underneath sweaters (these are great and easy to hand-wash!)

- Two pairs of jeans (Madewell grey skinny and blue Perfect Vintage)
- Two pairs of Athleta pants (Lined Chelsea Cargo and Headlands Hybrid legging)

- All my Eby underwear, two bras
- This hideous but comfy wireless bra from Bobbie & Evelyn (the best to wear on a long flight)
- A bunch of socks, mostly Bombas (the Performance calf sock are great with boots!)
- Pajamas (aka Quince joggers, sweatshirt and an old Everlane tee. Sexy.) 

- Cole Haan Chelsea boots
- Blundstone Chelsea boots (reviewed here)
- AllBirds Tree Runner sneakers

- Helly Hansen Long Belfast coat (worn here)
- Uniqlo packable ultra light down jacket
- Mountain Hardwear Hybrid Hoodie (confession: I only wore this once.) 

- Hammitt VIP crossbody bag
- Two scarves and my Quince cashmere beanie (which I lost immediately.)

This was basically perfect for two weeks, though we did do laundry halfway through because I didn't have enough tees, underwear and socks to get me through two weeks. I also hand-wash a few things towards the end of the trip.

A few items that out-performed: 

My Blundstone boots were THE BEST. They kept my feet warm and dry and were super comfortable. I'm already considering another pair, perhaps something a bit dressier like this heeled version. 

My AirPods Pro. OMG you guys. These are what you need on an airplane when you just need the noise level to be... less. When I wanted to check out, I put these in on the noise-canceling setting and it was like floating on a quiet cloud. Just get them. You won't be sorry.

My Helly Hansen jacket was great. It's warm and mostly waterproof, but not in the way a proper raincoat is. Instead of shedding rain the top layer kind of...dries fast? Hard to explain. It stayed dry on the inside but the outside layer definitely got soaked at one point:

Hi. It's raining sideways. Other than this particular outing, we didn't get a ton of rain and the weather was pretty mild until the last few days, so I wore my Uniqlo down jacket quite a bit. It's also a good one - light but warm and packs down into a little bag. 

Oh, and my Athleta Chelsea Cargo lined pants were great for the long flights - super comfy and warm but not bulky.

Stuff and stuff: 

For my "stuff" I used my trusty old LL Bean hanging toiletry bag and also brought my little travel flat iron but left my mini hair dryer at home. (I missed it - hotel dryers are the worst.) I keep my makeup in this Dagne Dover bag which I've had for years! My new lighted travel mirror was a great purchase - it's a bit clunky but was so great for putting on makeup in under-lit hotel rooms. 

Finally, I know travel cubes are polarizing but I freaking love them. I love them so much I'm thinking about buying a nicer set because I am a mess when it comes to keeping a suitcase tidy and cubes are a game-changer. Does anyone have the Away cubes? I want those. 

That's it for the packing report! Next up I'll post about what we saw and did in Dublin and Cork. (And also what I bought!)

I'm Back! My Packing Report: Ireland.

Hi hi hi! Marianne asked me if I was going to do a packing recap of Ireland and I honestly wasn't thinking about it but hey why not? Ireland in November seems like it could be tricky when, quite honestly, wasn't that much different from Virginia in November. Let's get this started.

Our trip was mainly Dublin with a few day tours into the country thrown in. I needed to have comfortable boots that could also handle some countryside mud and rain but I also wanted a nicer city option and an airport shoe option. I brought:

- Dr. Marten Zip Chelsea Boot
- Cole Haan Chelsea Boot (newer version)
- York Athletic sneakers

Boot take up a LOT of suitcase real estate but I am really glad I brought both pairs. After a day of tromping up and down muddy hills I was very happy to have some clean, dry boots to change into for pub-going. My sneakers I only wore on the airplane/in the airports because I hate having wet feet and boots were 100% the best option for walking around in damp and rainy weather. I kept things pretty simple for clothing. Here's what I brought:

- Three warm sweaters (mainly Everlane)
- Three pairs of jeans (all Madewell)
- One nice top
- long sleeve layers to wear under sweaters
- Warm socks
- pajamas, underwear, etc.

For outerwear I brought my Helly Hansen Boyne Parka which was perfect (and aptly named, since we visited the Boyne Valley!) I also brought my packable Uniqlo puffer jacket which, because it doesn't have a hood, only got worn once. It doesn't take up much room though, so I don't regret bringing it. I brought two scarves, and a hat and gloves.

