What I packed for a week in Mexico

What I packed for a week in Mexico

by | Mar 23, 2024 | Slow Fashion, Travel

We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with an overdue tropical getaway.

After a lot of discussion and many nights of scrolling through travel sites, we decided to call the travel agent who booked our Disney trip. Jennie designed the perfect trip for us, originally described as “anywhere warm enough in February where I can live in a swimsuit”. And is not touristy, crowded, or feels like we didn’t leave the US. Also has amazing food. And right on the beach? She came through and then some. We booked it and finally the time came, we flew to Playa del Carmen, just the two of us and it was absolute perfection.

WHAT I PACKED:

4 swimsuits: black Everlane one-piece, blue Athleta one-piece, black J. Crew two-piece, blue Roxy two-piece, and striped J. Crew rash guard
2 dresses: Madewell embroidered dress, Sundry striped dress
4 pairs of shorts: white Madewell denim cutoffs, Target white chinos, blue Patagonia baggies, black Everlane shorts
2 pairs long pants: Hudson blue jeans, black J. Crew linen drawstring pants
3 tank tops: black Banana Republic tank, navy GAP tank, blue LOFT tank
3 tees: blue David Bowie tee, gray Banana Republic tee, striped long sleeve J. Crew breton
2 sweaters/sweatshirts: black Santa Cruz sweatshirt, cotton navy J. Crew sweater
3 pairs of shoes: Nike daybreak sneakers, brown J. Crew sandals, black Rainbow flip flops
3 bags: J. Crew woven tote, Element backpack, olive green duffle
1 hat: black GAP baseball cap

I fit everything into a nylon duffle and was able to avoid checking any baggage. And I didn’t buy anything new for the trip.

DAY ONE: I wore Jeans, the Bowie tee, and a sweatshirt, with Nikes. We flew from Philly to Cancun. After we settled into the resort I changed into my striped dress and sandals for dinner.

DAY TWO: I wore my Everlane one-piece, white jean shorts, navy tank, and flip flops. We spent all day lying on a Bali bed by the beach and reading. At night there was a Mexican fiesta on the beach with an amazing buffet, dancers and a Mariachi band.

DAY THREE: I wore my black J. Crew bikini with the rashguard, black Everlane shorts, blue tank, and Nikes. The absolute highlight of the trip: a tour of the ruins at Tulum, plus a Cenote, a lagoon snorkel, and lunch at a beach club.

DAY FOUR: I wore my blue Roxy bikini, with the striped dress as a coverup. Later I changed into my black linen pants, striped breton, and sandals for dinner.

DAY FIVE: I wore my navy blue Athleta one-piece, white jean shorts, and flip flops. We went on a tour of the premium part of the resort and then went Jet skiing. I changed into my embroidered dress and sandals for dinner.

DAY SIX: I wore the black J. Crew two-piece again, baggies shorts, black tank, and flip flops. We went on a Catamaran snorkel tour. There is a world renown coral reef off the coast of Cancun and you almost don’t need a boat to get there. I saw so many tropical fish as well as a turtle and a manta.

DAY SEVEN: I wore the blue bikini again and did a lot of nothing. Really getting used to living in the Caribbean and have no plans of leaving.

DAY EIGHT: I wore my last clean outfit: white chino shorts and gray tee. We spent a little bit of time on the beach before checking out and heading to the airport to fly back.

 

Almost every day I woke up before the sun without an alarm and walked on the beach while the sun rose over the ocean. It was so beautiful. I cannot recommend Mexico enough. Everyone is so friendly and laidback. We did water aerobics and played volleyball and got to know some of the other guests. The food was excellent, the weather was perfect. Thank you El Dorado Maroma for the best vacation ever. And to Jennie at Evergreen Travel for making it happen.

April Showers

by | Apr 14, 2023 | Slow Fashion, What's New

I recently learned that rainy days aren’t so bad if you have rainwear you love. Last year I bought a new raincoat and I’m excited when I get a chance to wear it. I had a raincoat but it’s not very waterproof — kind of necessary for a raincoat.

My original coat is from J. Crew from Spring of 2019 and I still like it. It’s the shorter of the two. A cotton-nylon blend. I love the dark moss color. It’s lightweight and fairly stylish. You could even wear it if it’s not raining. It’s cute.

