Saturday, March 29, 2008

Chic, Comfortable Travel Clothes on a Dime

My family and I went to Disney over Spring break. It is always hard to judge what to wear to a place like Disney, especially in the winter/spring months. Since I am a seasoned Disney traveler, I know two things that are a must: pack for warm and cold weather, this means layers; and wear comfortable shoes!!! You do a lot of walking and standing.

I watched the weather report leading up to our trip and discovered that it was going to be in the mid-70's to mid-80's almost everyday and sunny. The evenings were going to be around 60. Then, my husband informed me that he bought 5 day passes to the Disney parks so I knew we would be walking a lot. With that information in mind, this is what I came up with.

Anything made out of jean material is a great way to go. For my plane trip to and from Orlando, I wore the same pair of jeans, a thin, long-sleeved shirt and a light-weight, navy double-stiched Fresh Produce Jacket which I bought last year at Marshall's for $10. I wore a pair of peds from the Dollar Store and a new pair of Sketchers, which was my most expensive clothing item: $50 from Kohl's Department Store. This is the first time I went to Disney without a pair of running shoes.

Let me explain: I have been to Disney at least 10 times in my life so I know that comfortable shoes are a must. I am also a runner, so I always have to pack my running gear when we go on a trips. About 4 months ago I hurt my knee and have not been able to run, so I was determined not to have to pack bulky running shoes. Plus, running shoes are great for running but they are such a fashion faux pas! I was determined to find something that I could wear with capris, jeans, shorts, without compromising style and comfort. Sketchers seemed to be my answer.

My Daughter and I with Goofey. I'm wearing my new jean capris, my Sketchers and carrying my XO backpack



We were going from a Friday to a Friday. My jeans outfit took care of my Fridays, so that left 6 days of outfits. I am a practical person and I hate having to carry a lot when we fly, so I determined that I needed 6 short-sleeved shirts (one for each day we were there) one skirt, 2 jean capris and one dress capris. It turned out that I had everything I needed for my trip except for a second pair of capri jeans.

I made a trip to Macy's and found a wonderful, stretch jean capri by Levis for $38. They were so comfortable I wore them 3 times.

Our hotel had a pool, so I packed 2 swims suits one cover up and a pair of slides. The second swimsuit is imperative, because no one likes putting on a wet suit.

I packed 2 pairs of pajamas, a pair of slippers and of course undergarments. I hate walking on hotel floors in my naked feet, which is why slippers are a must!

I took one handbag. I bought a pink XOXO backpack that I bought from Marshall's 3-4 years ago for $5 for a Hilton Head trip. I have used that backpack for every trip we have made since then because it is easy to carry things in, it is small and it is stylish. I have decided though that it might be time to retire it if I can't clean it. It is starting to look soiled from all our vacations. I guess it is time for me to start shopping for a replacement at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. They carry great handbags, including designer ones such as Coach, Dooney and Bourke, Le Sport Sak, Liz, and the list goes on.

I should mention that we stayed in a place that had a washer and dryer, so I knew I could pack light. My family and I managed to stick to one suitcase per person. My kids brought their back packs for their mp3 players and other things that they were going to use while on the plane. I had my purse (back pack) and the rest fit in my suitcase.

I also learned over the years that packing extra jewelry is a waste of time and space. Also, if it is fine jewelry, you have to worry about how to store it safely in your hotel room. My solution to this problem is to stick to gold jewelry. Gold goes with almost anything. I wore a pair of 14k gold hoop earrings, a 14k gold 16" necklace and of course my wedding and engagement ring, which I never take off.

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