For bags, I brought my J.Crew signet bag (current version) and my Marc by Marc Jacobs hobo (current version). I ended up using my MJ hobo the entire time because I hate not having a place to stash my scarf when I get too hot. Also, dudes always be wanting to put their crap in your bag.

I did quite a bit of Christmas shopping in Dublin so I brought along a packable tote and definitely needed it for the trip back. I carried my Lo & Sons backpack for the flight and it's really just the best. (That doesn't mean I don't want the new version because I absolutely do!)

My Ireland Trip MVPs:

Obviously my HH Boyne Parka, which I bought with this trip in mind. It's lightly insulated, completely waterproof and has nice big front pockets for your phone and nice warm side pockets for your hands. It was a perfect coat for chilly (but not freezing), wet weather.

My Docs! I really put them through their paces - wet, steep, muddy climbs to go see neolithic tombs? No problem. My feet stayed dry, they're comfortable and they look cool too. I did buy some warm insoles for them which I wish I'd remembered to actually put in but on the whole these boots did great. (I will also say that some of the people on our tour did not read the email and wore really stupid shoes. Somewhere  in Germany there's a guy who's dress shoes will never be the same.)

Bombas wool socks are so legit. I have the quarter length and the calf length and both were great with my boots and kept my feet warm without being too bulky.

Uniqlo HEATTECH under layers. I bought two of these and they are the perfect layers to wear under sweaters. They are basically invisible and are inexpensive! They also seem like they'd be easy to handwash and they dry fast, so good for travel. Plus, they're cheap! I'll probably buy a few more the next time they're on sale.

What I packed didn't use:

- Dressy top
- J.Crew crossbody bag
- Hat and gloves
- A bunch of jewelry

The dressy top just wasn't warm enough since we mostly walked everywhere, so I didn't wear it for our nice dinner out. I basically wore the same jewelry daily, so bringing a selection was dumb. My crossbody bag was too small for winter travel and the hat and gloves were basically forgotten. I do wish I'd remembered to bring them on our second day tour but is wasn't super cold, so it was okay.

What I wish I had brought:

- More wool socks (note to self - buy more wool socks)
- A travel humidifier for the hotel room (Marianne loves hers!)
- Some manner of sleeping pill (I never sleep well for the first day or two of an overseas trip)

Overall, we had a great trip! Ireland is beautiful and has a really rich history. Dublin is really walkable and friendly and we had a great time! If you want more actual vacation pics, I have pinned my Ireland trip stories on IG. 

I'm Back! My Packing Report: California.

Hello! I'm back from vacation and I feel like I'm dying. It's cool, though. Totally. Never mind that four hour time difference that made getting up this morning feel like 6am was 2am. It's FINE. *quiet weeping*

As per usual, I over-packed for this trip but mostly because we were going to several places (mountains, countryside, city!) with a crazy temperature range (32°-98°!) so my solution was to bring...everything. We went to Yosemite and also spend a few days in Sacramento, with a stop in South Lake Tahoe. I had to bring workout/hiking stuff and summer clothes and cold weather gear for a week's trip. As it turns out, I only brought three tops (all short-sleeved), one jacket (denim) and one swimsuit that I didn't actually wear. Progress? I guess? Here are a few hero items that got a lot of wear and really saved me:

Here I am with my new bff - the World Famous Talking Bear

I am wearing my Dixxon flannel shirt in almost every photo because it's one of only two long-sleeved tops I packed. I wore it over whatever t-shirt I had on and it was perfect - warm and comfortable and cute!  My particular shirt was a collaboration with Bell Helmets and was a gift (thanks, Kendell!) but I think there are one or two on Poshmark. They are GREAT flannel shirts but very fitted, so size up!

After viewing the low temps at Yosemite I also packed my Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket:

It felt like overkill for September but I am SO glad I brought it because shit gets cold in the mountains.  Plus, it packs down into a tiny bag so it doesn't take up much room. It was a really good purchase and I reviewed it briefly here if you want to see what it looks like on an actual person.