The new coat is by Joules which I bought on Amazon. It’s polyester-cotton with a cotton-nylon lining that has a very pretty floral pattern. It really repels water and definitely keeps you dry. The hood even has a little visor.

Now, rain boots. I have a pair from J. Crew that are very minimal, black rubber in a sort of chelsea boot style. They’re not terribly comfortable, like I wouldn’t want to wear them all day. But they get the job done.

Then I have a classic pair of tall Hunter boots. Remember when people decided those were cool? I got some about 10 years after that, second-hand. They are great when it’s just bucketing down. But if you’re not slogging through puddles on a country walk with your dog, do you really need them? I say no. You definitely don’t want to wear them for long or drive a car in them.

If it’s wet but not aggressively raining, I will wear my green rubber gardening clogs, because, you know, clogs. They’re by a brand called Nora.

I also have my Doc Marten‘s which are not for rain, but won’t get ruined if it’s a little rainy. They have that really stiff, shiny leather.

If I were to get a new pair of boots, I’d get these from Everlane. They look really cool. I would replace the J. Crew ones with them. But for now, if it rains, I’m all set.

Sweater Outfits

Sweater Outfits

by | Feb 14, 2023 | I Feel Pretty, Slow Fashion | 0 comments

I have about a dozen sweaters. In an effort to appreciate them more and avoid buying new ones, I did a shop-my-closet, try-on session recently. It really helps me to pick out items I don’t usually wear and also pair them with things that I wouldn’t usually choose. I find that makes getting dressed in the winter more fun. Here are a couple of outfits I felt pretty good about.

J Crew sweater | Madewell jeans | Madewell boots

This thin, cotton, almost a shirt sweater is so old but doesn’t look it. It’s dark navy blue and goes with everything. I’m wearing it with an old pair of Madewell boy jeans that I recently patched the knee on. I had them up on Poshmark to sell, but have been thinking of keeping them. And then I’m wearing an also old pair of brown swede Madewell boots.

 

GAP sweater | Everlane jeans | Docs

I love this forest green GAP turtleneck. I went with a 90s off-duty model look by tucking it into my new Everlane 90s cheeky jeans and black Doc Marten boots. Not sure this is me, but it kind of works.

Everlane sweater vest | J Crew skirt | Troentorp clogs

I got this sweater vest recently at Everlane and I love it. Wearing it without a shirt underneath would probably not happen in real life but I thought it looked cool. The whole mini skirt and tights combo is another thing that is outside my comfort zone. With the clogs, I feel very Scandi. I threw a black wool jacket over it and kind of liked that too.

LL Bean sweater | Leather pants | Birkenstock Bostons

Loving this fishermen’s sweater so much. I tried it with some leather pants I thrifted last year. An amazing find! And then I chose my Bostons, which seemed an odd choice but looked pretty cool.

J Crew sweater | J Brand jeans | Lotta’s clogs

This J Crew sweater is a navy V neck that’s also an old fave. The jeans are thrifted. I haven’t worn them yet. I don’t usually go for the bootleg style, but they’re very flattering. I like them with a high heel like these brown clogs.

LL Bean sweater | Nili Lotan pants | J Crew rain boots

I got this green cashmere sweater from LL Bean last Fall and it’s so nice. I picked the khaki chinos to go with because the two greens seemed almost clashing, or too matching. I don’t know. The rain boots are old from J Crew.

Outfit Inspiration: Shopping My Closet in 2022

Outfit Inspiration: Shopping My Closet in 2022

by | Jan 19, 2022 | I Feel Pretty, Slow Fashion | 0 comments

What to wear? I’m still trying to figure it out. I have clothes. I have clothes I love. But how do I make outfits? Here’s a collection of looks I feel like I can recreate. I got to them when I need inspiration and ideas. It also encourages me to shop my own closet.

You can click on the images to go to their source or more inspiration from that person.

How to Style Sneakers (aka Trainers)

How to Style Sneakers (aka Trainers)

by | Mar 16, 2021 | I Feel Pretty, Slow Fashion | 0 comments

I love sneaker outfits… on other people. I see photos, on Instagram and Pinterest, but when I try them on me, well, it never seems to work. Or I don’t even attempt it. Most days, lacing and unlacing shoes seems too ambitious. Then, I got inspired by a vlog by Brittany Bathgate which prompted me to put together these outfits with the four pairs of sneakers I own. I tried to do two outfits per pair but it was late afternoon and then I lost the light so the last pair only has one outfit.

