glam travel wear

I used to travel exclusively in clothes that made me look a little homeless. It made sense to me that since I was going to nap for an entire flight, I might as well wear something jammies-equivalent. I usually wore sweatpants and a hoodie, and on one particular transatlantic flight, a horrible stocking cap that made me resemble a robber. And then I watched Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. He has a list of ten essential elements for a successful wardrobe. Among them is a "sweatsuit alternative": something comfortable and casual that doesn't look sloppy. He made me realize how easy it is to step it up in the cute-but-comfy department. And when you run into an ex-boyfriend on a connecting flight, you can be this put-together traveler who looks kind of glam even though really you were snoozing with your mouth open on your travel pillow.

Maxi dresses are amazing for this. They are breezy and stretchy, and you can sit however you want on the plane and stay covered. A hair wrap makes a messy bun deliberate, and wedges are a great item to travel with, but take up too much room in your suitcase (so you have to wear them ;). Top it off with a jean jacket and one piece of jewelry (you don't want to take off ten accessories to go through security), and you're jet-set!

dress, jacket, hair wrap, necklace, belt, wedges

Outfit total: $122.94

music festival staples

Coachella is just days away, and the rest of the summer's music festivals aren't far behind. Here are a few items to beat the heat and battle the elements of outdoor concerting: 

fedora, white tank, feather necklace, chambray shirt,
maxi dress, lime green scarf, black and brown sandals,
black sneakers, sunglasses, lime culottes, floral dress,
white polka dot dress, grey scarf, duster cardigan,
brown and white bikini, pink bustier bikini,
grey tshirt, grey culottes

• A fedora or other lightweight hat to shield face, prevent scalp and ear sunburn, and cover up unwashed hair.
• A trusty pair of sunglasses. Or a few. I tend to lose/break mine, so I stick with the cheap kind. No one wants to hear you fussing about your expensive shades getting lost in foot traffic.
• Flowy tanks and tshirts that can be layered over swim suits, paired with skorts. 
• Yes, I said skorts! You thought you left these skirt-short combos on the grade school playground, but they are perfect for a sweltering day when you are still trying to look cute. The two below look like breezy little skirts, but with that added shorts panel to keep your thighs from touching. (I know there are plenty of ladies at these things whose thighs don't touch, but the rest of you will be thankful). 
• A button down chambray shirt to throw over everything when your shoulders start to burn a little, or when the sun goes down and the temperature drops.
• Scarves to tie in your hair or around your neck to shield your chest from the sun. Also soak one in water and have a fashionable little cooler around your neck. 
• Both sandals and sneakers to rotate if you start to get blisters. Sandals fasten around ankle so you won't lose a shoe in the mud, sneakers are black since they'll probably end up pretty muddy too. 
• A couple of cotton dresses. You'll be happy you left the polyester at home for some breathable pieces that make getting dressed a one-step process. 
• A variety of swim suits. Since these will often serve as your underwear for the day, have a rotation of bikinis (easier for port-a-potties) to wear. Different necklines and silhouettes can help ease the pain of a strap over a sunburned spot too.  
• A maxi dress for a more-coverage option. Can be tied up in the front to keep it from dragging and to have a little more breeze around the knees. 
• A cardigan. I love this waterfall cardigan duster because you can belt it closed and wear it like a dress, wear it open as a swim suit cover-up, and wear it over everything else you brought. It is cozy, flowy, and breezy all at the same time! 

only old navy

I once read this quote from Drew Barrymore on IMDB: "I didn’t wear certain designers because I didn’t want any animals to suffer for beauty and stuff, and so I literally was dressed by Old Navy at one point." I remember thinking, it could be worse! Here are three looks that answer the question, what if you could ONLY shop at Old Navy, like poor Drew?

jeans, blouse, necklace, sandals, bag 

sweater, tank, shorts, wedges, sunglasses

dress, shirt, scarf, bracelets, sandals