Now, a hearty shout-out to my Athleta gear - I packed my Zephyr tee and shell, my Chelsea cargo pants and my Victory hoodie. Aside from the hoodie, everything packed down to nothing and stayed pretty much wrinkle-free. The Chelsea cargo pants are always my airplane pants, but are also great in hot weather when you don't want to wear shorts. The hoodie kept me warm (and layered under my down jacket like a champ) and was also great on the airplane. (Note: today is the last day of the Athleta F&F 20% off sale! They're doing individual codes, so check your email if you're on the mailing list.) 

For shoes, I only brought three pairs: my Nike sneakers, my white Birkenstocks and my recently purchased (and, um, untested) Vince Newlyn sneaker boots. All three were useful and all three got a lot of use. My Nikes got filthy from hiking dusty trails so it was nice to have a dressier (and warm) option in my Vince sneakers, which thankfully proved to be comfortable. I pretty much wore my Birkenstocks the rest of the time.

One final shoutout to my beloved Lo & Sons Hanover backpack! Its super light, fits a ton and I love the suitcase handle sleeve. The version I have is still available in a few colors on sale but they recently released a new, updated version! Eep. I want that tooooo.

I'm Back! My Packing Report: Paris.

Hi hi hi! I'm back from our trip to Paris and I have to tell you OMG EVERYTHING IS SO HARD TODAY. Real life sucks and jet lag is no joke. (Did I put my keys in the fridge when I was putting away groceries yesterday? Yes, yes I did.)

But, with each trip, I get a little better at packing. Am I an expert? God, no. I'm still pretty terrible at it, if we're being honest. I still brought four pairs of shoes and only wore two of them but we had a direct flight and checked our bags, so a bigger suitcase enabled over-packing. Here's what I bought for shoes:

- Cole Haan Chelsea boots
- Nike sneakers
- Madewell ankle boots
- Rothys flats

I didn't end up wearing my heeled boots or the flats because we were walking a ton and I wasn't sure either pair would be good for distance. I also made a very last minute decision to not bring my new Doc Martens because the weather was so unseasonably warm and sunny. I am not complaining about that and my Cole Haan Chelsea boots were a perfect replacement. (I did see a ton of Docs in Paris, though.) Here's what I bought to wear:

- Madewell jeans (high rise skinny and skinny coated)
- Everlane cashmere sweaters
- my new C&C California striped sweater
- t-shirts for wearing under my sweaters
- one fancy top
- J.Crew boatneck striped tee
- my Anthro snakeskin dress
- Athleta black cargo pants
- Three scarves
- packable Uniqlo lightweight puffer jacket
- packable long hooded puffer jacket
- AllSaints leather jacket
- socks, underwear and pajamas

I wore everything I brought except the fancy top and definitely would've been fine with only two scarves and one of the packable jackets. It was colder at night but not really that cold. (thought I hate being cold!) For carrying stuff I brought:

- Calpak 24" Danton suitcase
- Lo & Sons Hanover backpack
- J.Crew Signet crossbody

I was super happy with all three! I can't say enough things about the Hanover backpack and my new-to-me crossbody bag was just the right size and I love the secure zipper closure. More about the suitcase below.

My Travel MVPs:

AllSaints leather jacket. Marianne urged me to bring it and I was initally hesitant because it takes up a lot of real estate but I literally wore it every single day. It was a perfect layer for the mild weather and it made me feel cool as hell and not touristy. I saw a ton of leather jackets in Paris so I felt like I'd hit it just right.

Bombas wool socks. I can't usually wear wool next to my skin but Bombas wool socks are so cushy and soft! They don't itch at all and my feel were happy most of the time. They are worth every penny and the quarter length are great no-show option for wearing with chelsea boots.

Cashmere sweaters. My new C&C sweater is a winner - warm, soft, cute, doesn't pill obnoxiously. I wish I could find it online. There are some on Poshmark and eBay and you might still be able to find them at TJ Maxx. (The multicolor version is available online!) I know it's nearly springtime but this is good cashmere, y'all. I've already talked about my love for Everlane cashmere sweaters. Y'all know.

Athleta Chelsea Cargo Pants. These were my travel pants and they were perfect. Light, wrinkle-resistant and super comfortable. I was happy for the cargo pocket for stashing a few airplane essentials (lip balm, tissues, etc) so I didn't need to keep reaching into my bag. I love these cute pants! The only thing they aren't is warm, but they were fine for what I needed and I think they'll be a great casual spring/summer pant option. (I reviewed them here.)

