Costa Rica Packing List

Costa Rica was so fun, but I truly had no idea what to pack. I did a decent job in the end, but there were a few things I'd change. Here's what I think is ideal to pack for about a week. We easily packed carry on only for this trip (much easier for warm trips than cold trips, huh)

Shoes
I was tempted to bring heels (low, casual heels, but heels nonetheless) because we were going to at least one nicer dinner, but I'm SO GLAD I DIDN'T. Two reasons; Costa Rica is not overly developed and many of the roads are gravel only or mud, and it's such a casual place! Even at the nicest restaurants, most people are wearing shorts and a tank top. So so so so casual.

Running shoes were key, not only for exercise or excursions, but like I said, the gravel roads (and 1 mile walk we had) were easier to walk with a sturdy shoe. 

Durable sandals (my Reefs) were the best pick! I barely wore my J.Crew leather sandals because they slip so badly on mud, and I didn't want them to be filthy. BUT I'm glad I had a prettier option for nicer dinners.

Dresses
I brought 3 maxi dresses - but wish I would have only brought 1. For the reasons above, walking was a pain in them since I was trying to keep them off the mud! Midi dresses and regular sundresses were a much better option. These were great for dinner, because most restaurants did not have a/c or were outside.

Shorts & Tank Tops
I brought 1 pair of athletic shorts and 2 tank tops, 1 pair of jean shorts, and mixed and matched them all. Like I said, this place is CASUAL! While I'm not really a yoga-pants-in-public kind of girl, there was no point in getting all dressed up to walk a mile in the mud/gravel to get breakfast, 1 mile back, and then put on a bathing suit for the beach. 

Bathing Suits
Bring at least 2! On a trip that is primarily focused on the beach or pool, 2 bathing suits are necessary.  You don't want to get stuck with a damp suit from the day before (yuck). I brought 1 cover up and bought a pretty sarong on our first day in town!

Protect Yourself
I don't burn easily, but I do wear 15-30 SPF at all times. Matt burns quickly and easily, so he opts for rash guards & sun shirts that protect his shoulders and chest from the sun. He still applies sunscreen to legs & face, but his shoulders are always what get charred. Bring lots of sunscreen, any protective clothing, and a hat! There are also a lot of bugs around, so bring a good bug spray - especially for the evening!

Weather
Costa Rica is HOT. Hot hot hot. We were visiting over Thanksgiving, and the temperatures were in the low 90's each day. The evenings were not much cooler. We were sweaty. The sun is also quite intense, even in the "winter". The rain forest is also right off the beach, so it's very humid and can be buggy. I didn't bother to blow dry my hair the entire week, because I knew it would be in a bun before long anyway, so why fight the curl? (especially with the nice salty ocean to help!)

Part of the charm of Costa Rica was the fact that it's laid back and a little "unfinished". It's so nice to be able to be so casual in a beautiful place. 

I hope this helps you plan how you'll pack for your trip to Costa Rica!
xo

My New Favorite Carry On Accessories

I'm always looking for ways to pack smarter, lighten my carry on, be more comfortable in flight, or maximize what I bring along. I'd mentioned a few things I was searching for over the last few months, and Matt made my Christmas presents mostly travel themed! These three items will really make my carry on & in flight experience a better one. While I haven't actually been able to test them out yet (we're on a travel hiatus until the end of March!) these are quite the upgrade to my current carry on situation!

Travelrest Travel Pillow

I am SO EXCITED about this pillow! It looks super goofy, but it is so incredibly comfortable. First of all, I refuse to carry a stuffed or filled neck pillow. I prefer an inflatable pillow because they take up less room when you're not flying... and I couldn't bear dragging around a big pillow the other 95% of your trip, but I really can't get any sleep on a plane without it. The pillow I have is the traditional "C" shape, but I always found myself needing another inch of pillow on the sides to actually rest my head. This cross body pillow is PERFECT! And it folds up to the size of my straightener when deflated. I should also note it has this amazing valve that keeps the air in, and doesn't leak in between each breath (like a traditional inflatable). You can see the valve in this video.

