Travel Wardrobe: Weekend in Chicago

I’m lucky beyond measure to have a great group of high school girlfriends who get together whenever we’re all in our hometown. Instead of waiting for the holidays or the next wedding, this year we decided to do a proper weekend in the city we call home (even if most of us live elsewhere): Chicago.

With just over 48 hours to wine, dine, and catch up on each others’ lives, we hit the ground running.  Here was the outfit I wore to travel and then for dinner at a local Italian restaurant:

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Shirt dress: Merona (I previously mis-IDed it as Gap) – thrifted
Sandals: Saltwaters by Hoy – retail
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban – retail

Side view:

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Roll those roll-tab sleeves for better ventilation.

It held up surprisingly well given that I wore it to work, sweat in it for an hour waiting for a state trooper in the Atlanta heat following a minor car accident, sat in it for a two-hour flight, and then wore it straight to dinner since my accident meant I took a later flight and had no time to change.

You know what the cure for all that nonsense is? Good friends and a good negroni.  :)

The next morning I was up for a run around my hometown wearing workout clothes I had thrifted on the way to the airport. I had forgotten my usual running stuff at home since it hadn’t dried yet. Thrifting to the rescue!  For under $10 I had perfectly serviceable shorts, a running bra, and a tank top, all of which I left at my parents’ house so I don’t have to pack workout gear next time I go home. Genius.

After meeting up for coffee with two of the ladies, we hopped on the train and headed downtown to meet another friend (two others had joined us for dinner the night previously but couldn’t make the city festivities). We hopped into a ride service to get to her apartment and had the most Chicago-esque conversation possible with the driver. Topic #1: the Cubs’ prospects for beating the Cardinals that day (done!); topic #2: where you can eat the best Chicago-style hot dogs (I don’t eat meat but if I can help it a Portillo’s jumbo cheese dog will be my last meal before I leave this earth); and topic #3: obviously Lou Malnati’s does the best Chicago-style pizza.

Once we met up with our city-dwelling friend, we went for a stroll along the recently completed riverwalk and stopped for pictures with the giant deer…

deerThis is the definition of #random. Source

…before sitting down to rosé and a cheese plate at City Winery. The people-watching was excellent as party boats and kayakers trawled the Chicago River and people meandered alongside it.

Here’s my “day” outfit:

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You can tell I’m super happy to be in my favorite city with some of my favorite people. The guy behind me, however, might be picking his nose. Can you spot the Chicago theater sign?

Shirt: Zara – thrifted
Shorts: American Eagle – thrifted
Crossbody bag: Marco Avané – thrifted
Necklace: DIY from thrifted vintage bracelet (closeup below)
Sandals: Saltwaters by Hoy – retail
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban – retail

I tucked the front of this split-hem shirt into my shorts to give the outfit a jaunty little flair and let the back hang out to give some interest and showcase the two-toned gold thing going on. Sorry I didn’t get any side shots! I still feel a little weird asking people to take outfit pics, even though people generally oblige and they always turn out better than what I take myself.

Next up: dinner at Momotaro, a very hip Japanese restaurant. I swapped my shorts for my white Banana Republic trousers to dress up my dinner look a bit; the gold lamé shirt I already had on took care of the rest.

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What our table looked like.  Source

We feasted on small plates like tomato tartare with milk bread, mentaiko spaghetti with cod roe and an egg, age dashi tofu (a round tofu cake with watermelon turnip purée, scallions, and flaked tuna), shishito peppers, una kyu (barbecued eel roll), and sashimi and beef fried rice for the half of us who eat meat/raw fish. Black currant mochi and green tea chocolate crunches were dessert.

I unfortunately took no pictures, since the lighting was so dim and we were all too focused on salivating over our meal (that part’s not unfortunate!), but here’s what the internet shows for the tomato tartare:

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My favorites were the tartare (not actually involving any meat) and the shishito peppers, but everything was delicious, including the cocktails. Thanks abundantly for dinner, Steph (and David)!

Next we headed up to the rooftop bar at London House, the hotel where another friend had snagged us a comp room thanks to how often her husband travels for work.  Many, many thanks Maddie (& Dan)! The view was incredible – and kind of scary? especially after a cocktail or two:

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By this point I was feeling extra fancy since my normal vacation digs are friends’ guest rooms and my normal vacation fare = Subway on the road. After much laughter and only one broken glass, we headed back to our room and drifted off to dreamland.

