James Perse t-shirt dress | old, size 3
Birkenstock Arizona sandals
Well. After the “drama” and very real anxiety I had packing for this trip, I still didn’t do a great job. I was very happy with the Acne dress for the wedding Friday night, and was glad I could send it home with Leo since I wasn’t going to wear it again. I did end up buying some shorts at H&M on Saturday when we picked up my step-son for lunch, which turned out to be useful for dinner at a beach bar. But I’m missing more t-shirts, and even a long sleeve shirt or two and I wish I’d brought leggings.
I brought too many pieces for wearing “out” and not enough for wearing at home. I wish I’d brought some leggings or sweatpants and an oversized tee or something to throw on at home. As I write this, I’m wearing my SoLow mini dress, which is good because it has 3/4 sleeves, but it’s short, and I have to watch how I sit! And I certainly can’t wear it out in public without leggings underneath. Which I didn’t bring.
Anyway, I feel like I failed again at packing light. My “problem” as it were, is that I’m not good at lounging around at home in things I want to wear “out” shopping or going to dinner, or whatever, so I bring two “sets” of clothes. I generally have specific pieces that I wear at home, which don’t see the light of day very often. I don’t even like to just sit around at home in a JP t-shirt because I like it to be clean and in “good shape” for wearing out if I need to. Packing would be easier if I could make my clothes do double-duty…
Ugh. Perhaps I DO have a disorder 😉
*kidding*
How do you make your clothes do double-duty? Do you? Or do you pack like I do??
*I was struck by how different I am in this regard when I read a post on Girls of a Certain Age recently. She was sitting Shiva at her mom’s house and mentioned that she spent a lot of time wearing her Zero Maria Cornejo silk pants. I have no idea if that was at home, or out, or whatever, but I sort of envied that she can do that. I just have a mental block against wearing certain things at home. I mean…what’s going to happen if I sit around in my James Perse crepe pants? I’ll be comfortable? Get my money’s worth? Look chic??? I really must get over that.
Oh, and who’s ordered some of the new poplin from Everlane? I am going to order the dress I’m sure, but will wait until I get home. I am a little concerned that it’ll be sort of narrow at the bottom though, if anyone orders it I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I wear flannel PJ bottoms and tees and camisoles at home. So if I pack for my mom’s house, fine. Anywhere else, I guess I’ll just be wearing a lot of boyfriend jeans and slightly nicer tees:). And then change to go out, I agree.
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Just what is it about packing?! agonize and still get it wrong! Home is for loungewear, comfy clothes…I save nice things for public…at home I want comfort. After working 40 years, having to be professionally dressed and out the door early 5 days a week, in retirement it’s perfectly fine to be comfy in the privacy of home I say.
First of all, that dress is lovely on you, and your hair is bangin’! Second of all, I’m now a little nervous to pack for a longish (10-11 days) trip England/Paris/Stockholm this Thursday. Like you, I try to figure out how to do double duty with some clothes, but I think I err on the side of casual, or at least solid colored, weirdly expensive tees in hopes that i can jazz it up with some jewelry (only happens sometimes).
Oh and another weird coincidence, but I’m going to a wedding in England on this trip. Instead of dressing my style (minimalist, drapey, hangy, boy sexy clothes), I bought a sort of demure, frou-frou, vintage-looking dress for the wedding because that’s the vibe I think. (It looks good, but I’m starting to hate it. Too late!) Weddings are tricky because one wants to look appropriate but still enjoy her own style — that kinda stuff just doesn’t happen for me for weddings or workwear (though I’m a grad student, so I only need to suit up for conferences). Maybe you can post something specific about the former — different kinds of wedding guest styles (country, city, beach, etc.)? Especially because I like your taste…obviously.
-Sheera
P.S. screw the hater from the last post!
So sorry, I was trying to say I’m in total agreement with Gretchen re packing and also saving nice things for “going out” . Really do enjoy the blog and cute style.
I agree. But I also still wear clothes, never pajamas…I never wanted to change to take the dog for a walk. Guess I’m higher maintenance than I thought I was …
I got it!! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Oh my gosh, Pam! I didn’t mean you or your comment at all. Now I must apologize, because I meant the woman talking about Histrionics in the last post Gretchen posted!
Eep!
Obviously didn’t mean to offend anyone (except maybe the mean commenter from a few days ago). Feel free to edit or delete! :/ Sorry again!
I love that short dress! I’m glad you enjoyed the Acne dress at the wedding -that color is SO amazing on you!
