Not my actual bag, mine is berry colored with teal straps and base and zips on topWhat I Packed:
- Crushable straw hat (didn’t wear… didn’t even find until the last day)
- Two one-piece bathing suits (only wore one but believe in bringing a second one just in case)
- Loose longer denim cutoffs
- Shorter denim cutoffs
- Pink oxford shirt from Lands End Canvas
- Black zip-up hoodie
- Black yoga pants
- My red striped jersey maxi dress from Gap
- My olive knit sundress from Banana Republic Outlet
- The same dress in a purple print
- Navy cotton sundress from J. Crew Outlet (seen in my update post)
- My mauve boyfriend cardigan
- My yellow merino boyfriend cardigan
- A yellow ribbed tank (same color as cardi) from J. Crew Outlet
- White shorts from Target
- One pair of dark jeans (never wore them)
- White and navy striped bracelet-sleeve scoop tee from J. Crew
- My olive cargo jacket from Caslon
- Purple thin jersey nightgown from Shimera (similar silhouette but mine is opaque jersey)
- My “Make Art Not War” tee
- White v-neck tee from Ann Taylor
- My brown, white and blue print cotton top from Banana Republic Outlet (never wore)
- A random pair of sunglasses picked up at the DC Sip & Swap (because I couldn’t find my Ray-Ban aviators)
- My tan suede tote from J. Crew (old, beatup, good pockets, can become a crossbody)
- Black Reef “Sandy” flip flops
- New Balance sneakers and two pairs of no-see-um socks
- Tan sandals from Softspots
- And while there, I purchased a very soft and lightweight blue tee advertising our cousins’ restaurant
The house advertised laundry facilities, but I wasn’t going to rely on them. Was happy to find out that they did in fact have a washer and dryer, as well as detergent and a clothes line.
On the way down, I wore the pink oxford with the looser denim cutoffs and the tan sandals. Most days I wore shorts with a tee or tank; come evening I usually switched into a dress. I wore the navy J. Crew dress a lot because it’s 100% cotton and not jersey – it dried fast if I got it wet near the lake, it was breezy, and it was low-fuss. I wore the tan sandals almost exclusively. The flip flops were too casual and not good if we walked long distances, and these sandals are incredibly comfortable. I was going to return them, and then took them by chance and now adore them. The oxford was a smart choice – I wore open as a beach coverup, paired with the white shorts for a more put-together look, as well as wearing them on the ride down with very casual shorts.
What I Wish I Brought:
- A bathrobe. My husband’s family is the type that gets up, grabs a cup of coffee, and checks email or sits out on the deck in sleepwear. My nightgown is… well it’s pretty. I guess it could be seen as sexy since it has a low neckline (I bought it back when still nursing because it worked well for that while still being a style I found attractive). I ended up wearing it with my yellow cardigan, feeling a bit ridiculous. If I had brought my navy jersey robe from Lands End, I would have been a far happier camper.
- Beat-up loose jeans. I have one pair… and they are too big. I don’t own any casual jeans right now, all my pairs are from NYDJ and are dark and fitted. We went to a farm, we spent a lot of time near or on the water, we stayed up until midnight around the dining table playing card games, we sat in the grass and looked at the stars – it would have been nice to do it in denim instead of yoga pants or a low-cut maxi dress.
- My aviators. The sunglasses I brought were fine, but they are really big and a bit heavy. It would have been nice to have my trusty aviators; I have had them for three years and they are like a second skin when worn.
This was a very casual week – the one night we went out to dinner it was at the cousins’ restaurant and fellow diners were wearing jeans and Tevas (it is small-town Vermont after all). That night I wore the purple print jersey dress and the sandals and brought along the mauve cardigan for when the sun set. One day we planned on going to Montpieler and I put on the striped tee and cargo jacket with the more fitted cutoffs, and it was appropriate for going “into town.” There really wasn’t much need for fancier duds, and locals probably could tell I was a tourist from a mile away with my wardrobe.
As for beauty products, I kept it pretty simple:
- Nature’s Gate Awapuhi Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner (smaller bottles than my Pureology and I wanted to try it out since they were kind enough to send it to me)
- bodycology Body Wash
- Venus razor and extra blade
- Scrubby
- Bar of hotel soap
- Neutrogena Foaming Face Wash
- bodycology Body Lotion (which doubled as hair styling lotion)
- DDF SPF 15 moisturizer
- Olay eye cream
- CVS brand night cream (I think it’s a copy of Olay)
- Dove Clinical Strength (for night) and Fresh (for day) deodorant
- Hairdryer (never used) and curling iron (used once on bangs)
- Almay Smart Shade foundation
- Cover Girl Lash Blast waterproof in Black
- Shu Eumura lash curler
- Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm in Rose
- Cargo Matte BeachBlush in Tenerife
- Toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss
Back in the days of Sassy magazine, I read where a girl had loose curls in her hair and she kept them glossy and slightly controlled by a small amount of Lubriderm. I have found that when I leave the DC area and experience well water or soft water, this works great for my hair as well. I will lotion up the bod, then a tiny bit more on my already lotioned hands, rub it in, and then touch the tips of the hair and work from the bottom up. Scrunch, let air dry and the small bit of lotion will keep frizz at bay, give a soft shine, and enough hold that my hair won’t be completely flat in an hour.
The Nature's Gate shampoo and conditioner smelled great, and is sulfate-free so it didn't ravage my hair. I also love what Nature's Gate is about, and how they use natural ingredients and work hard to be a sustainable company. However, my hair is pretty finicky when I change shampoos and I could tell the difference in the way my hair acted and looked while in Vermont. I think this shampoo would be good for those with very fine hair and those who don't color and ravage their hair like I do mine. My husband has become a fan and has taken over the bottles now that we have gotten home.
Fashion and beauty really weren’t on my radar while on vacation, and it was nice to have a vacation not just from work but also from being so concerned about my appearance. Since I have built up a useful wardrobe, I didn’t have to stress about what to take – I just took the clothes I wear on weekends and it worked out.
For a while after having Emerson, I was at a loss on weekends. It was either stretched out postpartum knits, or dressy work clothes. As I have come to find myself again, I have also found my casual self. I have figured out what types of clothes work for weekends and after hours that are simple, carefree, but still fit my personal style. I have found casual dressing to be far more difficult than social or corporate attire because there is so much gray area. If I go to brunch or the movies, I will have friends who will wear designer sundresses, and other friends who will wear tee shirts and cargo shorts. It took a while for me to find my niche, a style that is appropriate, but also me. A bit preppy, a bit boho, everything machine washable and everything works with the same pair of sandals, though can be dressed up with different accessories.