Contour Eye Mask

I have only started using an eye mask to sleep on planes in the last year. Previously, I thought they were just annoying, but I've realized that I'm more likely to get some sleep if my eyes are covered and I can't open them! It's not a light issue for me, it's just FOMO and curiosity :) What I don't like is that most masks don't fit your face right - they can be too tight on your head and even feel like they're pulling on your eyes. Matt found this amazing concave eye mask, that not only keeps pressure off your eyes, it's completely black out! It's so comfortable on your face, you can barely feel it. This isn't the exact brand I have, but it has all the same features. 

Madewell Transport Rucksack

And the cherry on top -- my new "personal item". I love my big travel tote I've used for the last couple of years, and the pockets make sense sometimes, but often it feels very over stuffed and heavy. It also is hard to fit a small purse inside. I've been seeing all these cute leather backpacks and decided that would make a much better personal item. I'm selling my tote because this Madewell backpack is a much better option for me! I did a trial pack and fit my laptop, iPad, small cross body bag, my big headphones, two magazines, a book my phone, and a handful of random items in with room to spare! Plus the backpack fit makes it feel much lighter on my shoulders than the large tote did. It also has 4 different small pockets to keep things like lipstick or other littles in, which is something I loved in my tote. The tote might be a better fit for me if I had a commute for work, but I think this backpack is a much better option as my new personal item!

Those are my upgrades! The travel pillow & eye mask are very reasonably priced. The backpack was a splurge, but I am a 1 bag kind of girl, so I prefer to have one perfect bag that I'll use for a long time rather than several options. (Plus, the resale of my tote almost paid for the backpack! win win!)

What are your favorite carry on items?
xo

Packing List for Winter in Florida

I lived in Florida for most of my life - but for some reason, I forget that it's not always HOT there! We booked a trip in January specifically to escape the winter doom & gloom, which was a good idea. But as the dates quickly approached, South Florida was showing temperatures in the 40's and 50's several of the days. Not exactly beach weather!

We ended up having two really sunny, warm-ish days (in the 70's). However, the other days went either rainy, windy and cool, or sunny and cool. Never cold, never hot. Confusing weather to pack for.

Somehow, I think I packed the perfect things for this trip. It was a lot like packing for New Zealand, where we were going to be ranging 40 degrees in temperature at any time.

Long wrap dress / Vintage maxi dress / River Island long sleeve knit top / American Eagle Outfitters blue chambray shirt / T By Alexander Wang relaxed tee / Bat sleeve cardigan, $8.62 / Helmut Lang slouchy t shirt / H M white v neck tee, $12 / Green military style jacket / NIKE activewear pants / Tassel kimono / Athleta sportswear / River Island black skinny jegging / Current/Elliott current elliott shorts / Sweaty Betty yoga activewear / We Are Handsome bikini bathing suit, $115 / Franco Sarto stacked heel booties / Lucky Brand chunky heel platform shoes / Steve Madden tan leather shoes / MICHAEL Michael Kors handbag satchel / Rebecca Taylor 14k chain necklace / OmSutra print scarve / Dolce Gabbana dolce gabbana eyewear, $880

It was all about the layers. I skipped short dresses and opted for two maxi dresses, which were still breezy, but kept the chill out when the sun went behind the clouds. 

A few plain t-shirts could be mixed and matched with my two light jackets. Which also could be mixed and matched between jeans and shorts. 

Like I said, what I packed ended up working out so well! I'm glad I stuck to layers instead of sweaters, they would have been too warm most days. I'm glad I had one, because I'm always freezing on the plane!

Even though I didn't get all the beach days I was hoping for, it was a good trip. I got to spend a lot of time with my family and my old crew. Next time, I'd just like a little more sunshine!

Any mixed weather trips coming up?
xo

Standard Florida Packing List
Weekend At the Beach Packing List
What to Pack for a Cruise for Him & for Her

What to Pack on a Cruise (featured on TravelFashionGirl.com)

A few months ago, I was asked to write a few posts on cruising for TravelFashionGirl.com! The first is about packing for a cruise, specifically 7 things to bring!

Wondering what to pack on a cruise? With so many cruise dress code guidelines things sure can get confusing. 

A cruise ship is like a floating city. It has restaurants, entertainment, staterooms, and most everything you could want – but there are some limitations. So you don’t show up over packed or under prepared, here’s a list of what to bring and what to leave behind...

Read the rest of the article here!

