Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Packing for a Tropical Vacation

Packing is always a little bit of a challenge. Especially when you are limited to the number of bags you can bring. Here is a guide of what to bring when visiting a tropical beach location and staying at a resort for 7 nights. Of course, this is just a guide, you will want to adjust to your particular needs.


Dresses:
Bring dresses. You will be in warm weather and chances are your resort will have some nice restaurants. Choose dresses that are light! I suggest a mix of casual and dressy. The casual ones will be great to throw on for lunch and for exploring the nearby areas. I think 4 casual and 2 dressy should be enough for the trip.

Mandarin-Print Mini Dress - $19.80 Forever 21
Naples Dress in Silk - $65 Lulus


Shoes:
This is the hardest part of packing. Shoes. How many? What colors? They are bulky and take up too much room! You only need 3 or 4 pairs. Buy a neutral color heel. Plan your dresses so they will match with this neutral color heel. Flip Flops! Pack a pair that will work for both the beach and for exploring the resort and area. If you decide to bring two pairs, make sure one is neutral so it will go with any outfit. And last, you need a good pair of sneakers. And don’t forget a couple of pairs of ankle socks! These are for those who want to explore the area and may do some adventure excursions or a lot of walking.


Massimo Inger Pleated Dress Shoe - $16.08 Target
Jessica Simpson Dinara Flip Flop – $13.99 Macy’s



Ryka Moira - $69.99 Lady Footlocker



Shirts:
You will be in warm weather. You don’t need any big bulky tops! I think bringing 4-5 tops is a good idea. You won’t need them that much. Chances are you will be in a bathing suit most of the time anyway!


Long Layering Tank - $8.50 Old Navy
Pleated Trim Top - $12.50 Old Navy


Sweaters: I think it is a good idea to bring 1 sweater. There might be some hard AC pumping when you visit certain places. Choose a neutral color. Ivory or cream is probably best!
Dropped Shoulder Cardigan - $59.50 Ann Taylor Loft

Bathing Suits:I suggest bringing 5 bathing suits. Choose 1 or 2 that are a one-piece for those who plan to participate in water activities. And then roll up those bikinis and stuff them in the suitcase. You will wear these a lot and they are so small and easy to pack!
Twist Front Tank One Piece - $44.99 JCPenny
Bikini - $34 Victoria’s Secret (price per piece)

Shorts:I believe only 2 pairs of shorts will be needed. You can wear the same pair more than once. I’d suggest a cute pair of jean shorts as well as some khaki shorts to give you variety.
Denim Shorts - $14.95 American Eagle

Amazing Beach Resorts!

Now that we have established what to pack for a tropical beach vacation, let's take a look at some amazing resorts that you could visit and pack for. These resorts all look amazing and offer excellent accomodations, food, and atmosphere. can you tell I want to go on vacation!?



Pimalai Resort – Krabi, Thailand
Le Taha’a Resort – Tahiti



Spice Island Beach Resort – Grenada
Pink Sands Resort –Harbour Island, Bahamas




Sani Beach Hotel – Halkidiki, Greece
Nannai – Porto De Galinhas in Northern Brazil (went here on my honeymoon. It is an amazing resort!!)




Majestic Elegance – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Ponta Dos Ganchos – Southern Brazil



Excellence Playa Mujeres – Cancun Area, Mexico
Couples Swept Away – Jamaica

Hotel Amfora – Hvar, Croatia

Monday, September 21, 2009

Fashion Sales - Invites!

There are a bunch of wonderful fashion sale websites. They have designer sales that last a couple of days and offer excellent discounts. You have to be invited to join them though. Here are some invitation links you may use!

GILT

Ruelala

Ideeli

Billion Dollar Babes

Hautelook

Top Secret

Beyond the Rack

I also Love the website The OutNet. No invite needed. And the sales are not time limited. But stock is limited.

Happy Shopping!