The next morning I was up for a run along the lakefront. Running in a different spot from my normal route is one of my favorite parts of vacation; there’s something truly invigorating about taking your exercise while taking in a new (or newly revisited) view.

With Chicago in particular, I have a lot of memories: visiting downtown often for field trips and theater as a kid, interning one summer on Michigan Avenue, and taking a college course on Chicago architecture in literature. So I still love to get facetime with treasured landmarks like the Art Institute lions, the Field Museum, the bronze Bowman and Spearman, the Congress Hotel, and a distant Sears Tower (I will always call it the Sears tower). I even tipped my hat to the alien monstrosity that has landed on Soldier Field, then turned around to run on the lakeside, ending back at the Wrigley and Chicago Tribune towers by the hotel.

Views from the hotel:

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So many architecturally magnificent buildings masquerading at ground level as 7-11s (or in this case, Hard Rock):

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When you randomly meet a dinosaur on your run (Field Museum):dinosaur

Railyard with a great view:

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Part of Millenium Park being put to good use:

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It’s a fountain; the mouths of the people portrayed spit water. I always wonder who those people are and if they ever get weirded out seeing their gigantic selves as part of a public art installation…

I got several more GREAT shots but my phone is still misbehaving and corrupted most of them. Grumble grumble grumble.

Breakfast and a shower later, I was ready for the train ride back to my parents’ house for lunch and goodbyes to all:

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Shirt: Madewell – thrifted
Shorts: Bebe – thrifted
Braided leather belt – unnamed, thrifted
Accessories: same as above

^^That is the best my mane ever looks – right after I went for a run (and didn’t wash my hair). Go figure.

Closeup on the bracelet-turned-necklace:

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All this packed in the Samsonite Silhouette I borrowed from my mom, the tan twin to my grandma’s aqua blue bag – you can see it below.

Fistbump to Cori, who wants you to know she thrifted everything in this rad outfit except the shirt (and who is my environmental soulmate; she snagged that empty Starbucks cup beside us for recycling):

IMG_7577Oh hey Wrigley building and Tribune Tower.

Cheers, ladies – here’s to friendship and to next time!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 10

As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions. What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity.

Day 10: Beach & Home

My in-laws live in coastal New Hampshire so you better believe that when it turned out to be sunny (unlike our weather last week at the lake!), we hit up that beach like nobody’s business. What a way to go out!

Beach uniform:

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Hat: unlabeled – thrifted
Halter top: Ralph Lauren – thrifted

Bottoms: Target, retail

I wore this dress as a coverup – how versatile!

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Jumping bracingly cold waves with Mini Me in her Wonder Woman suit (gifted from uncles who spoil her deliciously):

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Happy as a clam:

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We hit up a seafood joint with the sweetest, most succulent fried scallops, then nipped back to the in-laws’ to shower and pack and drive to Boston to catch our plane.

The travel uniform in a slightly different permutation from yesterday:

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Love that salty beach hair that won’t quite stay put…

Top: Gap – thrifted
Shorts: Bebe – thrifted

Crossbody bag: Marco Avané – thrifted
Sandals: Saltwaters by Hoy – retail

Here ends the 10×10 remix for this go-around. Come back tomorrow for a round-up and my thoughts on the whole shebang!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 9

As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions. What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity.

Day 9: Goodbye Lake Champlain, Hello New Hampshire

Here was my outfit for driving 4 hours from Vermont to The Granite State, where we stopped over for a night before flying home:

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My 5-year-old cousin made that twist braid – didn’t she do a great job?  I can never get those to stay.

Shirt: Gap – thrifted
Shorts: Bill Blass – thrifted
Hat: unlabeled – thrifted
Crossbody bag: Marco Avané – thrifted
Cuff bracelet: Monet – thrifted
Sandals: Saltwater by Hoy – retail

I think this can now be called my official travel shirt. I always wear it on airplanes (and apparently in cars) because it’s lightweight yet longish-sleeved, so it does well with shifts in temperature as AC goes on/off, working up a sweat as you run through terminals, etc.  Both top and shorts have some give to them which makes sitting for long periods more comfortable.