A few other cruising articles:

Cruise Packing List for Men

Cruise Packing List for Women

Mix & Match Cruise Wardrobe

Why Cruises Are the Best Group Vacation

10 Things You Should Know Before You Cruise 

Packing for Two Weeks in Europe in a Carry On

This is pretty close to what I brought with me to London, Bruges, and Copenhagen. I didn't include my underthings or 1 pair PJ's, but that's all the clothing that was in my bag. I didn't even go roller board suitcase, we opted for our backpacks, because after you go over about 5 cobblestone streets you'll be SO GLAD you're not rolling anything. (This is the bag I have and I LOVE IT!) Plus, three of these eBags packing cubes fit perfectly and carry everything we need!

I can honestly say I wasn't sick of these clothes, which is amazing.

2 Weeks in Europe by reneecutaia featuring sport pants

Alberta Ferretti long dress / Alexander Wang long sleeve top / Chicnova Fashion v neck top / H M marled sweater, $38 / T By Alexander Wang grey t shirt, $105 / City Chic scoop neck top / Field jacket / Alo Yoga sport pants, $115 / J Brand red jeans, $265 / Charlotte Russe black pantyhose / Avenue plus size stocking / River Island skinny jegging / H M activewear top, $45 / The North Face activewear top / Franco Sarto leather ankle boots / NIKE lace up shoes / MICHAEL Michael Kors satchel bag / Peach Couture accessory / Forever 21 scarve / Long fingerless glove, $45 / UGG Australia knit beanie

5 Tops
These 5 tops vary in weight, color and warmth. Black tank and grey t shirt can be layers or worn alone. The three sweaters have varying sleeve lengths, different types of knit, etc.

2 Pants
I only ended up wearing the black jeans. For some reason once I pack those burgundy pants, I never want to wear them. Not packing them anymore! We were able to wash our clothes 1/2 way through the trip, so this wasn't a problem.

2 Coats
This was really 1 coat, and 1 kind-of-jacket that's more like a cardigan. It was more to change up my layers, as it wouldn't keep you warm below 75* weather. I was a little sick of my 1 black coat, but it was keeping me very warm and dry, so I stopped being sick of it and was just thankful I brought it!

2 Shoes
1 everyday and 1 running shoe. Last year I brought 2 pairs of cute shoes to Italy and I never wore the 2nd pair. I decided to stick to one pair that would cover all sins - and it worked great! These have just enough of a heel that they looked dressed up with a nice necklace and my dress.

1 Black Dress
This dress is a favorite of mine over tights, and it worked for our few nice dinner nights. I could also layer sweaters over it for a casual daytime look.

2 Scarves
This is a milestone for me - i love bringing millions of scarves, but I stuck to 2! I kinda wish I brought 3, since it's basically the only thing you see in our photos except my jacket, but I also thought I might buy one while we were there and thought i'd save my space. At the end of the day I love these two fun scarves and thought they were great choices.

1 Beanie/1 Gloves
Also, wish I would have brought 1 more beanie. I kind of brought it thinking I would use it 1 day, if even - but I wore it almost every day because of all the rain! My grey fingerless gloves were perfect for the whole trip. They're from H&M and my favorite!

1 Set Workout Clothes
Biking in Copenhagen, going for a run in a park - glad I had a set.

2 Pairs Stockings
These were great for my dress and also to add a layer of warmth under jeans on a chilly day. You'd be surprised how warm tights can be!

Just a few outfits - unfortunately, you can't see what's under my jacket half the time. But with different hair styles, lipstick, and switching up scarves and beanies, you can get a few different looks without bringing your whole closet with you.

Two weeks carry on only in Europe in the COLD - you can do it!

Let me know if you need help, have questions or just think I'm crazy :)

xo

Packing List for New Zealand

It took me WEEKS to figure out what I was going to bring to New Zealand. The weather was changing every time I looked, wavering from cold to warm. Not to mention we were traveling a significant distance (over 1400 miles, essentially the distance between Orlando, FL and Minneapolis, MN). We were facing temps between 40 & 85 degrees, and occasions from high class wine tasting to hours, in the car, to climbing a mountain.... how do you pack for that?!

Layers, my friend. Layers.

The funny thing, is I ended up packing almost the same things I always pack; half of my suitcase was working off my Spring Capsule Wardrobe with a few tweaks, and the other half is Hiking Gear for New Zealand. 

