inter-employ vacay

good morning! apologies for the radio silence - i am still in florida for my inter-employment vacation and it has been so nice to kick back and relax!

here are a few snapshots of what i've been up to; sorry if the formatting is off, i am posting from my phone!

it's in the bag

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welcome to part two of the packing chronicles!

cosmetics are set, now for fitting everything in a carry-on bag!

1. check the weather. 
for me, this is easy: 80s and sunny, still warm in the evenings.

2. assess what your days and nights have in store for you, and whether there are any special dress code situations.

my trip looks like this:

day: beach

night: cocktails, dinner, more cocktails

for daytime, i'm thinking a bathing suit with a cover-up. at night, white jeans and a top one night and a dress the second night, although i will throw in an extra top in case i change my mind!

one key idea that i try to stick to is limiting your color palette to one solid neutral, like black or navy. if you start mixing things around too much (black AND navy AND brown) you end up with more items and a very full bag.

i also like to limit shoes since they're bulky. 

for a beach getaway, this is easy: sandals!

add some underwear, some pajamas, and my cosmetic bag and this is what i'm packing!
the overnight bag pictured is not part of my repertoire, but i love the simplicity of it, and it's monogrammed!

obviously, it's easier to pack for a long weekend at the beach than for a week-long business trip, but i do think the secret lies in eliminating multiple neutrals in favor of choosing one to accent with color/metallics.

do you have any packing secrets?

UPDATE: i had just washed my white jeans and they were too damp to put in the bag last night. i realized on the train to work this morning that i forgot them! NO PANTS! looks like i need to make an emergency trip to j.crew...

carry-on

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this weekend i'm off to florida for my friend mk's bachelorette party! we are all looking forward to celebrating in the sun, and we have some great plans in store!

i am also taking all of next week off before starting the new job, and what better place to recharge than the beach?

i am starting to think about packing for my week away and i thought i would do a couple posts on that subject this week. packing can be tricky, and i know a few people (ahem, my mother!) who have serious packing anxiety, and understandably so! what if the weather changes? what if you don't like what you brought?

personally, i always start with cosmetics: the combinations are finite and you usually need both daytime and nighttime products.

since i am a carry-on traveler, the liquids/gels/creams rule is an issue so i try to use powder whenever possible. for a trip like this, i also have to take into account that i am pale now and will not be pale after a day or two in the sun, so i need my winter AND summer makeup.

tan. 

not tan.
there you have it. i am even wearing the same dress in the photos!

here's what i'm taking:

mascara / mineral foundation / perfume / concealer / bronzer (mine is old chanel) / lip balm / eyeliner / blush
(i'm bringing the mineral foundation in two colors to accommodate my tan!)

now, a question for you: any suggestions for a neutral eyeshadow? i'm hoping for a little shimmer, but nothing too crazy. i have been using the same quad for years and it is almost gone, and of course they don't make it anymore!

just add water

as you know by now, i spent the majority of last week unwinding in naples, florida. of all places on earth, i absolutely love the beach; i grew up spending the summers on cape cod, and between my job teaching sailing and spending weekends on the outer beach, i lived in a bathing suit. 

nauset beach and orleans yacht club - ah, memories! 

the salt, sun, chlorine, and sunscreen really do a job on the material after a season (or two... or in one case seven!) and it had been awhile since i had invested in a couple new suits. i was excited to try the retro silhouettes that have cropped up everywhere! typically i favor a halter top and tie-side bikini, so this was certainly branching out! 

here are the two i picked:

ann taylor (sadly almost all sizes are sold out - hopefully they'll restock!)
j.crew (which you may remember from this post)

being a bit short-waisted, i wasn't sure if the higher rise bottoms would be flattering. i was pleased to find out they look great on, and they stay put while in the water! i was also very impressed with the quality of the material with both of these suits. the ann taylor suit is silky and surprisingly lightweight, and j.crew's tulle suit dries nicely and holds its shape even when wet.

just add water, an essie clambake mani-pedi, and a margarita and you're in business!

happy weekend!

TGIF! not only is it friday, but i leave for my crazy road trip vacation tomorrow morning! since i am operating on very little sleep (the event was fabulous, by the way!) i am leaving you with a tranquil photograph of the beach that makes me yearn for the sand between my toes and the sun on my face (and isn't it amazing? vintage national geographic sourced here.)

there may be some haphazard posts next week, and perhaps a guest post or two... stay tuned!

jet set

i am having a hard time getting down to business because i get to go on vacation starting saturday!!! it's been a little while since i have gotten away, so i am a bit overexcited.

this trip is intense, and let me tell you why:

it involves a road trip from connecticut to florida. with my boyfriend. and my dad. and titus. 

yup, this is happening.

1,427 miles and 11 states... 

how did this come about? well, my parents relocated from the boston area to southwest florida about 6 years ago and they still have a few things in storage in massachusetts. my dad decided he might as well empty the storage container, but some things are fragile and would fare better in the back of a vehicle instead of shipping them. and obviously 24 hours in a car is best shared with others.

we will be driving the first leg from connecticut to north carolina to stay overnight with the boyfriend's family. we will then commence leg #2 from north carolina to florida and spend several days recuperating from the experience on the beach.

here are a few things i am planning on packing to stay comfortable - and amused! - during the 24 hour drive.

ps - i am taking road trip playlist suggestions! leave your thoughts in the comments :)