Vacation Style Staples
And things that have gotten me compliments recently!
Shitters! I’m back stateside after six days in the Atlas Mountains and Marrakesh and I feel REBORN. It’s amazing what being an ocean away from your regular life and off of your devices will do to your brain! I already miss the all of the amazing scents, the lamb tagines, the cats everywhere, and of course my friend Dana, who let me tag along on her incredible work trip!
My general vacation dressing philosophy is to lean on favorites I love instead of buying a bunch of new things for a trip, but I’ll admit I fell prey to some panic ordering a few weeks before we left. As I probably could’ve anticipated, a grand total of zero of them worked out, so the pieces I ended up packing were the old faithfuls I’ve worn and reworn for years. I was feeling a little meh about that going in, but over the course of the trip, SO many of them got compliments, requests to borrow, and/or a “was this in Shitters??!!!” from Dana, that I thought they were worth sharing (and in some cases, re-sharing) with all of you!
Starting strong with this little bag—a HUGE hit and such a workhorse on this trip! This was actually a recent purchase, but I know it’ll be in the rotation for years. It’s a small nylon shoulder bag with long skinny leather straps, and I wore it pretty much everywhere—daytime tours, nicer dinners, poolside, etc. It’s easy to dress up or down, zips at the top (key for travel), holds a good amount for being on the smaller side (lip liners and balm, a 10ml fragrance, my wallet, passport holder, sunglasses, and phone), and the nylon material is easy/ low maintenance. I was originally on the fence about buying—I have a million and one black bags and didn’t reeeally need another—but it has very quickly earned its keep! The size especially is perfect. It works for day and night, but it has much better capacity than most other small bags I own. I’m pretty sure Dana bought the brown version for herself before we even left Marrakesh! More styles/sizes here—this one in particular reminds me of The Row Park Tote at a much better price.
This wide-brim bucket hat. The compliments on this one started well before this trip! I pulled it out at Sofie Pavitt’s studio to wear home after a treatment recently and the girls in the office immediately asked about it. It makes sense—it’s the perfect protective brim to shield your face from the sun without being too wide to wear comfortably or too beachy to wear in the city. With 95 degree temps in Marrakesh (which is apparently cool for this time of year?), this was a must.
This simple linen daytime dress is so old that it’s no longer available, but there are a few on resale sites (1/2/3). I’ve brought this one on almost every vacation for at least four years. Once I shrunk it in the wash (because I didn’t want to pay for dry cleaning—dumb) and fully REBOUGHT IT, which I felt very silly about until I realized how much I wear I get out of it. To be honest, I would so much rather splurge a little on a dress like this that you get tons of wear out of than an event dress you wear just once. Here are some other options that fit the same bill via COS, La Ligne (PRIYANKA10), Jenni Kayne, Ref, and Malene Birger.
This simple linen dressy dress (more colors here). I somehow have no photos in this one, but trust me—it’s good. Obviously it’s chic, but it’s also comfortable and easy to wear (a through line in my style, vacation or otherwise). The a-line gives it shape, but it isn’t fitted in the body, which makes it perfect for a big dinner out. I’ve also worn it to wedding welcome parties and summer evening events, and I’m planning to style with a low pony and a cuff like this next! I would trust Mikoh 1000x more on quality, but Quince makes a similar option at a lower price point.
Also black linen, but if you haven’t gotten these pants yet, what are you doing??!!! I wrote a whole newsletter about them—that’s how good they are! Yes they’re on the pricey side, but IMO worth it for something you can wear casually or dress up, and I swear they have the best fit/shape.
And last piece of clothing—the verrrry old red Doen dress pictured above that continues to be a hit with friends/the good people of Instagram. There aren’t any perfect one-to-ones available at the moment, but if I were shopping now, I would look at this, this, and this for a similar feel.
Other hits from the toiletry bag:
This toothbrush!!! (PRIYANKA gets you 15% off) The month long charge is a godsend for travel, the case is sleek and doesn’t get all gross inside, and I love the new red color too!
Orebella fragrance: A total surprise hit! Celebrity fragrance lines have a (mostly deserved) reputation for being tacky, sickly sweet cash grabs, but Bella Hadid’s has some differentiating factors—it’s clean and made without alcohol or anything synthetic (a big plus in my book!). I was sent a sample of this recently and was really impressed. It combines rose, jasmine, tonka bean, and lemon for a scent that’s floral but not too floral, fresh but not too fresh, feminine, wearable, and SO nice, especially for summer. I wore it every day of my trip, and have no plans to stop! I am extreeeemely picky when it comes to fragrance, so the fact that I’m so into this surprised me more than anyone! It’s well-priced, causes zero headaches or irritation, and is noticeable, but not overpowering. I also love the 10mL size—it’s easy to bring along for travel or to just throw in your bag.
These sunscreens for face (PRIYANKA15) and body. My favorites, hands down. I brought bottles of both for Dana and she loved them immediately too. This came as no surprise—they blend in easily with no white cast, so they’re easy to reapply poolside, on a hike, or on-the-go without a mirror, don’t feel greasy, and don’t break you out. I’ve been religious about facial sunscreen for at least a decade, but this is the first body SPF that I actually reach for beyond beach or pool days, mainly because it’s so easy to use.
This lip balm (worn over this liner in Balance, ofc). I cannot tell you how excited I am to get into the new Rhode bronzers, lip products, and brush the minute I’m back in New York!!!
And this little nightgown! Not from the toiletry bag, but perfect for hot summer nights!
Hi! What is Dana’s dress in the pic where you are wearing the red dress? Looks like an incredible trip!