POWER PLAYERS ON THIS PACKING LIST

• Beautiful Maxi Dress: Warm enough to protect me from the breeze, beautiful enough for nice dinners and wine tasting, but casual enough for strolling around town. I wore this dress several times. We went to a nice dinner and the girl next to me was wearing North Face style from head to toe, and I was so thankful for my one beautiful outfit!
• Thin Sweaters: I practically lived in these while we were driving around. They were so comfortable, lightweight, but warm! 
• Scarf: As always, a scarf can be a life saver. I used it as a blanket on the plane and in the car, as an extra layer of warmth on a slightly windy day, and even as a beach blanket in a pinch. 

Just a few ways I wore these while wine tasting, walking around town, checking out easy nature sites (nothing that required hiking clothes), flights, driving all over the country and more. I mixed, matched, layered up and down, and managed to dress for every occasion on a pretty limited wardrobe.

POWER PLAYERS ON THIS PACKING LIST

• Rain Jacket: I've said it 1,000x - I don't know how I traveled before this thing. Even if it doesn't rain, a thin black jacket can be extremely helpful.
• Beanie: Keeps you warm, keeps the rain off your head, and can also be used as an accessory around town.
• Moisture Wicking Layers: When we did major hikes, layers were key. Dry fit fabrics take the sweat away from your skin, keeping you from freezing later on. They don't have to be expensive, they can come from Target or Wal Mart! But these fabrics are essential for hiking. Having layers around for less intense hikes was also good, so I could choose how many I wanted to wear. 

I definitely got my mileage out of that rain jacket. We penciled in a lot of activity (three longer hikes, sea kayaking, and several impromptu hikes along our way!) so being fully outfitted in activewear was necessary.

I would say that visiting New Zealand anytime of year would require suitcase half filled with active wear and half filled with nice, casual clothing. 

Have you visited New Zealand? What did you pack?!

xo

WINNING WEDNESDAY: Vapur Collapsible Water Bottle (a giveaway!)

Happy Wednesday! Let's win things, shall we?

One of my all time favorite things I've discovered is a Vapur water bottle. Funny story, I thought I invented it (in my head) - thinking of a water bottle that worked more like a Capri Sun, after being sick of carrying large Nalgene bottles in my purse. 

The Vapur rolls up so you can carry it with you at all times and fill up when needed! BUT, it opens, closes, and drinks like a normal water bottle. It's always with me when I travel, and kind of with me all the time. I love it. It looks crazy, but who cares - it's the best.

Rolls up to the size of a candy bar.

You can win one today! I'm giving away a red Vapur Element bottle 0.7L in size.

You can enter up to 8 times with the options below - good luck!
xo

a Rafflecopter giveaway


all images via 

Translating Packing Lists Into Real Life

I shared my planned packing list list for Italy, but wanted to follow up and show how it panned out in real life. It's easy to say you're going to pack light, but it can be harder to actually do it! Honestly, packing light takes a little more planning on the front end, but makes your trip smoother, lighter, and generally more enjoyable (at least it does for me!) Here's what the contents of my backpack looked like!

The gold scarf at the top was swapped for a lighter weight black & white scarf.

 

It all fit in my 45L osprey backpack with room to spare! Here's how it looked out on the road :)

What I would have done differently:
- I brought 2 dresses but only ended up wearing 1. For fall/winter, I should have stuck to 1 dress as most days were a bit chilly (even with tights). Plus, I'd never worn the grey dress before. If you don't wear it in real life, you won't wear it on the road. Broke one of my own rules!
- I foolishly brought suede flats for my 2nd pair of shoes. With the rainy forecast, I don't know what I was thinking! These were in my backpack the entire time.
- 2 jackets. I wore both of them, but definitely could have streamlined down to 1 and chosen another medium weight top for layering options.