Calpak 24" Danton suitcase. This suitcase isn't fancy and doesn't charge my phone but it is really well-made, durable and affordable. It also holds a LOT of stuff and survived being dragged over cobblestone streets with no issues. TJ Maxx always seems to have Calpak at great prices and Marianne has one too! Mine it currently available in a very cute teal color.

Edited to add a for-scale pic of my 24" suitcase. It holds a lot and I've been quite happy with it. (Also, a little bit of Daniel tail in that photo...) 

London and Paris Trip, Part Two.

Here's part two of my trip! Mostly just my packing update and some info about where we stayed.

Packing

Soooo, packing. I definitely over-thought a lot of aspects of the packing but I was really trying to avoid that thing I usually do where I bring a bunch of stuff that I never end up wearing. This time I tried to edit really carefully. I made sure everything I brought worked together and I stuck to a very limited palette (ie a lot of black.) The list of things I packed can be found here and I did bring the Everlane ponte pants and my metallic flats, which were both question marks.

So, what did I not wear? My Everlane ponte pants and my metallic flats. Ha, I know! I should've trusted my instincts on those but the weather ended up being quite a bit hotter than expected so the ponte pants never got worn. I also wish I'd brought a pair of sandals instead of the flats because my feet could've used a break from socks/shoes.

Another item I wish I'd rethought was my cashmere sweater. The weather was just too warm for it so instead I wore it on the flight home (9+ hours) and was happy to have it because the plane was freezing. (I did end up tearing it off dramatically in the Zurich airport which was hot as balls.) Luckily, I'd bought this Everlane tee to wear underneath and it was a perfect light, fitted layer.

As I mentioned yesterday, my other light sweater was a big disappointment. It looked and felt great initially but one day of wearing it and it was pilled all to hell. I didn't end up wearing it again because it looked so terrible. Stupid BR.

Both jackets I bought were perfect - my Madewell hoooded jacket came in handy on the one rainy morning we had and my denim jacket was a perfect light layer (though I ended up carrying it a lot.)

My sneakers were great, as previously mentioned, but I was happy to change into my Chelsea boots in the evening to give my feet a break. I did really miss my Birkenstocks, I'll admit.

Oh, another thing I brought that I should've left at home - my little mini hairdryer! It's a fantastic dryer but even though it's dual voltage and we had a converter it still overheated almost immediately. Plus, both hotels had hairdryers anyway. Hmph. I was able to use my mini flat iron and it fit in my toiletry bag, which was great.

One last thing! I should've added this folding travel bag to my reviews yesterday. I bought it on Amazon ($14!) and used it, stuffed full of our purchases, as my carry-on bag on the way home. it's great, especially for the price.

Accommodations

I was asked by reader Sarah to talk about our hotels! We booked the whole trip through Tripmasters which I highly recommend (uh, based on our one experience) as it gives you all kinds of options at great prices and books the whole thing. We were given wide choice of hotels and picked based on cost, reviews and location.

Ibis Shoreditch, London

Ibis is a chain but it was inexpensive and fairly well-located. The lobby was really cute and there was a bar, but based on our one drink order I'm not sure the bartender had ever actually made a cocktail. Our room was clean and cute and predictably very small. I don't mind small but that room could have really used some hooks for hanging things as the closet area was teensy.

The bathroom was... pretty awful. Basically a tiny round plastic pod with no fan. Also, we were allotted one small sad towel each. No hand towel, no washcloth. (We did ask for more small, scratchy towels and they were delivered promptly.) There was an air conditioner but we could never get it to do more than grudgingly blow lukewarm air, so the room was warm which made it hard to sleep.

Where the Ibis delivered was the buffet breakfast. We paid extra for it (I think?) and it was totally worth it. They had eggs, sausage, bacon (and other English "full breakfast" items like baked beans), assorted pastries and breads, juice, fresh fruit, smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, you name it. I am a big breakfast person so it was nice to fuel up before going out to see the sights. Oh, and the Ibis has free wifi which was great.

Would we stay here on our next trip to London? Probably not. I think for the money we could find something a bit more charming and perhaps in a different part of town. I enjoyed the college/downtown vibe of Shoreditch but the hotel room wasn't very comfortable.

