A Few of My Favorite Travel Things (Spring Wardrobe 2023 Edition)
Being on the road and jaunting from one location to another is full of adventure, but it does come with some hefty planning (and shopping) skills. The most challenging part is learning to keep a year-round wardrobe that can easily be packed when it’s off-season at home but on-season for the destination.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Disclosure: To help pay for the administration costs of running my travel blog, I am an advertising affiliate and Amazon Associates Member. If you purchase a product through the links on my site, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It’s a win-win for everyone!
With all of our business and ministry travels from the last few years (pandemic era excluded), I’ve had to become pretty adept at packing, multi-tasking, and wardrobe changing. Being on the road and jaunting from one location to another is full of adventure, but it does come with some hefty planning (and shopping) skills. The most challenging part is learning to keep a year-round wardrobe that I can easily pack when it’s off-season at home but on-season for where we’re traveling!
Our Christmas trip to Cancun just a few months ago is one such example of learning the art of year-round preparation. My husband Jeffrey and I live in Oklahoma, where we have extremely hot and humid summers and unpredictable winters. Last December was no exception. We had an unseasonably warm autumn that unexpectedly and quite rapidly deteriorated into winter just weeks before our Christmas vacation to Cancun, Mexico. Within a month, I went from wearing cooler autumn outfits to chunky winter sweaters to shorts and beachwear! While this may sound glamorous to some, it’s challenging to have to run through an entire year’s wardrobe style in less than 4 weeks!
Thankfully, I’ve learned a few tricks to help me be prepared at a moment’s notice for an unplanned trip and unexpected climate changes. Interestingly enough, it was my wardrobe shortfall amid the global supply chain insufficiencies during the pandemic that actually helped me fine-tune some year-round shopping and closet organization. Once Jeff’s travel business bounced back, we decided to give our entire closets a makeover with a year-round wardrobe enabling us to be quick on our feet (and book a plane) without any clothing complications. We now keep off-season clothes on hand at all times and easily stored away in reachable totes and bins so that we can grab them quickly during packing days. Also, I learned with the supply chain issues we’ve all experienced during the pandemic that it was wise to stock up a little extra when things are available. So instead of waiting until next summer to buy a new pair of shorts, I just bought those extra ones this summer so that I would have what’s necessary should we just so happen to head to the beach in the dead of winter.
In addition to learning to shop differently for a traveler’s wardrobe, I’ve also found a few go-to travel outfit styles that are easily packable and still stylish for almost any location. Since I absolutely adore kimonos (they suit my artistic side perfectly), I invested heavily into this part of my wardrobe. Kimonos are available in nearly every color and design imaginable and can be paired with anything from jeans and shorts to colored dress pants and dresses. And they’re not just useful for the spring or summer seasons either — with their variety of stylish patterns, colors, and textures, they can be worn on those warmer days in autumn and winter too. I especially love velour kimonos to wear from November to March on those unexpected bright sunny winter days that tend to pop up every now and then in Oklahoma.
My colder go-to travel outfit style is a poncho paired with denim jeggings and ballet flats. There’s something so elegant about a poncho worn correctly, and as long as you wear a good layering top underneath, you can always pull off the poncho in case the day becomes too warm. Because they’re less fussy than trying to pair just the the right print blouse with a cardigan, I usually like to wear ponchos on travel days—especially if we’re flying. Paired with a matching color flat, a long statement necklace, and some cute earrings, you can easily style this effortless look for business casual in first class.
So other than kimonos, ponchos, and flats, what else might be included in this edition of My Favorite Travel Things? Well, read on, dear friend…I’ve got some great items for your travel adventures!
CROSS-BODY PURSE
Oh yes! The cross-body purse is an absolute must for travel—especially if you’re planning on doing any amount of touring, shopping, or walking. I’m a big fan of cross-bodies that remain compact while still having sufficient space to pack my glasses, contacts, wallet, phone, etc. Although these purses can be found just about anywhere, I’ve actually scored big with these on Amazon. Here are some of favorites tassel zip cross-bodies. They come in just about every color imaginable and have excellent storage space including zip pockets on both front and back.
RELATED: Colors of the Caribbean
KIMONOS
Since I’m so in love with kimonos, I want to share my favorite kimono shops with you. I’ve found plenty on Amazon, but I also enjoy shopping for them on these online boutiques: Jenny Boston Boutique, The Willow Tree, and Glamour Farms. To style a kimono, look for a solid blouse, jeans, or pants that pull out of one of the colors in the kimono print. Then add a neutral blouse or bottom to bring balance. Finish off with some fun necklaces, statement earrings, and bangles, and you’re all set! You can elevate the kimono look with dressy pants and a silk top paired with elegant accessories and a pair of heels. If you prefer a casual appearance, simply style with jeans, shorts, a cotton tee, some boho jewelry, and sandals.
