#tipsforpacking

I know because when you are a mom and go on vacation with 3 kids, you have to think about ALL of their outfits and then figure out your own.

In my case, I also have to figure out how they will all coordinate (because I’m anal like that).  I also think group pictures look best when everyone’s outfits/colors harmonize.

You have to consider where you are going, what the climate will be like that time of the year and what activities you will be taking a part of.

In my case this year, we were going to Florida to visit my parents, and have fun with the kids.  Having fun with the kids involved trips to the beach, waterparks, baseball games, a fishing excursion, and the fourth of July.  They were good for those activities with their tons of tees, polos, cargo shorts, jeans etc…  

But for me, things were a bit more complicated.  See, I have so many more things to consider.  For me a vacation involves fashion even if it’s for a trip to the Dinosaur Park.  It’s not a real vacation if I didn’t get to do fashion on it.  Is anybody out there with me?

So, here is what I wore and further down my 5 tips to help you pack your looks too.

On our fishing trip.  

This look is really just a pair of paper bag waist shorts and a tank with a ton of accessories to spruce it up.  I didn’t do much fishing in it, mainly because I am in charge of documenting everyone else having fun (Can you say mom life?).  In other words, I’m the photog/videographer.  But it was a fabulous and thrilling boat ride (I had to hold on to my hat so that it didn’t fly off) and the kids caught some fish that we actually ate for dinner that night!  We chartered with Captain Geoff Horowitz.  I highly recommend this adventure if you’re in Florida.  It was a ton of fun!

At Clearwater Beach

Gotta say this is one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been in Florida.  This beach was named one of the best in the world!  And it is breathtaking.  Wearing my favorite swimsuit here.  It is a modest monokini and it is the perfect balance of sexy and sporty.

Don’t I look like an 80′s aerobics instructor here?  Here we are with hints of black in our beach wear and trying really hard to keep our eyes open in the sun!

Heading to the Dinosaur Park

The kids had a blast in this dinosaur world and I was pleasantly surprised at the gorgeous greenery in this park.  I took a ton of pictures for inspiration.  It was like a tropical paradise!  I chose jeans for this one and a floral peplum top I made years ago because I loved the print so much.  I fit right it!

Riding in Port Saint Lucie

My parents have this adorable tricycle and it is so much fun taking turns riding it  around the block.  My favorite thing about this ride is that it’s red!  And I had to dress the part.  Wearing a pink and red sweetheart top and khaki shorts.

There is actual footage of me riding this baby down the block.  Watch it here

Extra Tip of the day:  Bring a wide-brim hat if you travel to Florida.  It will shield you from the hot, hot rays.  It comes in very handy when there is no shade in sight.

In Search of the Sunset

This place was recommended to us by our fishing captain and it is the South Beach Jetty.  We waited and it was worth it!  What a beautiful view and gorgeous sunset over the water!  It looks great in these pictures, but no where near how amazing and romantic it looked in person.  I wore a black halter with crisscross straps, the same khaki shorts as the last pic and a pair of red earrings by Caviar Noir to make it all pop.

(Sometimes we take 5 minutes away from the kids to pretend we are on a date night!)

So, here are my 5 tips to packing fabulous vacation looks:

Plan the entire outfit from head to toe: Include underwear, shoes, accessories, hair thingies and everything.  This prevents you from bringing the wrong bra, for example.  Imagine you bring your adorable new strapless top for a night out and finding that of all the bras you brought, none of them was a strapless. (bummer)  Or that you brought your combat boots for that all-terrain excursion and forgot to bring socks!  You get the idea.  So pack each out-fit with all of it’s components: everything you need to wear it.

Bring items that you can easily repeat, like basics.  These can be in the form of jeans and tees.  This can significantly reduce the amount of items you bring.  If you wear the same jeans with 2 different tops or the same basic tee with 2 different types of bottoms you are winning.  More room for shoes! (kidding - this also applies to shoes)

Don’t forget to pack your sense of style!  Vacations are a great opportunity to create memories and to get awesome pictures doing awesome things.  The only thing that makes capturing these moments better is looking fabulous!  If you like color, pack your brights.  If you like accessories, bring them!  When you are on vacation, you can be a little bit more free with what you wear.  And that freedom feels great!  That will also show through in your pictures.  So it is a win, win!

Remember to think about your handbag.  Think about your good Coach bag at the beach or in a waterpark locker (gasp).  This is something we overlook when packing because in your regular life, your handbag is a no-brainer.  You just pick it up and go!  But on vacation, you are going places where the last thing you want to worry about is your handbag.  Bring something easy and big, that you don’t mind getting wet or sandy.  I love the summer raffia bags that hold everything and still look chic.  I have one that has been around for ages!  It’s pictured in my vacation pics.  I also like to bring a smaller bag like a casual clutch with a zipper closure that fits inside my big bag to contain smaller items.  It’s also useful because you can take it when you are going for a quick run or just a dinner date.

Evaluate your hair’s situation before you go.  For me, going to Florida means a whole lot for my hair!  It means I need to bring extra hair products, tools, special brushes, bobby pins and God knows what else.  Ha!  And, I would not be a happy camper if I couldn’t get my hair to cooperate.  So I pack what I need.  For you gals that don’t need to think about this, God bless your good fortune.  For the rest of us, pack what you need so that you don’t have to worry about frizz dampening your vacay.  Also, hats!  Hats are a good idea!

Here is an example of what I mean.

This lovely off-shoulder top outfit can be broken down as follows:

If you pack each outfit like this, you are not likely to forget anything.  It organizes your ideas so that once you are done you can go worry free.  Who hasn’t had that scary feeling on an airplane ride that you might have forgotten something?  Well that won't be you anymore!  Go on and have that fabulous vacation!