avoid the packing panic

my do's and don'ts!

Ciao Lucia dress (wearing a small!) / sandals / shell necklace

Hi it’s me- your slightly insane friend who decided to go on a 2.5 week trip with her husband, toddler and newborn. Throw in seeing friends and family and being postpartum.. there were some highs and some lows! But, I packed pretty damn well, if I do say so myself. If you’re new- I shared my guide to packing last year here.

DO:

1. Pack the travel size! you probably won’t use an entire tub of cleansing balm/shampoo, etc. on a trip and you’ll save room. I like the this mini set because it comes with more than just shampoo/conditioner.

2. Be realistic about what you’ll actually wear- if something has been sitting in the back of your closet for over six months…. make sure you really like it before you throw it in your bag.

3. Beware of dress codes - I tend to forget that California is especially casual. My husband and I found out we were attending something ‘cocktail attire’ and were completely unprepared. Oops!

4. Pull out the special stuff- if you’ve been waiting to wear something you really love, bring it! (but I do recommend trying it on first).

5. Think about the laundry situation- This mostly pertains to underwear/pjs/workout clothes. I love traveling to places where I’ll have my own laundry machine- less stress if I stain something! I bring this spray stain remover with me, which has been a game changer- especially for berry stains on kids clothes.

6. Get comfortable- You know what I missed the most? My sweatsuit. Not because I think it’s the height of fashion or something I need to wear in public, but because I wanted to throw on something for peak comfort post-shower.

7. Accept defeat- Sometimes you just won’t be able to outfit repeat, and that’s okay. I attended a graduation ceremony and family funeral on my trip. Obviously, the attire for those events is going to be entirely different.

8. Use your packing cubes!!- I must reiterate how important and useful these are. I use mine to separate workout wear, sets, dresses, underwear, etc. and on the way back from trips I like to stuff all my laundry into one and dry cleaning into another.

   DON’T:

1. Buy stuff just to fit in- Because you’ll likely never wear it again. For me this means sticking to my usual color palette but with lightweight fabrics. AKA- black linen is a better buy than a bright, fruit embroidered dress. A good in-between for me was this dress.

2. Freak out: I was convinced bringing just two workout sets and one pair of sneakers would be life-ruining but I wasn’t bothered at all in the moment (perhaps because my time to exercise solo was already so fleeting).

3. Don’t overdo it- Trust me on this one, you don’t need to bring three different moisturizers. Reminder that everyone’s favorite comes in a convenient purse size.

4. Forget to try on- It may be time consuming, but will give you confidence and lessen that panicked feeling typically experienced right before the plane is about to take-off. Try on your formal wear at least two weeks out so you have time to make any necessary alterations.

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BTW…

• the coolest under $100 summer clutch

• Remember when I said I’ve been wearing the uniform of black tank/black fitted capris? Going to spice up that look with these.

• This cleanser was sent to me and I’ve been reaching for it almost nightly. The cooling effect feels so good after a long day in the sun.

• Updated Shopbop hearts, here.

Off on my next adventure tomorrow! Happy 4th!

XX, Liz

More Bad Influence….

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