Hôtel des Nations St-Germain

Our hotel in Paris was in the Latin Quarter and we really loved it. It was small and quite charming, with friendly staff. Our room was tiny and overlooked the street via a Juliet balcony! We loved being able to open the windows and take in the street action.

The bathroom was also super small but it was an actual real bathroom so we were happy. The only downside was the shower which was about the size of a phone booth - one wrong turn and you'd hit the handle with an elbow or hip and turn the water off. But, it functioned and the water was hot so not a big deal for us. 

The air conditioning worked great (did I mention how much warmer the weather was than expected?) and there was wifi but it was a pretty weak signal and I had a hard time connecting. The hotel had a breakfast buffet (€12) which was quite nice but not as fun as going to a cafe for breakfast. We did both and decided we preferred going out. I mean: 

Carrbbbbbbs! It was all delicious and I believe it was €9 each. Would we stay at the Hotel des Nations again? Absolutely. Aside from the tiny shower it suited our needs perfectly. It was very close to a ton of restaurants and shops and within walking distance of Notre Dame.

I really didn't do much shopping in Paris (mostly walking and eating) but I did stop in a pharmacy and bought a few things:

Nothing too exciting but it was fun. I promise I'll be more shoppy on our next trip! We'll have more time so I can plan it out better. That's it for today! Thanks again for all your comments and suggestions. It's been really fun to share this with all of you! 

I'm Back From My Trip! Here's What I Learned.

HI HI HI. I am back from the best vacation of my life and thanks to all of you who checked out my IG stories on my personal account and the blog account. Also, again, I really appreciate the advice, recommendations, and suggestions I got from all of you! We only had 2 1/2 days in each city so, while we covered a lot of ground, it still feel like we barely scratched the surface. My thoughts:

London. London is totally my kind of place and I felt right at home (even if everything is backwards and I almost got run over by a bus because I looked in the wrong direction.) Such an great city! I loved the tube, I loved the style and vibe of the city and it was so beautiful. And efficient! I don't know how else to describe it but it was an easy city to navigate. Everywhere we went we were blown away by the history and architecture.

And London fashion tip: leather jackets are the thing. Everyone was wearing beautiful leather jackets so obviously I marched right over to Allsaints and bought one like the fashion zombie I am. I am not even kidding. Also, if you visit London you must go to Liberty. It's the most charming tiny department store full of beautiful things and the people who work there are extremely friendly and helpful. I didn't buy a tote bag but I did buy this little zipper pouch. Apparently it's for sunglasses but I'm using it as a wallet. Carnaby street in general was really fun and charming.

Paris. From the second we got off the train I was basically losing my mind. IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE THAT. Like walking back in time! And the light was unreal!  Paris exceeded all expectations and we both fell in love and are already planning our next trip because two days in Paris is not enough days. Marianne asked what my favorite part was and this was my reply:

Favorite things: Wandering around the tiny medieval streets in the Marais district; French breakfast (carbs on carbs!); coming up from any metro station and gasping every single time; walking up the tiny staircase in Sainte Chapelle and being breathless at how fucking beautiful it is; sitting next to the chicest woman I’ve ever seen in my life at a cafe on Île Saint-Louis and being like, THIS IS MY LIFE TOO; making a pharmacist beam when I attempted to speak French while making a purchase. 

It's pure magic, you guys. I didn't buy much in Paris because we were either trying to see everything or we were sitting outside at various cafes recovering from seeing everything. I do want to mention that learning a bit of French before we left was super valuable. Everyone in Paris was very kind and made it easy for us because we made an effort. (We did witness some terrible American (and other) tourist behavior and were both moderately delighted when the crêpe stand guy assumed we were Dutch.)

Packing: How Did I Do?

Now, I knew that I was really overthinking the packing process but you guys stuck with me and I'm going to write a whole aftermath post about it tomorrow. Also, we checked our luggage and it was fine. REPEAT: We checked out luggage and it was FINE. Don't be afraid to check your luggage! (I mean, if you have three flight connections maybe don't but for direct flights or one connection, you'll be good.)

Stuff: How Did It Work Out? 

I bought a fair amount of stuff for this trip and here are my quick reviews:

Travelon Anti Theft Classic Backpack. My backpack worked okay though in retrospect I think it's a bit too small. I appreciated the many pockets and used it mostly for the traveling portions of our trip. However, I'm glad I didn't pay more than $45 as one of the locking zipper pulls broke almost immediately and the lack of double zippers was immensely frustrating. It's fine for a day pack but I think I'll find something a bit bigger and better quality for my next trip.

