Tag: Fashion blog

I Rock at Packing

You know how I describe myself as a “recovering Type A overachiever?”* Well, I’m working hard to relax a bit more and leave some of that Type A stuff behind me. Except when it comes to packing… I am an AWESOME packer.

I’ve worked packing down to a science and I even have spreadsheets divided by the type of trip and who is coming with me. Oh, am I going on a cruise with the husband? No biggie. Taking a long weekend to the beach house with the baby? Bring it! Going to a different country for a work conference where I need to be dressy? I show that trip who’s in charge!

So how do I win at packing? Well, my goal is to pack EXACTLY what I need for the trip and not one extra thing. If I wear everything I’ve packed, I consider that a WIN at packing. And frankly a WIN at LIFE!

Want to see the method to my madness? Well, check out my packing list from last week’s trip to Vancouver:

breakdown 2

By planning out exactly what I need to wear each day, I can make sure I’m not just throwing in a bunch of stuff that doesn’t go together. I also include underclothes and pajamas, of course.

If I was short on space, I could have pared it down to just one pair of jeans and one sweater, but I like options. Also, with rain in the forecast for every day I didn’t want to end up trying to put on wet jeans if I was soaked on a sightseeing trip. Everything on this list (and everything I bought for my husband and Jack) all fit in just a backpack and small Heys carry-on suitcase.

So, you want to see a bunch of dorky pictures of all my outfits?

Tuesday
Tuesday: (jeans #1, t-shirt, sandals and scarf) I wore this on two planes, sightseeing and dinner.
Wednesday 1
Wednesday morning: (jeans #2, t-shirt, jacket, sneakers) I wore this for a ton of walking and sightseeing. I have no idea why Kid Rock is on TV…
Wednesday 2
Wednesday afternoon: (dress #1, sweater, sandals) – I wore this outfit for the conference check-in, one session and a welcome reception.
Thursday 1
Thursday: (dress #2, sweater, sandals) I wore this from 7am – 5pm for my conference.
Thursday 2
Thursday night: (jeans #2, t-shirt, scarf, sneakers) This is my ‘last chance at shopping’ outfit! It was raining outside, so I didn’t even bother with trying to keep my hair under control.
Friday
Friday morning: (jeans #1, t-shirt, sweater, sandals) – one last conference session and then a LONG plane ride. I finally got home at 2:30 am on Saturday!

Wait… did you not think these pictures were dorky enough? Well, how about THIS:

silly pics
Just in case you think I get American Next Top Model’s smizing perfection in every shot… here’s what the majority of the pictures looked like on my camera when I got home:

So how about you, do you like to pack JUST what you plan to wear on your trip or do you prefer throwing in your whole closet and sorting through it all later? Am I the only one who feels like I WIN at packing if I wear everything I packed?

* If you didn’t know that you can totally look up at my website header… see, it’s there.

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I wish I was a Fashion Blogger

I love reading other people’s blogs.  I guess that’s what inspired me to start my own blog. Well that and the fact that every time I’d tell a random story with arms flailing around, someone would inevitably say “you should have a blog!” Well, I’m nothing if not accommodating.

Actually, I’m not really that accommodating. I’m just kind of an attention ho and checking the stats on this little blog of mine is good for my ego.

Anyways, I love reading blogs about motherhood craziness, stories about clumsiness, DIY home décor projects, reviews of books that I never have the chance to read, and so on and so forth. I have a bunch of my favorite blogs saved on my gmail reader and visit them whenever I have a chance.

I also have a couple of those other blogs. You know, the fashion blogs. I wrote that in italics because you totally need to say it with whispered reverence in your voice. Kind of like how those hyenas said Mufasa in The Lion King. Try it: fashion blogs. See, that’s totally what I mean.

Fashion bloggers are WAY cooler than me. I’m sure that many of them are as sweet as pie, but I met a couple at last year’s BlogHer conference that caused me to immediately regress to feeling like that dork in middle school with the perm and braces. And yes, I totally had a spiral perm and braces at the same time because it was the late eighties/early nineties and I didn’t know any better.

I have two favorite fashion blogger’s that I visit on a regular basis. I’m not going to post them here because I kind of don’t want them to click back through and point and laugh at me. They are both impossibly cool and obviously have much, much better wardrobes than me. And better cameras. And they’re skinnier. I love reading their blogs though, because they always put together these amazing outfits from everyday pieces that look FANTASTIC on them.

Well, I wish I was cool like them.

I have what I’ll call a “lazy” wardrobe. I pretty much wear the same thing to work each day – black pants, a shirt or tank top and a sweater. Every single day. I mean, I look presentable… just not COOL. Frankly, it’s easy but pretty boring. In the summer I have a few cute work dresses, but when it’s cold outside I dress more for comfort and warmth.

I was going to include a picture of my in my normal "uniform" but couldn't find a recent full body picture. I did find this picture from 2010 though...
I was going to include a picture of my in my normal “uniform” but couldn’t find a recent full body shot. I did find this picture of me sitting on an egg from 2010 though…

When I’m not at work I’m either in my “I might leave the house” outfit of jeans (Gap), a t-shirt (Lucky), a hoodie/fleece (Under Armour or North Face) and boots (No idea, they’re super old and I love them). If I’m not leaving the house I live in the exact same outfit but switch out the jeans with yoga pants. That’s pretty much it. I do have a couple really pretty scarves that I throw on over everything, so maybe I’m like 1/18 cool.

I really WANT to be one of those saucy chicks that wear the adorable fitted skinny jeans, knee boots, three layered flowy tops that somehow make them look both busty and skinny and an artfully draped scarf… but I’m not.

Half the time I don’t give a darn that I’m not one of the fashionably dressed and the other half I’m totally jealous that somehow other working mom’s out there look so much more put together than me.

So, what’s your trick? Are you one of those ladies who always look adorable? If so, give me some tips! If not, what is your ‘go to’ outfit that you keep wearing again and again and again?

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