After trips to Mexico, Palm Springs, Houston and, now, Scottsdale in the span of just over a year, I like to think that I’m an expert at packing for a hot vacation. Needs obviously will vary a bit from destination to destination, but not much in my case; I am basically a sloth anytime, anyplace I’m on vacation. What matters more than location is whether the kids are going to be there or not; for kid-free trips like this one, I do tend to over-dress a little. YOLO, right!? Even so, were it not for the fact that I have an extensive skin care regimen (which is not precisely compatible with carry on restrictions) and plans to bring back quantities of US-exclusive candy, I probably could have done this trip without checked luggage. That is a Peak Minimalism moment for me, you guys.
Here’s a list of what I took with me (including the clothes I wore on the plane):
– 3 dresses – only because I like to “dress up” for dinner, even though I am not a “fancy dining” kind of person. I’m complicated, ok?
– 3 tops
– 1 pair of pants
– 1 pair of shorts
– 2 sweaters/cardigans
– 1 cover-up
– 1 bikini
– 4 pairs of shoes
– Pyjamas and unmentionables
I feel like I need to explain the shoes. I always wear closed-toe shoes on the plane because my feet get cold otherwise. On this trip, I knew I wanted to do a little bit of hiking – definitely not my norm and, as it turns out, not something my husband was feeling either – so I decided to bring along some runners. But the runners didn’t go with my plane outfit so … 1 pair of shoes became two. Similarly, I usually only bring one pair of sandals (and one would have sufficed here as well), but I had just thrifted some Rebecca Minkoff thong sandals, and they barely took up any extra space, so … 1 pair of sandals became two. Two plus two … well, you can do the math.
Anyway, here is what I actually wore.
This was my plane outfit, and what I wore (minus the vest) until we checked into the hotel. It was the most comfortable. I wore the same thing on the way back except that I subbed in the black floral top I wore on Day 2.
I wore this for dinner on our first night. This is one of my fave dresses and it was nice to be able to wear it without a sweater for once.
Day 2, and a trip to the botanical garden. I always wear this hat in the summer when I’m outside, so it pays for itself in no time. It’s under $40 at Aritzia, and I believe they sell it every year. My first one got smushed in a suitcase once, but the hat is good quality and wears well otherwise; this is the second summer for this hat and it still looks great.
Evening outfit for Day 2. I recently got the necklace at J. Crew Factory. It was a perfect accessory for another one of my favourite muumuus.
Outfit for Day 3. I switched to the shorts in the afternoon for a quick shopping trip, post-poolside lounging.
Last but not least, I had to bring out this recently thrifted Corey Lynn Calter dress. I hunted this dress on eBay, in and off, for years without ever finding the right deal; a few weeks ago, I found it at my local Goodwill for $8.50. Paired with my Aritzia belt, it was a lovely outfit for a lovely last dinner in old town Scottsdale.
