The Heroes of My Poorly Packed Holiday Wardrobe
Not Exactly Packed… But These Pieces Pulled Through
There are so many good packing systems, and yet my packing for this holiday consisted of 30 minutes spent throwing my favorite pieces into a bag and deciding to deal with it at the destination. No outfits planned, no wardrobe selected or organized. I was sleeping, then working out, then catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time, so I had very little time for actual packing - yes, I could have woken up earlier, but hey, it’s a holiday. :)
The destination is a gem of a place called Nida at the Baltic Sea. I need to include a bit of promo here - if you make it to Lithuania in summer, I highly recommend checking it out. This place truly has a vibe that’s hard to describe: stunning beaches with fine sand, sea on one side and lagoon on the other, a very chill atmosphere, beautiful scenery, events ranging from jazz to electronic music every day, and lots of very stylish people. The only downside? Unpredictable weather—we had two days of rain, two days of sunshine, and a day of something in between.
Some snaps of Nida. As I said, it’s a bit difficult to convey the magic of that place.
To be honest, throwing things into a bag is not a packing strategy I recommend. I found it a bit hard to get dressed on the holiday. Nevertheless, there were several pieces I reached for constantly, and I’m here to share them with you.
Left on Friday Swimsuit
Streamline suit from Left on Friday
There’s something that makes a garment feel modern, and I still don’t have the words for what it is - maybe the cut, the color, or the combination. You can clearly see the difference between this swimsuit and other options in Kari’s review of swimsuits, which is where I first saw this beautiful Left On Friday suit. I had some doubts, as I generally prefer padded suits for better coverage, but I decided to take the plunge and bought this double-layered suit. It arrived one day before my vacation, and frankly, I felt amazing in it. The color is a bit more pink than on the website, but I don’t mind. Before this, I had an Arket swimsuit (now available in brown too), which is pretty good in terms of shape but has started to slip a bit recently - and I must say, a good swimsuit is essential to feel good on a holiday.
Arket Tote Bag
Left to right: Arket Tote Bag (old, now sold out), H&M cotton canvas bag, Kule Tote and Frame x Sotheby’s canvas bag.
I purchased this black-and-white Arket tote bag several years ago and left it at our summer place. At this point it does need a refresh. However, when considering beach-bag options, I believe oversized canvas totes are the best choice. They pack easily for a vacation (compared with hard-to-squeeze raffia bags) and aren’t as expensive as, say, woven leather bags - so you won’t worry about bringing them to the beach and damaging them.
Tibi Skort
Tibi Eco Poplin Double Layer Mini
One of my go-to pieces in summer is white or beige shorts or a mini skirt - after all, it’s summer, it’s hot, and I don’t want to sweat in long bottoms. However, wearing mini skirts requires a certain awareness and can reduce comfort. This Tibi skort I found at the outlet brings the best of both worlds, and since it’s such a small piece, I don’t mind the slightly shiny feel.
Tibi Bio Twill Skirt
This Tibi Bio Twill skirt in navy is proving very versatile. It can do business looks and casual looks, and while it’s not exactly resort wear, it still works on holiday for a city dinner, especially as it gets a bit colder. I usually pair it with an oversized, tucked-in top (though Gen Z says this is “out” now) to show off the waist of the skirt, and it has carried me through various occasions so far.
Cos Cardi-Sweatshirt
With the iffy weather, I needed something relaxed to wear in the evening, and this cardigan-sweatshirt from COS (now sold out and no longer on the website) delivered. It has the structure of a cardigan with a slightly more formal edge combined with a relaxed vibe - what I like to call friction. I’m sure other types of sweatshirts would work too, but this one had that extra polish I really liked.
Los Angeles Apparel Jellies
Los Angeles Apparel jellies in clear
Finally, I can’t get enough of these transparent jellies. Of course, jellies and a resort are a great combo, but I especially love how the see-through, textured nature makes them easy to wear with anything while adding interest at the feet. In terms of cost per wear, the L.A. Apparel jellies must be one of my most successful purchases of all time. They have a bit of a retro feminine vibe, so if you want something more modern or masculine, you can also check out the Jeffrey Campbel ones.
So these are my holiday heroes from Nida. I’ll be packing for Greece at the end of the month, and I hope to do a better job next time.