When I travel, I have one pair of leggings & a t-shirt (shorts or a silk caftan from Goodwill if it’s warm weather) I wear for lounging in the hotel or if I’m with family. (I don’t wear pjs) Or I wear exercise capri & tank if I bring exercise clothing (I think I’ve mentioned that in the past – didn’t bring exercise clothing on my Portland trip last week) Went to the hotel pool last week and didn’t want to walk through hotel in my bathing suit – forgot a pareo – used my new (thrifted) EF white sleeveless tunic as a coverup. Perfect double duty!
it’s no problem!!!
ok. we need to get our initials straight…i thought for a second EF meant emerson fry, and i was like, what?? emerson fry thrifted?? i need to hit up your thrift shops 🙂
i brought only one running skirt and tank for exercising, thinking i would wash them, which i will, but i wish i’d brought an “exercise” t-shirt (i can’t wear JP to get sweaty) or short leggings also. i just overthink these things, and of course, nothing else is necessary, i just wish i had them. i WISH i could travel with my entire wardrobe, but i can’t, so i need to get over that idea and just accept that i’ll have to wear things more than once (which i DO at home) and suck it up!!
i love that you’re going outside your box for your dress, it sounds lovely! i think having an occasion to shop for pushes us a little bit – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. i think i’ll wear my acne dress over the summer, not every day, but it would be fun to wear while hosting a dinner, for example, or an afternoon cookout – assuming i can bring myself to wear it without having a VERY SPECIAL occasion LOL
i was very worried about being appropriate actually, but i also think a lot about fitting in, you know? i worry too much about it, i’m sure, but even though i DO like to stand out, and never look the same as anyone else, i try to not rock the boat TOO much, and look appropriate, especially if it’s someone else’s party. i always end up looking very different anyway though. only a few of us were wearing long dresses, and mine was the only one that was such an non-traditional shape, but i didn’t feel out of place at all.
and thanks for the post idea…i’ll try to tackle it, although i am BY NO MEANS any sort of expert on what to wear as a wedding guest. obviously!
Oh, I always over pack and then I vow to never do it again and make a list of the essentials. And it never works out because I may “need” some article of clothing.
I was perusing the Everlane site and I love the french terry long sleeve top .. may order the mauve.
Monica.
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i have two of those french terry sweatshirts monica – they’re very soft and comfortable, but they do pill quite easily/fast – even following instructions to not dry them. just be aware!!
So glad you were pleased with your wedding-guest outfit. Sorry that you’re not happy with your packing overall. It’s always a work in progress, isn’t it. I’m still perfecting my packing.
I’ve just posted to my blog a step-by-step guide on how I pack just a carry-on using “packing math.” (Does that make me self-centred and disordered? :)) I”m sorry it’s too late for you for this trip, but there’s lots of summer left.
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I am EXACTLY like you when it comes to lounging vs. “wear out” clothes! ( And obviously a lot of other ways, too????)
I don’t know why, but I just have to shed my daytime/work clothes as soon as I get home, and likewise, I cannot wear something out to dinner, etcetera. that I’ve worn all day. I wonder if it harkens back to being a kid. The first thing my mom would tell me when I came in the door was, “Go wash-up and then change into your play clothes!” I think the idea was really ingrained in me that there were two very separate and distinct milieus for clothing: dressy and play. So, if you were raised at all like me, that makes sense.
I read Kim France’s post, too, and the same thing struck me: ” Whoa! She’s wearing $500 CASUAL pants at home?!?” I think we need to give ourselves permission to look good if and when we feel like it, and to slug-out in our comfies when we want to!
Oh, and the Everlane dress us AWESOME! I’d wear it over white jeans or leggings in a heartbeat (but probably too short for me in real-life!). I also love the poplin shirts they’re going to feature!
Well, now I’m gonna “analyze” you. You didn’t fail at packing, just because you forgot some faves. I’d chalk it up to a lesson learned. You’ll have plenty of packing to do in the future, since you and Leo will be traveling. And if you have a “disorder,” join the club! (Said with a smirk directed towards Kirsten.)
First of all, you look great in that dress!
As for the packing, I’m currently in the throes of, once again cramming a month’s living into a carry-on bag as we head to Europe for a month. We’ll be 2 weeks in a rented house that we’ve stayed in before so it feels like home, and last year I ended up buying pj bottoms/lounging pants made of viscose (yuck!, I hated them) because I was desperate for something loungey — obv., I could have bought better pjs but I didn’t want to shop long or pay too much, knowing I had the perfect ones at home already. So yes, I relate, and I’m trying to think that through this time, but whatever space I displace by bringing the lounging stuff, I’ll probably regret elsewhere, no?
I think it’s cool to challenge oneself to try new things. I do it with food all the time, so why not clothes?????
That being said, my daughter is getting married out here in “Farhampton” in October, (If you watch “How I Met Your Mother” you’ll know what I mean!) and it’s not on the beach, but still a very casual Beachy vibe. So, here’s my conundrum: How do I dress as Mother of the Bride, look “special but not precious” and still feel comfortable and true to myself, which is pretty minimalist in dresses?
The groom’s mom asked me if I was wearing a long dress and I said no, because it’s just not me, and I didn’t feel that it suited the wedding venue (I’m pretty up-front but try not to be hurtful !), but she seemed surprised.
Here’s one of my candidates (Think artsy cuff bracelet and earrings, or statement necklace, plus low heels…a must for me!): Karen Kane Faux Wrap Dress in Emerald Green
Excellent point, RJS! I look at life that way, so why not packing, too? Once again, we need to allow ourselves the grace to fail and to realize that it teaches us something.
P.S. If you had fun on vacation, it’s a WIN!!!