In the summer I travel a lot - trips to see Adam wherever he is stationed for baseball, trips for Miss Idaho things, sometimes a blog conference or two, always some drives to my hometown. Basically I look for any excuse to stay busy, especially on the weekends since I am husbandless during that time. Because of all my trips, I am always looking for ways to pack light. I don't love checking a bag, I prefer to carry it on and off - which means I need to find pieces of clothing that will translate to every vacation scenario you can think of and multiple scenarios per location to save on space. For example - something that will work well in the dry heat of Utah or in the humidity of Alabama but will also be able to double for a day out in the sun, a day of shopping, or going to church. If I can find one thing for all three of those events then I know I can wear it at least twice during the trip. Last year it was flowy tunics that could double with shorts and skirts - this year I wanted a simple dress to layer and accessories differently. And I found it at Olive Avenue.
First up is a more dressy take on the tee dress. I decided to pair it with a hat and heels. I am a big fan of traveling with at least one hat and one pair of heels on any trip. You never know when you might be trapped in the sun and need some shade, be running late and need to throw on a hat, or grab some heels for a fancier meal. I always go with neutrals so it can be worn with whatever.
Dress: Olive Avenue
Hat: Cents of Style
Shoes: Target
Okay – so I threw on the hat and the heels for this look. This is something that I would be able to wear for brunch with the girls out on the patio. Or if I was heading out shopping but had a lunch date right before or after. I could easily remove the hat to dress it up a tiny bit more for church or a dinner out that is a little more dressed up. But with all that being said – I could trade the dress in for something a little more casual by swapping out just one accessory and different shoes.
Dress: Olive Avenue
Chambray: Downeast Basics
Shoes: Converse
For the more dressed down version of this look I took off the hat and the heels and traded it in for a chambray and some sneaks. This is a simpler look that I would wear out running errands, to a baseball game, or to a quick lunch with Adam before taking him to the field. So with just five items – a dress, two pairs of shoes, and two accessories – I was able to create two different looks. But it doesn’t have to stop there, and that is what I love about this dress! I could put the chambray on and tie it up to give the dress a totally different feel and remove the floral baseball tee portion completely for a dressed up variety, or I could put it on and leave it down and unbuttoned for the same removal and a more casual feel. Tie it up, wear the hat, and put on the heels is a whole different look. Basically what I am getting at is I could pack these five items and be covered for about 3 days worth of events all because of this dress. And beyond that, it is light enough to keep me living the good like whether I am in humidity or a desert. I call this a win, win, win and I am loving having it in my summer packing list. What sort of things do you look for when packing for vacations?