Details:

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Once we got to New Hampshire my spouse and I busted out the workout gear and went for a run in the rolling hills dotted with farms. It was absolutely gorgeous – flowers everywhere, blue sky, cows, lusciously painted old farm houses, fresh air… Since we often visit in the winter, I forget how beautiful New England is in the summer.

What’s your go-to travel wardrobe? Scroll down to share!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 7 + My Entire Travel Wardrobe

As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions. What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity. 

Day 7: Fishing and a Concert

I wore pretty much the exact same outfit as on Day 6, because I’d only worn it for a few hours the night before.  Plus, it was cold enough for pants and I only brought one pair.

Look Ma, I caught a fish!

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That night we headed to a concert at the Snow Farm Winery in South Hero with cooked-on-site pizza and locally made ice cream.  It was cooler with a bit of misty rain so I stuck with the same outfit pictured above.

Here’s the band setting up:

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Since there wasn’t much going on clothes-wise today, I figured I’d show you what’s in my bag.  As you have probably noticed, I went with a muted red, blue, and white palette to keep everything mix-and-matchable:

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Lace yoke top, Old Navy; embroidered 3/4 sleeve top, Lucky Brand; striped tee, Madewell; floral tee, Old Navy; sleep shirt, no label; halter swimsuit top, Ralph Lauren; swimsuit bottoms, Target (retail); striped 3/4 length tee, Gap; red shorts, Bebe; blue shorts, Bill Blass; red pants, Bandolino; striped dress, J. Crew; hat, unlabeled; sunglasses, Ray-Ban (retail); running tank & shorts, Champion; running shoes, Champion (retail); crossbody bag, Marco Avané; sandals, Saltwater (retail).  Everything thrifted unless noted otherwise. Not featured: pj shorts (thrifted), windbreaker (gift – pictured in first picture at top).

For those keeping score at home, the pieces for the Remix include: 2 3/4 sleeve tops, 2 tees, 1 sleeveless top, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of pants, and a dress, for a total of 9 items (10 if you count the sandals). PJs, workout gear, and outerwear are not included.

All packed in this:

IMG_1362My trusty Samsonite tote inherited from my grandma. It’s at least 40 years old, maybe more.

So far I’ve been pretty happy with this mix. With laundry in both places we’ve stayed, I could easily have gotten away with less, but it’s been nice to have variety.  I haven’t worn the lace yoke top yet; given the chilly temps here in Vermont, I probably should have swapped it for a lightweight sweatshirt. But my windbreaker over my longer-sleeved tees has done just fine in a pinch.

What’s your approach to a travel wardrobe in a small amount of packing space?  Scroll down to share!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 6

As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions. What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity. 

Day 6: Even More Lake

I spent the vast majority of this day in pajamas and workout gear, only getting dressed right before dinner.  When there are boats to ride, a lake to swim in, gorgeous country roads to run, and s’mores to roast, why bother?

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Shirt: Lucky Brand – thrifted
Red chinos: Bandolino – thrifted

Cuff bracelet: Monet jewelry – thrifted
Belt: no label – thrifted

The gardens at this lake house are quite spectacular:

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Wild bachelor’s buttons and the lake on my run:

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As you can see it’s been overcast but it hasn’t dampened our enthusiasm.

See ya tomorrow!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 5

As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions. What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity. 

Day 5: Lake Champlain

Hello from the Green Mountain State!  After a hellish travel day involving 5 hours of flight delays and 7 hours in the car (including driving through the night), we’re now hanging out with the other side of the family in Vermont at a beautiful lake house. See the water in the background there?

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That glass is full of delicious local cider which we paired with delicious local cheese.  I heart you, Vermont.

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Shirt: Old Navy – thrifted
Shorts: Bebe – thrifted
Cuff: Monet – thrifted

Sandals: Saltwater – retail
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban – retail

When your spouse tells you to quit posing with his glass because you’re drinking all his cider:

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But you don’t listen:

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I wrote this while watching my cousin clean a bass he caught on the dock. Now off to go swimming in the chilly water!  I’m thinking that horrible travel day was worth it. See ya tomorrow!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 4

As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions. What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity. 

Day 4: On the Farm

I feel so fancy having a great backdrop and a real camera to capture outfits!  Turns out it pays to go on vacation with people who will take outfit photos.

