I just flew back from Tampa, Florida where I met two great girlfriends for a five day stay at one of the girl’s lovely home. Our agenda involved going out for lunch every day, some laying by her pool, one dinner party at her home for a bunch of fun neighbors, shopping (of course!), and multiple walks on the beach.
Here’s what I brought:
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To the airport I like to wear layers of items that don’t show spots if turbulence occurs and someone spills😬! I wore a black Beloved tank with a grey cotton leopard cardigan (old), boyfriend jeans, a thin black J Crew belt, black Brooks athletic shoes, a black Coach crossbody purse and a black trench coat (as it was supposed to rain in Florida). I added a silver multiple stranded necklace from Evereve (old) and tiny silver Marcasite earrings that were a gift from a friend. In my black and red paisley quilted Vera Bradley carry-on I always bring a black wool pashmina. I drape it over my shoulders and neck to minimize a stiff neck from the drafty plane.
My red Lucas suitcase is from Nordstrom rack and although I’m not yet efficient enough to just use a carry-on, it’s smaller that the BIG bag I used to bring. (I was proud of the fact that it only weighed 34 pounds on the airport scale!) I buy red luggage as it’s less common than black. The shiny surface is easy to clean and the wheels on this are truly 360 so they spin even when I load my Vera Bradley on top once I’m at my destination. I love to have the black quilted Vera Bradley bag as it’s light when empty, has lots of inside pockets, a great shoulder strap, and is spacious. I also think it converts into a great beach bag on this type of trip.
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My first outfit for walking on the beach was a black Talbots tee, khaki Talbots shirt with cute button trim on each lateral cuff, black athletic shoes and a black Blackhawk’s baseball cap that my son picked for me. Don’t you just love the colors in the Blackhawk’s logo?!
My second beach look was a lightweight blue and white striped shirt from Evereve (old), Talbots blue linen shorts with a cute drawstring waist, a straw hat. For lunch I wore nude Stuart Weitzman laser cut block heeled sandals.
My next look was a lime green J Crew outlet cotton cardigan, and a white Chico’s Off the Rack cotton tank (this has nice wide straps to cover your bra straps and is thick enough that your belt doesn’t show through). I wore white AG denim skinny jeans, a tan Ann Taylor cork belt, the Stuart Weitzman block heeled sandals and a royal blue and lime green cotton scarf from Lands End. I carried a small straw purse with a brown leather handle that Mr. GQ purchased for me in Hawaii several years ago.
The next ensemble also involved the same white skinny jeans but this time I wore it with a black Johnny Was embroidered tunic. I added silver hoop earrings. Here’s a fun post on more ways to wear a boho top.
For the dinner party I wore a black silk sleeveless top, and a black and bronze silk sarong (both from a little Florida shop), an amber pendant and bracelet, a gold watch and hoop earrings. For shoes I wore nude Stuart Weitzman patent leather cage sandals with a kitten heel. If the air conditioning was cooler I would have added a dark wash AG Jean jacket. I love pairing black, with brown or bronze and denim. I think it looks so interesting.
For the pool I wore a pink sun shirt when in the sun as a coverup over two different bathing suits. Both are from Miraclesuit. And they really cinch in my waist. I love them! On the trip in a few Redington Beach or Clearwater Beach shops I found a darling packable cream SPF 50 hat by Wallaroo Hat Company that had a light linen colored brim as well as a really cool pink print sarong. (Stay tuned for my upcoming blog on how to easily tie scarves and sarongs.
My last outfit was my favorite! It was an Athleta boho inspired navy print tank worn over a gray bralette. The really fun part of this outfit was a navy M’legging by Cabi. I’m not sure why this is called an M’legging but it’s a cute pair of leggings with an attached skirt. I love it because it’s very comfortable AND it covers my butt! This year Cabi offers it in a grey color and my girlfriend showed me that a company called fat hat.com carries a black version called the spantaloon that I’ll be ordering as soon as I land in Chicago. I love leggings but as one of my daughters pointed out, no one over 50 should be wearing leggings without some kind of cover! Lastly I wore an orange J. Crew cardigan, nude sandals and the above mentioned straw purse to complete this look
I had fun wearing all these outfits and enjoyed the comfort of all my choices. When planning what to wear remember to wear comfortable outfits that you know fit so you look cute with minimal stress. And if all else fails you can go buy something and if need be, have the salesperson mail home the old outfit so you have room in your suitcase for your new loot!
PS If you would like to see several other looks with me wearing a cardigan, check out this blog post.