Turtl Travel Pillow. I used it and it was...okay. I am bad at sleeping on planes and I'm not convinced this thingy is the answer to my airplane pillow prayers but I used it and it was fine. I did like that I could shove it in my backpack when I wasn't using it.

LL Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag. This is the BEST EVER. The medium bag fit all my crap for a week, even my tiny travel flat iron! It held up like a champ and I was grateful for the hook because European hotel bathrooms are the tiniest. I also loved the detachable shower caddy. This bag is probably the best $30 I've spent in a while.

Nike Free RN 2018. These were great! I wore them all over London and Paris and they were comfortable and lightweight. Nike generally fits me well so I wasn't surprised.

Athleta Soho Jogger. Soooo, yeah. Confession time. I have been thrifting on the regular to find things for my Poshmark closet and I found the lined version in grey (slightly older style) in my size for $4. FOUR AMERICAN DOLLARS. So, I returned the Soho joggers but only because why pay $89 when you have perfectly good $4 airplane pants? And they were perfect! I was warm and comfortable.

Vince Camuto Gally crossbody. I bought this on Posh because my MBMJ crossbody was way too small. The VC bag was perfect for what I needed during the day - just big enough for my giant phone, lip gloss, tissues, money/cards and sunglasses. It had two zip compartments and felt secure. Nobody picked my pockets is what I'm saying. Definitely a keeper!

Banana Republic Silk-Cotton Pointelle sweater. Don't buy this. I panic-bought it in black a few days before we left so I'd have a super-light sweater option. It's cute and comfortable and pills so badly that after one wear it looked like total shit. I am going to try to return it because what the actual hell, BR. You're back on my list.

THIS IS A LONG POST. More tomorrow!

Stuff I Don't Like: Packing.

HELLO. I am leaving for my trip TOMORROW. London! Paris! I can hardly believe it and I'm super excited. I've re-read all of your fabulous comments on my initial travel stuff post and taken it to heart. All week long I've been working on my packing list and it's confounding. Packing? Is hard. Trying to pack light? IS HARD.

A: Girl, I need your help.

M: What??

A: MY JACKET GAME IS NOT TIGHT FOR THIS TRIP

M: Hahahahaha

A: Okay, London is 53-74 degrees, probably raining on Saturday

M: You are going to give yourself an ulcer

A: I already have an ulcer and someone stole my dinner so I am PRETTY KEYED UP

A: Paris is 58-84 and sunny!

A: What fucking jackets do I take to cover all of this

M: I say this with LOVE but you are overthinking this

A: WELL, OBVIOUSLY

ANYWAY! She talked me down and we discussed all my options. And before you judge my packing anxiety please remember that a) I don't travel a lot and b) I am not a laid-back person. Anxiety is my cardio, you guys. ALSO: decisions have been made! I am not seeking advice! Do not make me cry by pointing out everything I am doing wrong! I have to live, you guys. Now this is what I’ve decided to take (more or less):

• 3 short sleeve tops
• 2 long sleeve tops
• 2 long sleeve layering t-shirts
• 2 light sweaters (one cotton, one cashmere) 
• 2-3 jeans/pants (boyfriend, coated skinny, maybe ponte pants)
• airplane pants
• pajamas
• Madewell jacket
• denim jacket
• sneakers
• chelsea boots
• metallic flats (?)
• small crossbody bag
• 2 scarves
• jewelry

All of this all fits easily in a medium-sized suitcase (which I'm checking) with plenty of room left for whatever I buy on my trip. I'm sticking to a palette of mostly black, navy, grey and olive green. Marianne in her wisdom laid out my outfit options in two versions:

Chilly weather: Madewell jacket (similar) + sweater + jeans + scarf + Chelsea boots + crossbody 

Warmer weather: Denim jacket (pictured) + cotton top + jeans + sneakers + light scarf + crossbody

I feel good about this! It's all my favorite stuff, lots of layers, easy outfits. I am taking a break from the blog next week but I'll be posting updates on my personal IG and on the Looks Good IG, so follow along if you so wish! And thanks again for all your great advice and comments on previous travel posts. Y'all are the best. 