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This isn’t our family farm, but this corn crib is similar to one that my uncle & aunt disassembled last year. The 100+ year old aged pine was turned into a beautiful table where lots of us can eat and several other cherished furniture projects.

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Dress: J. Crew – thrifted
Hat: unlabeled – thrifted
Cuff bracelet: Monet – thrifted
Sandals: Saltwater (retail)
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban (retail)

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This is the most comfortable dress I own – so soft, so practical (I can sit cross-legged, and it has pockets!), and it gives a great silhouette – sort of boxy on top and almost like drawstring shorts on the bottom. Paired with the straw hat and some sandals that got me through fields, barns, and water fights, it just exudes easy, summery chic.

I feel like a legit style blogger over here:

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So many good memories from corn cribs like this and farm yards full of grasshoppers and monarch butterflies by day and studded with fireflies by night.

More tomorrow!

 

Summer 10×10 Remix: Days 2 & 3

Unsurprisingly, vacation has gotten in the way of posting my remix challenges on a daily basis – what a happy problem to have! As part of the Summer 10×10 remix (hosted by UnFancy and Style Bee), I’m attempting to post what I’ve been wearing each day as I live out of my suitcase on back-to-back family reunions.

What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity. 

Day 2: On the Farm 

We headed straight over to the family farm and explored all our favorite spots. My preschooler was enthralled with this gravel pile – exciting!

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Beautiful prairie and cornfields in the background.

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Shirt: Madewell – thrifted

Shorts: Bill Blass – thrifted
Hat: unlabled – thrifted
Sandals: Saltwater – retail
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban – retail

Grain bins make a great background for your striped shirts:
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I have great memories of climbing those grain bins to a small platform near the top to watch sunsets.  In my biased opinion, Iowa sunsets are the best in the world.

Day 3: Color Run 5K & Family Reunion

I started off the day with a 5K through town – so much fun!

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It was the first color run I’ve done and I got some interesting looks showing up at the town pancake breakfast covered in festive accoutrement:

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Tank & shorts: Champion – thrifted
Running shoes: Champion – retail. Running shoes don’t have to be expensive to work well!

After a parade, I went home to shower and then we headed back to the farm for a family reunion. Aren’t my relatives good looking?

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I only got family pics, no outfit pics, so pardon the cropping out of family members:

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Shirt: Madewell – thrifted
Shorts: Bebe – thrifted
Sandals, cuff, hat, sunglasses (not pictured) – same as above

On the farm no one cares if you wear the same shirt two days in a row, so I happily reused the shirt from Day 2. The beauty of a capsule/travel wardrobe that all works together is that you can swap out one component and end up with an entirely different look.  (And it helps that the pheasant hunting lodge where we stayed had laundry!)

See ya tomorrow!

Summer 10×10 Remix: Day 1

Hello Thrifters!  Caroline of Un-Fancy and Lee of StyleBee start their 10×10 summer wardrobe remix today, and although I didn’t have time to write up my remix selections beforehand, since I’m already living out of a totebag with 10 items (hello back-to-back family reunions!) I figured I might as well play along. (Click here to see my 10×10 spring wardrobe challenge.)

What’s a 10×10 remix? 10 pieces of clothing, 10 outfits, 10 days. What you count as an item is up to you (I’m not counting shoes, workout gear, outerwear) since the point isn’t following strict rules – it’s using limitations to spark creativity. I’m not sure this edition of the remix, will spark all that much creativity, since I’m using tried and true travel outfits. But I may be surprised…and even if I’m not, I hope you all will enjoy seeing what I wore!

Day 1 – Travel & a Hike

We’re flying from Atlanta to Minneapolis, waiting four hours to pick up my sister and her husband, then driving four hours to a family reunion in Iowa.  Temps in Iowa promise to be hot, but later in the week we’re headed to Lake Champlain in Vermont, where evenings can be a bit nippy, so I’ve packed pants and a couple 3/4-length sleeve tops that will pull double-duty on the plane. (My personal thermostat runs cold, so I find airplanes chillllly.)

Ta-da:

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Airport bathrooms selfies are the best.

 

Top: Gap

Red chinos: Bandolino

Cuff bracelet: Monet jewelry

Leather crossbody bag: Marco Avane

Everything thrifted but the Hank from Finding Dory sticker (thank you to my preschooler for color coordinating your sticker choice with my outfit).