Why do I try on outfits and take mirror selfies? Because I can’t tell what clothes look like on me by looking at them on their hangers. And because it curbs my appetite for new clothes. My goal is to only buy a small number of items each year. “Shopping my closet” is one way to figure out what I want to add or even IF I need to add anything. It also helps me define what my style is. I can go back through my photos whenever I need an outfit idea.

I recently added these Veja sneakers which are made with natural rubber. I saw them everywhere (online) and waited a really long time before purchasing them. They are more than I normally spend on sneakers but now that I have them and worn them, they are definitely worth it. I am willing to spend a little more on a sustainable brand. I also like that they can be styled a lot of ways.

The black Vans are also relatively new. Again, a style I saw everyone wearing. I probably didn’t need them since I have the Pumas which have a very similar look. Once they’re as broken in and comfy, I’ll probably donate the Pumas. Lastly, I have the New Balance pair which are cream and gold. They are so comfortable. I bought them used on Poshmark and love their retro look.

Four pairs of casual sneakers is not all that exciting but I’m very happy with them. And I promise I’ll wear them more often.

Vejas, Madewell pants, JCrew sweater
Vejas, Madewell pants, JCrew sweater
Vejas, GAP jeans, BR sweater
Vejas, GAP jeans, BR sweater
Vans, Levi’s, JCrew sweatshirt
Vans, Levi’s, JCrew sweatshirt
Vans, Lucky jeans, Old Navy cardigan
Vans, Lucky jeans, Old Navy cardigan
JCrew x NB 620s, Madewell leggings, GAP sweater, Madewell jacket
JCrew x NB 620s, Madewell leggings, GAP sweater, Madewell jacket
JCrew x NB 620s, Old Navy chinos, COS sweater
JCrew x NB 620s, Old Navy chinos, COS sweater
Pumas, COH jeans, JCrew t-shirt
Pumas, COH jeans, JCrew t-shirt

(You can see what I’ve purchased this year on this Pinterest board. Some of the items are sustainable. I don’t get any commission from any sales.)

#sneakers #trainers #tennisshoes #gymshoes

Low Buy Challenge: End of the Year Wrap-Up

by | Nov 27, 2020 | I Feel Pretty, Slow Fashion | 0 comments

The year is drawing to a close. Well, not exactly, but I’d like to think 2020 is almost over! When I started the Low Buy Challenge in January I didn’t know what we were all in for. Buying as little as possible, and trying to buy second hand has been really good for me. Good for my soul, good for my budget, and I think good for the planet.

Following the rules set forth by Signe of UseLess, I tried hard to only buy things that I really needed. Basics like t-shirts, socks and underwear were okay, as were worn-out items. I bought things that I had planned ahead of time, often letting them sit on my wish list for month before purchasing. I asked myself if they were something I didn’t currently have and were truly my style (as in, I would wear a lot.) One area I could use improvement: buying from sustainable brands. I relied on stores I know work for me such as the Gap and Nike. Not so eco-friendly.

Here are the last few purchases I made this year:

Dr. Scholl’s Snakeskin boots  |  Leather version

This boot purchase was a result of my entire shoe inventory. I had so many black boots (and few brown) and wanted something fun. I wasn’t sold on the snakeskin trend but these really convinced me.

GAP true skinny jeans

These jeans were a result of my denim inventory. I ended up getting rid of one very worn out pair of jeans and realized I only had one pair of skinny jeans which were actually too big.

GAP Turtleneck T-shirt  A much needed basic.

GAP Belted Cardigan  An addition to my “loungewear capsule” that is so soft and cozy it made me feel slightly better about winter weather.

Asics running shoes  That time again: new sneaks.

Athleta top  Been looking for this kind of workout top for a while.

Fossil Wallet (poshmark)  My previous wallet was also from Fossil and was really falling apart. I found this replacement used on Poshmark.

 

Total clothing additions for the year: 3 pairs of shoes, 4 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 sweaters, 1 dress, 6 tees, 3 pj pants, 5 workout items, 5 underwear items, and 1 accessory.