Happy Thursday, ladies!  If you’ve been following along with the blog, you’ll know that Kelly is on vacation in Tybee Island, Georgia.  And guess what?  I just pulled in to join her and my oldest for a few days.  Packing for the trip got me thinking about how there’s always something I leave behind.  So today, I wanted to talk 5 travel mistakes you may be making that are super easy to fix.

The Summary

  Today I’m talking about 5 travel mistakes most of us have probably made at one time or another

  Unrelated, but to add something a little extra, I pulled together some of my favorite vacation outfits from the past few years

  I’ve created similar outfits from some of my favorite retailers, all shoppable via text- or image-widgets.

  At the end of the post, I’ve pulled together 5 must-have travel essentials I never leave home without

5 Travel Mistakes You May Be Making

1. You brought the wrong shoes

Let’s face it, no matter how meticulously we are planning a vacation, there always seems to be a last-minute change of plans.   Whether that means an outdoor excursion or a dinner out at a nice restaurant, it’s never a great time if we don’t have the proper footwear.

When I pack footwear, I always try to bring at least:

• a pair of dressy sandals.  (think a low heel);
• a pair of comfy day shoes or sandals.  (think espadrilles or slides);
• and a pair of runners.

With these three shoes, you’re pretty much prepared for the most (in)formal of events.

Similar outfit

Board:  Girlfriend Denim Shorts (Talbots) | Cowl Neck Shell (Ann Taylor) | Haydee Sandal (Sam Edelman, Nordstrom)

Shop the Board

2. You Packed Too Little (Or Too Much)

Goldilocks packing, as I like to call it, can be challenging.  There’s nothing worse than packing too little and not having what you need when you need it.  But, it’s also not great to be lugging a lot more than you are actually going to wear on a vacation.

Learning to construct travel capsule wardrobes goes a long, long way to packing properly.

Last week, Kelly showed us how to build a travel capsule wardrobe for a longer vacation.  I’ve also put together a bunch of travel capsule wardrobes you can find here and here.

And stay tuned this month, as we’ll be rolling out some more travel capsules for shorter trips, as well as cooler weather ones.

Similar Outfit

Board: Stamps Linen Pants (FARM Rio, Nordstrom) | Hannah Metallic Vachetta Slides (Talbots) | Cotton-Blend Slub Tunic Tank (Chico’s)

Shop the outfit

3. You Forgot A Layer

Even if you’re headed on a tropical vacation, chances are you’ll be spending time indoors at some point during the trip.  Whether you’re taking a meal at the hotel restaurant or you’ve got a day excursion, part of which is inside, it’s good to bring at least one layering option.

Whether it’s a sweater or sweatshirt, it’s always good to have a layering option—especially for the flight there and back!

Similar Outfit

Board:  Tiered Dress Broken-In Jersey (J.Crew) | Carmela Tummy Control One Piece (Land’s End) | Paper Straw Panama Hat (Nordstrom) | Cece Braid Thong Sandals (Talbots)

Shop the outfit

4. You Left Your Most Important Hygienics At Home

Was your favorite shampoo too big to pack?  Did you leave your Advil at home?   What about your favorite, go-to blow dryer that you rely on daily?

I get it.  Sometimes we’re forced to rely on hotel amenities.  And sometimes “I’ll buy it when I get there” works out just fine.  But chances are, your favorite shampoo brand comes in a travel size.  And in reality, the hotel blow dryer doesn’t really work that well.

Part of traveling is preparedness.  And part of preparedness is making a list and checking it twice.

A few helpful tips I try to use when packing for a vacation:

• Identify all of your must-have favorite brands and items and order them in travel sizes.
• Create and pre-pack separate makeup and travel kits.  That way you’ll already be packed before packing!
• Buy and leave a travel medical kit in your suitcase.

Similar Outfit

Board: Ramie Popover Shirt Dress (Banana Republic) | Bamboo Elisabetta Slouch Handbag (Mark & Graham) | High Heel Sanadals (Aqua) | Sammy Le Bio Acetate Sunglasses (Revo)

Shop the outfit

5. You Didn’t Bring Key Accessories

Last but not least, don’t forget your hat!  And your sunglasses.  And your AirPods.  And your…

Yup, just like your hygienics, it’s so easy to forget key accessories necessary for travel.  That’s why the same tips as above apply here.

And while it may not be practical (or affordable) to buy separate accessories just for traveling, make sure to keep a global list that you are constantly updating based on your needs.

Board: Paperbag Shorts (Banana Republic) | Marley Driving Moccasin (Coach) | Smocked Shoulder Top (Talbots)

Shop the outfit

5 Travel Mistakes to Avoid

Essential Travel Items

1.

Makeup Bag

(shop more VASKER)

Shop Now

2.

2-in-1 Cosmetics Case

(shop more Mark & Graham)

Shop Now

3.

Chatelet Air Large Spinner

(shop more Delsey)

Shop Now

4.

AirPods Pro

(shop more earbuds)

Shop Now

5.

Canvas & Leather Tote

(shop more Longchamp)

Shop Now

In Case You Missed It

Kelly’s visiting Tybee Island, and I’ve just joined her for the week.  This morning, Kelly invited us to explore Tybee North Beach with her. Click the title or image below to read the article.

Exploring Tybee North Beach

About The Author