I probably get the most questions about what I wear. So, as promised, here is a comprehensive list (including links) of everything I wore on my recent trip to Japan:
I wore this Dressed in Lala rainbow track suit for our travel day. It was super comfortable yet still trendy and fun. I felt put together but also relaxed, like I was wearing sweatpants. This set was also versatile and allowed me to wear just the jacket for cooler nights out.
When I saw this dress on ASOS many month ago, I knew I would wear this while eating the infamous rainbow Tokyo cotton candy. It was the first item I bought specifically for this trip, and let me tell you, it was a DREAM. I turned heads while walking through Harajuku... how could I not? I was matching my cotton candy!
About a month before our trip, I started packing, psychically putting the clothes in the suitcase and I realized I had only planned to bring one dress, the Harajuku cotton candy dress. I love traveling with dresses, I feel like they come across better in photos and personally I find them more comfortable than shorts and tops for warmer weather destinations. So I quickly order 2 more dresses from Shein, this fluffy pink dress was one of them. I loved this style of dress so much, I have sourced a similar fluffy dress here. Let's be real, you will probably see me wearing it in the near future.
These black denim shorts were a great staple in my suitcase that I could pair with multiple items I packed, creating different outfits. Pair with a different top, change the belt and accessories, and BAM you have a totally different look!
Here is another outfit using the black shorts above.
1. How cute is this polka dot top, UNDER $15!
This floral skirt was a vintage find, and try as I might, I have not been able to find anything like it to provide you all with a link. But I can share the link for the white top from Shein. It was such a perfect travel blouse, light weight and did not wrinkle!
These pants are always a huge hit and bonus; they are super packable, lightweight, flattering and comfy. Downside, I bought them in Dublin last year from Penny's and they do not sell online. But not to worry, I have sourced some similar styles here:
1. Wide-leg stripe pant from Lulu's
2. This one is the closest in color but is a jumpsuit from Lulu's
3. Also a jumpsuit from Lulu's
4. Super comparable wide-leg pants from Macys - ON SALE!
This dress was the other of the two last minute dress additions and I am so glad I got this one! One thing I was not aware of before traveling to Japan, is how modest Japanese women dress. I rarely saw a Japanese woman with a skirt that hit above the knee. After wearing short shorts, skirts and dresses for a week, I felt so comfortable in this midi-dress. When I travel back to Japan one day, I will keep this in mind and bring more modest apparel along. Because I loved this look so much I have sourced some similar floral dresses that are incredibly tempting:
1. Orange floral dress from Lulu's- ON SALE!
2. Pink ruffle floral dress from Lulu's
I was so excited about this jumpsuit. Super affordable, only a whopping $20! The cranes were so fitting for Japan, it made me want to buy all the pretty origami paper and make paper cranes while riding the Shinkansen. If only I knew how to fold a paper crane.
Pastel strip bikini, lace detail shorts, I am living for this vacation vibe. Unfortunately, both of these items are sold out from Shein, but here is a similar style of swimsuit- under $20!
This perfectly pink jumper is from ASOS and is unfortunately sold out, but they do have a similar version in a lighter shade of pink, here.
If you like the style but want a more classic version, here are some blue jean babies;
1) Distressed denim overall dress- Under $40!
2) Classic 90's vibe - ON SALE!
How great is this 1960's Vintage set? I bought it with the idea of shortening it just enough to make a matching bow for my DIY pair of Minnie Mouse ears. I was so pleased with the result and cannot wait to mix and match the dress and cape with other outfits in the future. I bought this from the Cat's Meow vintage store on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
I still get questions about how I managed to fit a different outfit for each day of a 2 week vacation into a carry-on suitcase. So here are a couple tips on how I make this work:
1. Plan, plan and plan some more. Plan until you are exhausted. I planned each outfit according to the activity we were doing on a given day as well as coordinating with the weather forecast. Yes, what a novel idea; CHECK THE WEATHER. This was huge in saving space in my case. I did not need to bring layers, it was calling for a heatwave in Japan.
2. Stick to a certain color scheme. This is huge when it comes to SHOES. I only brought 3 pairs of shoes on this trip, and honestly I probably could have gotten away with just 2 pairs. 1 pair of slip on classic Vans, 1 pair of black Nike tennis shoes, and of course my Tiek's. Each of these shoes could be worn with essentially any given outfit I planned, because they all fit with my color scheme. I noticed I planned to pack a lot of pinks with pops of bright yellow.
3. Pack clothing that is lightweight, and will not wrinkle. This is a big tip. Not only will you save space in your suitcase with thin materials, but you will also look great and wrinkle-free in photos! This applies both hot and cool weather trips; when traveling to cooler clients, pack lightweight layers.