Erin Powers
March Break. These two small words can bring on the kind of excitement that can only be topped by Summer Vacation. Since this week is officially March Break and also my last official week of school (real world here I come) I have been thinking about splurging on a little beach vacation. While looking at exoctic locales and new resorts, my mind wandered to the most dreaded part of any trip for me - packing (cue dramatic music). It doesnt matter how long I'm going for or where I'm going I always end up with too many shoes and not enough sunblock. So over the last few years I have developed a few tricks to help make "packing light" a little closer to possible.
First, go through your wardrobe and take out the pieces you wear the most. If you don't wear it at home you definitely won't wear it on vacation. If you are headed for a beach vacation aim to bring three swimsuits, they are small so the won't take up room in your suitcase. I usually bring two bikinis for lounging on the beach or by the pool and one full piece to ensure that my swimsuit stays on my body and doesn't end up floating on top of the water during the more intense water activities. Sarongs will be your best friend on vacation. The can be worn as a beach cover up, a dress, a skirt or even tied into a scarf to wear at night.
When it comes to tops, a lightweight long sleeve button up shirt or tunic is a good idea becasue it can be worn day or night, with pants or skirts, and will keep you covered and cool when you realize you ran out of sunscreen, and have to search for a place to buy a new bottle. When choosing tanks or t-shirts to bring always have one white and two to three colours that work with multiple pieces in your suitcase.
A great pair of linen pants are a beach vacation must. They can be worn sightseeing during the day, on the beach or dressed up for evening and don't take up a lot of space. Rolling them instead of folding will help to make sure they aren't too wrinkly when you get to your destination. Dresses are also a vacation staple and three should be enough to get you through the week in style. Skirts, one knee length and one shorter, are great day to night pieces and can be mixed with different tops to create different outfits.
When it comes time to pack shoes I always get stuck. I keep thinking I need a different pair for every activity that may or may not arise. Maybe it's because I own quite a few pairs (but a girl can never have too many, right?) or maybe I have a little commitment phobia when it comes to choosing just a few pairs. The solution I have come up with is to bring classic neutral shoes - so simple, but it took me awhile to get there. I wear a great pair of flats on the plane and then they can be used as an evening shoe. I always bring two pairs of sandals, one in a neutral colour and one in a metallic. These are great for sightseeing, walking around the beach or can be worn for a casual night out. One pair of heels (this was a hard realization to come too) in a metallic or nude colour to ensure they will go with all your outfits.
Finally, when packing jewellery never bring anything that is expensive, hard to replace or has sentimental value. I like to hit up some of my favourite fast fashion retailers for inexpensive costume jewellery before I leave, or even better head to some of the local markets to find fabulous new pieces to add to your collection at home. Using your beach bag as your carry on cuts down on your luggage, and choosing a small envelope clutch for evening ensures you will have plenty of room in your suitcase for your exotic new finds.
So for all you beach bums I have put together a packing list to ensure that your hardest decision when it comes to your vacation is whether you should have the margarita or the dacquiri. Hope this is helpful.
2 bikinis/1 full piece
1 - 2 sarongs
2 pairs of shorts
2 - 4 tanks/t-shirts
1 pair of lightweight trousers (ex. linen)
1 knee length skirt & one shorter skirt
1 Lightweight jacket (denim or a cardigan)
1 dressy top
3 dresses
1 lightweight scarf
2 sandals
1 pair of flats
1 pair of heels in metallic or nude
Put accessories into separate ziploc bags to ensure there is no knots to untie when you arrive
Beach bag - use as your carry on
Evening bag
Happy Vacation!
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