Overall, not too many regrets. And definitely not ones that were too terrible! But as per usual, you can usually pack less than you think you need :)

What I wouldn't change:
- My ankle boots. They were great for long days of walking, water resistant, and matched everything! 
- Layers. I got creative with my layering, putting my plaid shirt under my black dress OR the striped sweater, wore it over the black top, or by itself. Same with the mustard cardigan! Versatile as they come, and added color to otherwise plain outfits. 
- My black shirt from Vinnie Louise. It's heavy enough to be warm but billowy and breathable. With a belt it has great shape or can be layered under a sweater! I think I wore it on every train ride because it was so comfortable.
- 2 different scarves. These scarves were different colors, materials & weights. They instantly changed an outfit's look, PLUS it was nice to have different weights for weather changes.
- Low profile trainers. I found these on sale a few weeks before we left (for $30 at DSW) and I'm so glad I bought them. We hiked in Cinque Terre (so running shoes were necessary), but didn't use them again - these were half the weight and size of my Brooks running shoes, and saved me a ton of space.

Thinking about New Zealand next month, I'm trying to be smart with my packing! Here's what I know so far about our trip.
- Hiking at least 2 full days (one of those hikes will require cold weather gear)
- Driving (clothing that is comfortable in the car without being frumpy)
- The weather will be Spring-ish. Warm days, cool nights (maxi dresses, lightweight layers, thin scarf).

We'll also be sea kayaking, wine tasting, exploring cities, glaciers, and all sorts of crazy stuff. It's looking like my bag will be filled with a lot of athletic wear! Similarly to Italy, we will be bouncing around quite a bit - so i'll need easy mix & match items that pack well without wrinkling. Challenge excepted.

If anyone has been to New Zealand and has any tips on visiting in the late Summer/Early Fall, please let me know! I'm all ears!
xo

WINNING WEDNESDAY: Travel Jewelry Organizer (a giveaway!)

Yes, it's Wednesday, which means you could definitely WIN!

Today I'm giving away 2 Travelon jewelry organizers (in black) - the jewelry organizer I personally use and absolutely LOVE (as seen here).

It has 6 different zipper pockets, and works like a charm. If I ever have one too many necklaces, I'll put it in a small bag (zip bag that extra buttons come in, cloth jewelry bag, etc) and store with another necklace in the larger pouch so it doesn't get tangled. 

Magazine for length reference. The more you stuff in there, the less flat it will be, but with normal use it is about 1/2-1" thick when rolled. 

It can be laid flat on top of your suitcase or rolled nicely and tucked in the corner. I carry mine in my purse typically when I travel because it's so small.

NOW - who wants to win one? There will be two lucky winners! Enter below - the drawing closes at 12pm CST on Friday, February 27. Best of luck! :)
xo
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Capsule Wardrobe for Every Season

I'm always on a mission to pack less. Carrying on is a way of life and I can't recommend it enough!

What I've realized is having a basic selection of clothes for every season is the perfect building block for packing. With these capsule wardrobes, I start with these basics - then add or take away as needed. Add a more formal dress, or slightly lighter or heavier clothing depending on the location. It works pretty well! Here's my basic capsule for every season.

Spring can be a tricky time - warm days, cool nights... you  need a little bit of everything. Here's how you can have plenty to get you by without bringing your entire closet. This little 8 piece packing list gives you over 10 outfits with almost no effort. Also, pick a few lighter colors as a reward for getting through winter :)

POWER PLAYERS FOR SPRING

- Lightweight tops that can be layered with cardigans or a chambray.
- Dresses... because it's spring! I always bring tights because you  never know how breezy it will be.
- A lightweight scarf. A key ingredient in ANY weather.
- A pair of closed toed flats for chilly days, and sandals when the sun is shining.

Other Spring packing lists:
Charleston

Summer is HOT. You'll never ever see me in jeans unless I'm at the north pole. Moving from spring, I ditch the jeans for shorts and a skirt, add a dress and swap to tank tops.

POWER PLAYERS FOR SUMMER

- A black sundress can be dressed up or down, and can cover you from the beach to dinner.
- Maxi dress. Once again, can be good for a day date, bridal shower, dinner, or attending a wedding. Plus you can wear it again on the flight to stay warm.
- The chambray will take care of any breeze or shade, or more likely, cold restaurants.
- Tank tops go with your shorts, skirt and can be layered over the black dress! Seriously, don't ever forget the black dress!

Other Summer Packing lists:
Cruise Outfit Guide // Cruise for Women // Cruise for Men // Seattle // Vegas // Florida 

Fall is always a favorite. After sweating all Summer I'm ready for some layers. Like Spring, layers are key.

