what’s in my bag

vacation edition

Hello! It’s me, back from vacation and feeling brand new. Turns out all I needed was consistent sunshine, poolside smoothies, a beach read, a free, reliable babysitter (aka my mom! thank you, Mom!), and a sweet husband to spend time with (a bit mushy but it is almost vday).

So essentially, I’m a very low-maintenance woman (ha!). Anyway, I have always loved “what’s in my bag” articles and, more recently, TikToks. What you keep in your bag is personal and says a lot about you, so please take it easy on me as I bare part of my soul for this newsletter! I broke down everything I packed, sans the contents of my packing cube (bras, underwear, boring) and a few other blah necessities like contact solution. This might be a useful read if you’re headed on a trip soon or you just needed a reminder to clear out the contents of your handbag.. Either way, sharing (& linking!) everything below:

Beach bag- face spray, lip mask, SPF, duh!, disposable camera, claw clip, hand cream, silk hair ties, wander beauty stick, all in this nylon pouch

Toiletries- sheet masks (these are sublime), natural deodorant that actually works, purple hair mask because I’m a bottle blonde, Dr. Sturm travel kit, Tan Drops to extend the spray tan you can’t tell I got, detox shampoo, BrioGeo travel set, face wash, scar cream, eye cream, moisturizer.

Make- up: foundation, ILIA skin tint, cream bronzer, brow gel, contour stick, blush balm, lipstick, mascara (the only kind that doesn’t irritate my contacts!), highlighter.

Carry on- Some upsetting though not life-altering news! My second Idaho tote broke. In the middle of LAX. It was the replacement for the first one that broke, but you know the saying…fool me once etc. etc. Not to sound like a mom catching her teen sneaking vodka out of the liquor cabinet…..I’m not mad, just disappointed! I’m a huge huge fan of The Row and while this bag has been a great buy for a few friends of mine it seems it just does not take with me. Oh well. I will remain loyal to my banana bags. Anyway….. because I am nothing if not a shopping opportunist I bought a new one on my trip. It is very very special, and Hawaii’s slightly less expensive (10%, and only 4% sales tax) luxury prices helped. It comfortably holds my make-up bag, jewelry, iPad, laptop, sweater and banana bag (everything else fit nicely into my husbands backpack. Thank you, husband!)

The suitcase- mine is a TUMI I purchased last year that has been very sturdy (as it should be, for the price). I experienced quite the luggage dilemma with Delta last year, after a much delayed flight that caused me to miss a full day of my trip and be sans suitcase for 99% of it. I resolved to become more of a carry-on girl when possible (aka not traveling with my toddler), and that’s what I did for this trip. Honestly, it felt great and made the entire trip much easier. We were only gone for three nights but the old me easily could have parlayed that into a stuffed checked bag and multiple sweaters tucked into my carry-on. Here is a breakdown of the clothes I brought:

Two dresses, one pair of jeans, one pair of silk pants, two jackets (one worn on plane, packed this one), a white tank, 3 pairs of boxer shorts (lived in these and these), two t-shirts, platform sandals, red heels, sneakers, two bikinis, beach tote, skims onesie, silver bag, black andiamo, banana bag, silver hoops, necklace.

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Mistakes: packing 3 pairs of boxer shorts (could have been just fine with one for sleep, one for pool cover up), missed my favorite cropped tee, forgot to pack an eyelash curler, not sure why I bothered with jewelry besides my favorite necklace. Packed one too many bags. Was I overcompensating for packing light on shoes? Perhaps! Could have gone with two hats instead of three. Again, possible overcompensation, And finally, I should have grabbed a sweatshirt for the plane.

Revelations: Never forget to pack a black dress, this sale buy ended up serving me well. My favorite belt is not TSA-friendly, oops. I can survive a trip with fewer than 5 pairs of shoes! Who knew? Certainly not me for the first 30 years of my life. Bring a foldable, mesh beach bag is never a bad idea. Mine is a very old Outnet find- similar vibe here. Never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad I packed my new balances. My husband wanted to hike on the trail near our hotel, which was beautiful, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without these. I have the Dyson blow dryer and haven’t found a good travel friendly version so I tend to bring it with me when I can. It gives my hair an extra shine and hotel blow dryers tend to be pretty ancient. Big sunnies! I love them and the cost-per-wear of this Tom Ford pair is in my favor so far.

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BTW…..

• I know, it’s Fashion Week! and we will get to that. I like to take in everything all at once, make a few notes, and not think about it too much til the next season. I love surprises and don’t need to see every single thing that will be on Moda Operandi, is that weird?

• I’m considering another no-buy. I think my almost 3 week shopping ban helped me change my habits but I’ve been making far too many returns from impulse buys.

• I read this book on my trip and loved. If you liked Daisy Jones and The Six you probably would, too. Thanks for the rec,

  Sarah Shapiro
  !

• An under $20 purchase to update your loafer look.

• I’m in the mood for a challenge (what an Aries thing to say, sorry)- of the style variety! I want to try and preplan my outfits and wear more of the non-everyday pieces I’ve invested in. Might write out some type of plan and make myself stick to it. Stay tuned.

• Bought these hoops for the trip and really loved how lightweight they are! A fun under $200 accessory.

If you enjoyed today’s letter please subscribe if you haven’t already and share with a fashion-loving friend. Tapping the heart icon below helps, too!

xx, Liz

PS- you can see my Hawaii outfits here, if you’re curious.