Let’s get a proper look at that bag (and the Saltwater sandals I’m wearing all week) since I haven’t yet featured it on the blog:

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Through trial and error (aka thrifting bags I never use), I’ve learned that I don’t need two similar bags just to be able to swap colors/fabric with the changing seasons, despite what fashion/the internet says.

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But when I saw this bag, it occurred to me that I might find a different size bag useful – for example when I am not with my kid or at work.

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It fits my wallet, phone, chapstick, and sunglasses. 

This considerably narrows the window of when I might actually use said bag, but I can at least dream of weekly date nights and the occasional girls’ weekend, right?

Turns out it’s come in handy for more than that, though – we are flying with baggage restrictions (one personal item per person, thank you Spirit), and this puppy packs down into my tote bag (pictured on the post linked above).

So far I’ve loved carrying a lighter bag around although the kid stuff (snacks, books, great white shark puppet) has to fit in my tote.

During our wait in Minneapolis we drove over to the Fort Snelling State Park, located about 5 minutes from the airport, and went for a short hike. We spotted turkey vultures, turkeys, goldfinches, cardinals, bluejays, bluebirds, and downy woodpeckers and generally enjoyed being out of confined spaces. For this expedition I changed into running clothes and sneakers so I could sweat in peace.

More to come tomorrow, assuming I have internet access! In the meantime, tell me if you are doing the 10×10 challenge this time and your tips for getting away with a smaller bag.

 

Travel Wardrobe: Quick Trip to Raleigh / Durham

We went to the Raleigh/Durham area a few weekends ago for a friend’s wedding. It was a long weekend involving everything from a wiffle ball tournament at beautiful Umstead State Park (complete with Yogi Berra/Abraham Lincoln custom-made t-shirts) to, obviously, a wedding, at the lovely and delicious Caffé Luna. The rehearsal dinner was at Sitti – tasty Lebanese food. We also ate at Lilly’s pizza (good beer, pizza was fine but I think I’d pick a different flavor next time) and at Elmo’s Diner for brunch where the huevos rancheros hit the spot. The locals love Elmo’s so the lines were long but moved quickly.

We didn’t have time for a Durham Bulls game (which we have enjoyed in the past) or to hit up the Marbles Children’s Museum (only $5 a pop!) but they’re both on the list for next time.

Here’s what I wore:
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Yes this is a Goodwill dressing room – I continue to be unimpressed with North Carolina Goodwills in terms of cleanliness (my legs are hiding a Bojangles cup and other trash someone left in there) and selection – I think I took maybe one picture of a so-so find. But maybe I’m just spoiled by the Goodwill of North Georgia?  

Also, those same red shorts with this top:
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Travel uniform:
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The full (poorly lit) shot:
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Attire for the rehearsal dinner & wedding, only I wore that same white denim jacket as above as my top layer:
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Running attire:
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Nothing like a run around Duke’s beautiful campus to put you in a good mood – even in the rain!

How did my wardrobe work? Turns out, not that well! I broke my own rule for creating travel wardrobes and forgot to check the weather. Well – I did check the weather, but I did so two days out, and by the time we were ready to leave the forecast had taken a major dip temp-wise and rain was predicted for two of the days (thankfully not the day of the wiffle ball tourney).  So I was pretty darn wet and cold for a portion of the weekend.

Also, I packed an extra dress I did not end up wearing because it felt too summery for a rainy wedding day:
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[Full thrift disclosure: you may recognize that as a dress I’d marked for giveaway oh…almost two years ago!  But I just couldn’t part with it – I love the colors and the bodice and the fuller skirt is a nice summery addition to my army of sheath dresses.  I have since stuck it in my “festive occasions” wardrobe (I just made up that term…) and it’s been worn for Easter twice and, as you now know, it’s on my wedding attire roster.]

Also also, I should have had the foresight to realize that my preschool-aged flower girl would want me to walk with her down the aisle and opted for a jacket/blazer in a more formal fabric than white denim.  I don’t think it ruined anyone’s wedding (especially since the groomsmen – and my kid! – were wearing Chuck Taylor’s), but I would’ve felt a little dressier.

Live and learn, friends, live and learn.

What do you think of my travel wardrobe?  Have you been to Raleigh/Durham?  If so, what do you recommend for the next time we head that way?