POWER PLAYERS FOR FALL

- Lightweight sweater. My black & grey sweater is a fall favorite because it's lightweight but still warm. I can add a tank top or jacket and be good to go.
- Wool dress. Add tights and you've got a cute evening outfit. It's also nice to mix it up from jeans.
- Fingerless tights. I love these things! They keep air from sneaking up your arms but aren't so hot that you can't breath.
- Medium weight scarves add the perfect layer of warmth on a chilly night or overcast day. Then your medium weight jacket can take care of every occasion.

Other Fall packing lists:
Italy // Chicago // Seattle 

Winter... I almost don't even want to talk about you since you're almost over. BLAH! The only redeeming quality about winter to me is cute sweaters and blanket scarves.

POWER PLAYERS FOR WINTER

- Merino wool sweater. It's the thinnest, warmest sweater you can invest in. They have them everywhere from TJ Maxx to Target to J.Crew & beyond - get one. I have one in a neutral tan so it goes with everything!
- Layerable clothing. You will wear at least two tops every single day, so make sure they can layer over each other and all match.
- Blanket scarf! I love mine. I use it as a blanket on the plane, wrap myself in it when I'm freezing, and have even used it as an extra blanket in a cold hotel. Get one.
- Thermal & fleece. While these aren't attractive, they are warm. They are worth a little extra bulk in your suitcase so you don't freeze.

Other Winter packing lists:
Sub Zero Temps // Hot & Cold Weather (in one bag) 

General Packing Tips
Mix & Match // Packing Math 

You can DO THIS! This weekend Matt & I shared a carry on suitcase. If I can do it, you can too. What essentials are in your capsule wardrobes?
xo

Packing for Sub Zero Temperatures

I travel a lot for work & it's a lot of fun! The major reason I travel is for photo shoots... which isn't as glamorous as it sounds, because they're always on farms :)

It's a lot of classic pick-ups, horses, barns and wheel barrows. 

Fashion is minimal as we're outside in the dirt all day, however, I still want to appear professional (enough) & dress appropriately. My typical photo shoot uniform is jeans, v-neck t shirts, thin plaid shirts and my rain boots. The thin long sleeved shirts protect from bad tan lines & add an extra layer on a chilly morning. The rain boots keep my feet dry in muddy areas (or, um... not worry about horse poop on my shoes) and can be rinsed off easily at the end of the day.

one of the models getting a bit friendly!

Up until now, our photo shoots have been in the 60's-80's, weather wise. My main concern was wearing light, breathable fabrics so I wouldn't overheat on long days! But now.... we're headed into a snow storm to see farm life in the winter. SEND HELP!

Like the other photo shoots, it will be long days outside.... but this time, it's in the snow and likely sub zero temperatures. I've had to pick up a few items to prepare & hopefully prevent freezing my tush off.

MiH merino wool sweater, $295 / FWSS long sleeve top, $125 / J Crew merino wool sweater, $120 / Rag bone JEAN long sleeve top, $120 / H M top, $15 / The north face jacket / VILA black puffy coat, $135 / H&M slim fit jeans, $46 / Brooks Brothers wool socks / Fleece legging / Frye tall boots / SOREL rain boots, $185 / Burton lightweight glove / Cable knit infinity scarve, $50 / Krochet Kids hat / Sole Society knit circle scarf

POWER PLAYERS FOR THE ARTIC TUNDRA

Sorel Boots - These are by far the warmest thing I've ever worn. Fur lined & completely waterproof. Absolutely incredible. I can be in several inches of snow and stay dry!

Wool Everything - Wool socks, merino wool sweaters (the first 3), wool beanie, wool scarves. Wool is not only warm, but it has moisture wicking properties. This means even if you start to sweat or get wet, the water will be pulled away from your skin & keep you warm. It doesn't hurt that there are so many cute merino wool sweaters out there! (Check J.Crew, Madewell, etc)

Layers - I am planning on wearing thermal leggings & a thermal vneck top underneath all of my clothing. I've never thought jeans were warm on their own, so these will definitely help.

Long Down Jacket - While my snowboarding jacket would keep me very warm and dry, it is only waist length. The extra long down jacket will really help me stay extra warm... which will be necessary!

via

It's going to be so pretty... but SO COLD! Any tips for standing out in the snow for 10 hours? Brrrrr.
xo