What I Wore on Vacation.

I'm back! I had every intention of posting an outfit this morning but a flight delay got me home late last night and I somehow managed to turn off my alarm in my sleep. SO. As you can imagine, I feel really great today. So awake.

Instead of an outfit, I'm going to tell you a fascinating tale about what I wore on my vacation. I should start by saying that I suuuuuuck at packing. I rarely travel so I don't have a lot of practice and I always end up bringing a ton of stuff I don't wear.

For the Knoxville leg of my vacation it didn't matter much because I drive there, so I can basically bring everything I own and have lots of options to ignore. For the Chicago leg I carried one medium sized duffle bag so I packed really light...and still managed to bring stuff I didn't wear. It's a gift.

Here's what I wore the most (which is also true in life):

First, my very casual space dye dress (mine is a random TJ Maxx brand that you can see here.) It's a total summer workhorse. It worked well as a sundress, a swimsuit coverup, and was also super comfortable on the plane ride to Chicago. Mostly I wore cut-offs and t-shirts. I mean, it's summer in TN.

I also wore my new Boden bikini (On sale right now! I have the halter top and tie-side bottom it in navy.) which ended up being a good quality but inexpensive option for me. While in Knoxville we spent an amazing day on a pontoon boat so I wore my Altheta Kata swim shorts with the Boden bikini top and was comfortable all day:

(By the way, I'm wearing Oakley aviators and Marianne is wearing Ray-Ban Erikas which earned her a "Hey, cooool 'Bans" comment from the cute teenage boy working at the marina.)

My Daydreamer brand Bowie tee was a TJ Maxx find by Marianne and it's my holy grail Bowie shirt! The one pictured is the same brand but mine looks like this:

It's the perfect worn-in drapey tee that I'd been searching for but couldn't find online and I can't stop wearing it. My Chicago wardrobe was pretty much the same but I switched out shorts for Banana Republic distressed skinny jeans because the weather was so glorious:

I'm wearing them with my split-back Old Navy Tank and my Birkenstock Gizeh sandals which got a LOT of mileage this past week. They're awesome. While I was in Chicago, my friend Ashley took me to Uniqlo where we tried on prrrrrretty much everything:

Then I made her take selfies with me because that's how I do.

Things I packed but did not wear in Knoxville: Half of what I brought. Things I packed but did not wear in Chicago: shorts, long sleeved peasant top. Thing I wore in both places that I should probably burn: my drapey black cardigan that is now traumatized from being balled up in my purse, shoved in my carry-on bag and other similar abuses. It's having a day of rest at home and I'm wearing my new teal Uniqlo cardigan instead.

That's my vacation wrap-up! I will be back with an outfit tomorrow unless I oversleep again. It's a very real possibility.

Marianne: Packing Light

Here's a little secret: I went on a whirlwind trip to New York a couple of weekends back, to attend the New York Food & Wine Festival. I know! How could I have kept this from you! Well, I had a last second freak out that one of our 29 whole readers would see that I was gone and come rob me. I have issues.


But more importantly, what did I wear? Well, as mentioned, this was an incredibly quick trip, and I did not want to take more than a small carry on. So my clothes needed to pull double duty. Once again, I harkened back to this post and decided that I needed ole' Gwennie's uniform. Enter the trenchcoat (the fall version of her peacoat, I've decided):
And hello to the gorgeous Maritime Hotel! I loved that place. Anyway, under the trench...

You guessed it, sweater dress, ponte leggings, and flat black boots. A word about these selections. In my search for the Perfect Sweater Dress, I started out at Target and let me just say OMG HELL NO. Just. No. I then girded my loins and went across the street to Loft. And y'all? Loft makes clothes for grown women.

Not only is this sweater dress supremely comfortable, it looks just as good as it does here with leopard flats, black tights, and a wide belt. Which you'll have to take my word on, because I didn't take any more pictures. Loser!

Okay, I took one more picture, with my phone. I have to give these leggings a huge thumbs up. They are pricey, yes, but I got them for 40% off. And they are so thick and sturdy that they feel like actual PANTS, not glorified tights like some leggings. And while I'm sure I wouldn't know about this, you can't even see cellulite through them. They are good.

sweater dress: Loft

ponte leggings: Loft
boots: J. Crew (similar here)
trench: Banana Republic
bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs old-style Faridah