Over the years, I’ve gotten much more intentional about how I pack for vacations. Gone are the days of buying an entirely new wardrobe for a trip. Instead, I focus on bringing versatile pieces that work together, feel like me, and will continue getting plenty of wear long after vacation is over (this is key).
For me, the best vacation wardrobe isn’t filled with one-and-done outfits. It’s made up of pieces that work just as well at home as they do on vacation—easy dresses, comfortable sandals, lightweight layers, and separates that can be mixed, matched, and reworn in different ways.
And honestly, I think this is where many of us get stuck (or at least I used to… asking for a friend I guess…)
It’s easy to convince ourselves that we need a whole new vacation wardrobe before every trip. But if we’re spending the majority of our clothing budget on resort wear and special-occasion pieces, it’s no surprise that we come home and feel like we have nothing to wear in our everyday lives.
I’ve learned that the pieces worth investing in are the ones that work the hardest. The dress that comes on vacation and then gets worn to dinner with friends. The sandals that log miles on a trip and then become your everyday summer shoes. The linen pants that work just as well for travel days as they do for running errands at home.
When we headed to Cabo recently, I packed with that mindset in mind. The result? A suitcase full of pieces that I reach for again and again.
Below are the outfits I actually wore throughout the trip—from poolside afternoons and casual lunches to dinners out and everything in between.
One thing you’ll probably notice is that many of these pieces aren’t necessarily “vacation clothes.” They’re simply pieces I love wearing in my everyday life that happen to work beautifully in a warm-weather destination. Or, if they are sort of “resort” specific, they’ve come along on a few trips… so not reinventing to wheel every time we head out of town…
I think that’s the key to building a vacation wardrobe that feels effortless. Instead of shopping for a fantasy version of yourself on vacation, build a wardrobe full of pieces that support your real life first. The best part is that those same pieces usually make the best travel wardrobe too.
As always, I’ve linked everything below for anyone planning a warm-weather getaway of their own this summer.
_____
(Sweater, Silk Top, Skirt, Clutch (another option))
(Tank, Shorts, Sandals, Clutch)
(Dress)
(Sandals)
(Dress)
(Dress)
(Button Down, Suit)
(Dress)
