Travel Wardrobe, Labor Day Weekend: Onesies + Guide to Americus

We spent Labor Day in Americus, Georgia, traipsing around various intriguing and delicious establishments: Cafe Campesino, a fair trade coffee shop & roastery where the founder gave us a tour–and where I had a luscious coconut cream pie smoothie; Client First Insurance, our host’s business focusing on getting folks affordable health care coverage no matter their income level (call him if you live in Georgia!); nearby Kinnewbrew Co. Southern clothing emporium where manager Jody treated us to conversation and camarederie despite the fact that his Dawgs were playing on TV; lunch at Sweet Georgia Baking Co., where my arteries clogged on the sumptuous pimentno cheese on focaccia and my sweetbuds sang with the cous cous salad; the home bases of Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center for Housing, stalwarts of the international affordable housing movement, which were both birthed out of the work of Millard Fuller & Clarence Jordan at Koinonia Farm, an intentional Christian agricultural community famous for “Shipping the Nuts out of Georgia!” when the KKK boycotted their integrated workforce in the 1940s and 50s.  Also on the docket: punch bowl margaritas and sopapillas at The 1800 to celebrate a birthday; Sunday school with former President Carter; peanut butter ice cream in Plains, Georgia; and the Plains Inn, a gorgeous B&B style hotel where Jimmy & Rosalyn Carter picked out the decor for rooms dating from each decade from the 1920s to the 1980s.  I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in middle Georgia.  And no, this post was not sponsored by the Sumter County Tourism Board–I just had that good of a time!

What to wear for such a varied itinerary, plus a few runs and a dip in the pool?  And working with limited packing/car space?

I took a page from Party of Onesie and packed mostly one-pieces to cut down on fuss and on packing space.  This is a super-easy way to simplify your wardrobe, although it’s probably best done with a washing machine nearby if you think your one-pieces will get dirty (aka you have a toddler, or are traveling with a dog, or plan to make art, etc. etc.).  Here’s what got me through the weekend, laundry facilities not included.

J. Crew striped dress:

A photo posted by LeahLW (@thriftshopchic) on

 

Red striped Sharagano dress: IMG_2076

 

And the infamous yellow romper:IMG_2133

You may recognize the dress my friend Caitlin is wearing from my summer wardrobe rehab.  I love this picture because it’s a great illustration of the idea that parting with clothes you kind of like, or that you think you should hold onto for any number of reasons (it’s practical, my mom gave it to me, it’s in good shape…), can actually help you pass those clothes on to someone who really LOVES them.  Caitlin dug this dress so hard she changed right out of what she was wearing and put it on for the rest of the day!  Talk about a win-win situation.

Bathing suit and running clothes were as such:

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All packed in here, along with the kiddo’s clothes:

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I also had a pair of shorts and a shirt, but if I had just stuck with the coffee-stained red striped dress for the rest of Sunday, I woulda been fiiiiine.  So, an almost-all-one-piece weekend.  Although technically the bathing suit was a 2 piece, and I definitely didn’t run in a leotard.  But close.

Would ever pack all one-pieces, or all dresses, for a trip?  Do you need variety in your packing life, or do you just stick with what works?  Scroll down to comment!

 

Thrifted Finds: Travel Wardrobe Edition

Just wanted to show y’all a couple things I picked up last-minute at the thrift store before we head out!

You may not think of the thrift shop as the best place to do some last-minute travel shopping, but if you’re in need of a placeholder–something to fill a hole on short notice.  This can be great for those moments the day before a trip where you realize you don’t have some common yet necessary item and you don’t particularly want to spend a bundle to get one: a beach towel, a bag to hold things, even clothes.  With clothes, thrift stores are a great place to buy an item you’ll need just for that trip and won’t wear again–inexpensive and easy to donate.  In preparation for a trip to Africa a few years ago I nabbed some long-sleeved, thin cotton shirts, pants, and long skirt to ward off mosquitoes and jive with local modesty standards.

Yesterday I dropped off some items for donation and made a swing through the Goodwill and grabbed these goodies:

A new purse–bigger than my current one, and you know size is all important when traveling on those budget airlines!  IMG_1363

It will also be a good replacement for next summer since this summer’s bag has been beaten. to. a. pulp—see photogrpahic evidence:
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A new swimsuit top that will go with my navy blue bottoms.  I had a brainwave yesterday that instead of taking 2 separate suits, grabbing a second tankini top and ditching the bikini would take up less space and still allow me to be dry, since the bra portion of the suit is what takes longest to air out.  Ralph Lauren halter top, $5.

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Last but not least, I promised y’all a picture of my travel bag:

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All of my clothes and my kiddo’s are in this sucker.  It’s a hefty Samsonite tote still going strong from the 60s? 70s? that my grandma owned; my mom has one just like it in camel and I have great memories of all the treasures she stored inside it to entertain us on family trips growing up.

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Would you ever purposefully shop for a trip at the thrift store?  What have been your best travel finds?  Answer in the comments!

How to Pack for Spirit Airlines; or, a Capsule Travel Wardrobe

We’re leaving on a jet plane for back-to-back family reunions – one in the Midwest, one on the East Coast – and one leg of our flight is on Spirit Airlines.  You know what that means – NO LUGGAGE.  Well, no luggage if you are thrifty (err, cheap?) like we are and don’t want to pay upwards of $20/bag, since carry-ons and checked bags alike are considered “optional.”  But the ticket price was right…

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Eek!

 

…so now I’m packing into one “personal item” for a 10-day, 2-state trip that includes both the beach and family portraits.

Let the fun begin! Continue reading “How to Pack for Spirit Airlines; or, a Capsule Travel Wardrobe”