10 Must Haves for Summer Vacation

In my previous post I talked a lot about how to pack but I didn’t share exactly what to take along. That varies of course by location and personal style, but I did want to give you a few travel fashion hacks by sharing my 10 Must haves for a Summer Vacay:

1. A classic carryon (with lots of compartments)#sponsored- a carryon is the MVP of the luggage game. You want to make sure yours is stocked with essential toiletries (travel size of course) as well as a jacket, change of clothes (in case your luggage is delayed) and electronics or reading materials for layovers. I love my Lug Propellor travel bag. It has a strap to attach to your luggage handle and so many cool compartments, including a separate section for a pair of shoes! Genius. The bonus is that if you are like me and still try to get your workouts in on vacay, it doubles as a gym bag. Shop it here.
2. Packing cubes-these cool travel cubes actually came from Lug Life as well. I had never used packing cubes but always wanted to give them a try. These changed my packing life! Not only do they give me so much more space in my luggage,  they also make me more organized. I pack my cubes by color so if I’m looking for something white I know exactly what cube it’s in. These cubes pictured below will always be on my travel list. Shop it here .
3. A pashmina or scarf (#sponsored)- As you probably realize by now I love things that serve double duty. I consider myself somewhat of a minimalist so I love that a pashmina or nice scarf can be both fashionable and functional. I carry a scarf and pashmina from Chico’s that keeps me looking sharp on cooler days/evenings and also keeps me warm on the plane. No need to lug a blanket on your trip. Similar here.
4. A nude polish-I love that a nude polish works with everything. You look pulled together and neat and if you get the tiniest chip it doesn’t scream at you the way a colored nail would until you can make to your manicurist. I really like this color named after one of my favorite news anchors and BFF in my head…shop it here.
5. A good, no… make that great book- As a non-fiction author I tend to read a lot of non-fiction myself, but I’ve been a book lover my whole life and love to lose myself in a good story. I always take a  novel on a trip. I like to get away both physically and mentally when I travel. Here’s what I’m reading on my trip
6. A nude shoe- I received a beautiful nude Stuart Weitzman heel before my trip and honestly it could have been my only dressy shoe. It literally goes with everything. If you are packing light, a nude shoe like this one is the way to go. It’s pricey but an investment piece here or similar but not quite as pricy here.
7. A classic Jean Jacket-  I love a jean jacket because it travels well, and looks great over a maxi or sundress on cooler evenings or anywhere the AC is kicking a little more than you’d like. Here.
8. A bathing suit cover up- This is a no brainer. Pretty much anywhere you travel there will be an opportunity to hit a beach, pool or hot tub. The idea is to be able to make it to said location without feeling over exposed and still managing to look chic. I love this coverup from Norsdtroms- find similar here.9. Gold hoop earrings- Something about summertime says gold jewelry for me, maybe it’s all that fun in the sun. I tend to be a simple diamond stud person in real life, but on vacation I love to up the ante with a pair of fun gold hoops. Find similar here.10. Cool shades- another no brainer. Summer and shades go together like Pb&J- I like these cool shades with flash lenses. They scream summer vacay mode! Similar here.

I’d love to hear what your must have packing items are!

Until Next Post,