If you’re like me, you’ve already started thinking about your spring break wardrobe. Confession: My travel bag has been sitting next to my bed for the past two weeks. Though I have friends traveling everywhere from New Jersey for skiing to Dublin to visit friends studying abroad, the common destination for spring break has got to be the beach. With it not even officially being spring yet, this week’s cold spell and possible snow storm make it hard to get into the spring mood — wardrobe speaking. But walk into any Five Points or Devine Street boutique, mall store or even Target’s clothing area, and you’ll see that spring is in full swing. This makes packing for the beach quite the task. Do you pack your winter coat and risk looking like you’re on winter break, or do you pack the bright-colored dresses and tops and risk looking like you’re dressed for the wrong season? Here are some tips for you fashionista beach-goers that are sure to keep you looking great and your bag staying at travel size:
1. Keep it lightweight
I know it’s hard not to just throw everything you own in a suitcase and head to the beach–it has taken me many trips to figure out that this is a bad idea. The key to packing lightweight and yet having enough clothes to get through your vacation is packing versatile clothes that can be worn day into night. Dark jeans that can be worn with tees during the day and even party tops at night are ideal. The best travel dress I’ve ever seen is the 10-ways dress from American Apparel. This dress can be worn every way from strapless to crisscrossed back to a high-waisted skirt. You can wear this a couple days in a row without anyone even noticing that you’ve worn it twice.
2. Your friend the cardigan
Packing a couple cardigans is vital to a successful travel wardrobe. You can wear these in the morning and during the night when it’s the chilliest and even pair them with your favorite strapless dress you’re dying to pull out of your packed up summer clothes. A neutral colored cardigan can tone down an overly bright spring colored dress to make it appropriate for the “not-quite-winter-not-quite-spring weather.”
3. Leave the shoes at home
This is where I get into the most trouble. I’m a bit of a shoe fanatic and rarely want to leave the house without at least six pair. This spring break you and I will only be packing three pairs. No, really. A pair of sandals you don’t mind getting wet at the beach, a pair of flats for day activities and a pair of heels for your nights out. Choose colors like pewter and bronze that will match anything you’ve packed.
Follow these simple rules and you’ll be sure to have a perfectly packed bag that is light-weight and fashion-friendly and still has room for the spring break shopping you plan to do. Remember, Joe Kennedy said, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” I say, “When the going gets tough, the tough go to the beach”…fashionably.
That’s all.
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