When it comes to styling kimonos with other pieces, finding the right tops and bottoms can be a bit tricky sometimes. I’ve found a few basic Pleione white and black blouses from Nordstrom Rack that can be pulled with almost every kimono outfit in an instant. The Willow Tree also routinely offers solid color blouses that pair well with kimonos (be sure to watch their Outfit of the Day live style videos - the models provide some great styling tips!) And when it comes to styling a kimono with colored pants — Betsey’s Jeggings from Betsey’s Boutique are my absolute favorite go-to item. Made of a unique stretchy fabric, these trousers wear more like dress pants than a casual jegging. While they don’t come in a petite size for us shorter ladies, the fabric is perfectly made for folding the hem under without having to be tailored. I call them my “magic pants” as they seem to fit any short, medium, or tall frame! Plus, they come in nearly two dozen colors—a beautiful array of shades that can be styled with just about every kimono on the market.
These are some of my favorite kimonos on Amazon:
PONCHOS
Like kimonos, ponchos can be found pretty much anywhere if you shop smart. I stocked up on a few from Amazon, but have also found some on Jenny Boston Boutique when in season. The trick with ponchos is finding the right layering top underneath. If you prefer casual tees, you can purchase your favorite cotton top from any major retailer. I’ve also found a few nicer ones available at JC Penney and Macy’s. If you prefer something a little dressier, these dolman sleeve tops from Jenny Boston Boutique work perfectly for styling with ponchos.
These are some of my favorite ponchos on Amazon:
COLORED BALLET FLATS
Some girls like the stilettos, but when it comes to long days of walking through airports and security lines, I prefer comfort and painless toes and feet. So I stick to a pair of ballet flats for those air-travel days. They’re easy to slip off if you ever need to check them in at security, and they’re pretty easy to wear in case you have to run the 500 yard dash in the middle of the airport to avoid a missed flight.
While ballet flats can be easy to find at any major department store, I’ve found a collection of no-fuss inexpensive flats from Amazon. I’ve stocked up on a few pairs in various colors that match staple colors in my wardrobe. (Yes, a few pairs of pink for me is a must!)
Here are some of my favorite flats from Amazon:
STORAGE CUBES
One thing is for sure — cultivating a year-round wardrobe requires organization! I discovered some great fabric storage cubes for off-season clothes on Amazon. Depending on your space, style preference, and organizational needs, you can find just about anything you need to keep your off-season wardrobe organized. To make your wardrobe travel friendly, try to rotate your seasonal clothes twice a year (I usually change out my closets after Easter for spring/summer and after Labor Day for fall/winter). Be sure to store your resort wear and swimsuits in a marked box that’s easily accessible for those winter beach trips!
TRAVEL TEES
If you’re like me, when you’re cozied up in the hotel room after a day of excitement in the city or an afternoon of fun at the beach, you just want to pull on those comfy clothes and call it a day. When it comes to lounge wear, I’ve found some adorable travel-themed graphic tees at the Embark Travel Store (yes, this is the online boutique I own, so please, feel free to shop there often and share with your friends!). These tees are made of soft cotton, resist shrinkage, and sport cute travel slogans and designs.
Shop more travel tees from Embark here.
The next time you plan your travel wardrobe, think kimonos, ponchos, flats, cross-bodies, storage cubes, and travel tees. You can never go wrong with those closet necessities! Plus, these pieces are easy to transition not only from one climate to another, but also from one year to the next. You can start today with your travel wardrobe and build on it for many adventures to come.
Oh! And for the love of all things artsy, go buy a kimono. Just do it. And wear it…on the beach…in the rain..in the car…on the plane…on the train… Seriously. You’ll never know how amazing they are until you try them!
PS. Be sure to bookmark this article and share it with your travel buddies. :)
RELATED: Where to Travel in 2019 (Caribbean)
If you’ve enjoyed this article, I’d love to hear from you! Email your comments to travel@micaolinghouse.co.
Share this post on Social Media!
RESOURCES FOR YOUR TRIP TO THE CARIBBEAN
CARIBBEAN TRAVEL GUIDES
DISCOUNTED TICKETS, TOURS & ATTRACTIONS TO THE CARIBBEAN
This article’s sponsor is Viator, a Trip Advisor Company. If you’re heading to the Caribbean, check out this section on their website for online tickets and discounts to any major activity and attraction. The Caribbean provides a myriad of fun and adventure for the whole family. This summer, you can dive with the dolphins, enjoy a dinner cruise at sunset, take a cooking class in Aruba, or go snorkeling off the coast of Panama!