I've finally finished the grueling process of editing my photos from Thanksgiving. I had over 800 pictures and videos I had to change the orientation of, fix the lighting, crop, etc., which is also why I haven't finished my road trip photos yet. SO MANY PHOTOS! I have, roughly, 1500 more road trip photos to edit before I am through. But I do look forward to sharing all of those with you.
For now, we're going to start with what I packed for my Thanksgiving trip to Savannah to visit my sister and her family. I am a notorious over-packer. Since the airlines are so money-hungry and strict on baggage these days, I wanted to make sure my suitcase was underweight. I thought long and hard about what to take with me in an effort to be comfortable and confident and appropriately dressed. I knew we would spend about equal time hanging out at my sister's house as we would sight-seeing. The weather was supposed to be 65 for a majority of our trip - my perfect temperature. Still, it was Thanksgiving, so I was prepared in case things got chilly with a light jacket and scarf. And even though my suitcase got an "A" for weight, I still packed too many clothes - sort of. lol
Read on for an overview of our trip and a rundown of what I wore. I will go more in-depth about the trip in upcoming posts.
Day 1
Our travel day was long and mostly uneventful. In preparing for plane travel again, I wanted to be as comfortable as possible without looking sloppy. I didn't want to wear jeans or sweaters or any shoe other than a slip-on for getting in and out of security checks easily. I'm always too hot on planes, so I also needed an outfit that was breathable and not too warm.
I searched a few stores for some kind of cute jogger pant the week before my trip. Out of pure luck, I found these Spa Joggers from Lane Bryant. They are a super soft and cozy knit that doesn't cling or draw attention to my cellulite. They were so comfortable and perfect for a long day of travel. I love color, so I added this bright tee from several years ago. It is a size too big now and is a bit baggier than I like, but still comfy and not too sloppy. I also brought along an open-style, stretchy knit active jacket from Lane Bryant, though I was never warm enough to wear it. I like having it as an option for a blanket or pillow on the plane; and the jacket actually came in handy as padding between my knees and the airplane seat in front of me. Being tall sucks in those tiny-ass spaces.
These Crocs Stretch Sole Flats were something else I also purchased specifically for this trip and travel. I haven't flown much since I started thyroid medication but, before being medicated, flying was super painful for me because my feet and ankles would swell horribly when I traveled via air. In fact, the last time I visited my sister in 2007, my feet swelled so much I couldn't wear my proper shoes as the maid-of-honor at her wedding. Since thyroid surgery, I've only been in an airplane once (for Vegas) and had no swelling issues due to flying. Still, I wanted to be cautious. I bought compression socks and these shoes. The compression socks are tight but comfortable and provide a barrier between my feet and the nasty airport floor. These shoes are incredibly delightful, cute and very comfortable for walking. I have since bought two more pair in black and tan.
It was a perfect outfit for me to wear while traveling. Flying is one of my biggest fears, so I didn't need anything else to make me anxious and fidgety. And kudos to me for not crying too much this time! (P.S. - My feet didn't swell at all, so no issues there.)
Teal Graphic Tee & Spa Jogger - Lane Bryant; Stretch Sole Flats - Crocs
Day 2
Day 2 was the first actual day spending time with my sister, niece, and nephew. We had a leisurely morning of getting ready before heading to the local outlets for shopping and hanging out. The weather was AMAZING! The sun was bright, but there was a cool breeze. It was just fun to stroll around talking to my sister and the kids, just meandering around and being silly. My niece Katie even went into Claire's Accessories for the first time!
I brought along this long-sleeve shirt from Maurices because it is light and feels kind of silky. I don't have to iron it at all, which is also a plus. I threw it on with some skinny jeans and sneakers, pushing up the sleeves to accommodate the beautiful weather. It was another easy, comfortable outfit with practicality in mind.
Rhinestone Shirt - Maurices; Skinny Jeans - Lane Bryant; Reebok YourFlex Trainette 3.0 (7.0 is the latest version)
Day 3
On the third day, we went out to do a bit of sight-seeing in Downtown Savannah. We walked along River Street looking at shops and trees and the river. We ate lunch at Barracuda Bob's and headed over to City Market. It was another fun day spending time with my favorite people. The weather was glorious to us and chilly to the locals, it seems. lol It was quite windy on the waterfront that day.
For this look, I again donned my skinny jeans, but added a graphic tee (The first one I bought from LB - the one that started my obsession. lol) and a grey denim shirt. The denim shirts have been so great for travel. I love them as an over-piece, used like a cardigan or shrug, or to take the place of a jacket. I took my light washed denim shirt on my road trip and wore it much the same way.
I went with my new Reebok hiking shoes because the colors matched my shirt, but I am so glad I wore these for all the walking. My feet didn't hurt at all, and we did some major walking! Cobblestone streets, steps, pavement, bricks, up and down and around! I highly recommend these shoes for lots of walking and definitely hiking. We came upon a Reebok outlet during our road trip in September. I was so inspired by the Redwoods that Sean and I want to do some hiking here when the weather gets nice. These shoes are cute without looking super chunky and definitely cradle my feet nicely. I wear them quite regularly now.
Grey Denim Shirt - Torrid; Nail Polish Graphic Tee & Skinny Jeans - Lane Bryant; Reebok Trail Grip 4.0
Days 4 & 5
Day 4 was Thanksgiving Day. We stayed at the house cooking, visiting, hanging out on our laptops looking for Turkey Day deals, playing with the kids, etc. Day 5 was much of the same relaxation. Crissy and I spent much of the day talking and painting, the kids joining us for a bit to paint their pictures. We were supposed to decorate the Christmas tree that day, but a situation with tree lights kept us waiting. Still, I got to spend time with my super silly and cute nephew Jonathan (pictured above) and niece Katie.
Both of these days I was in some form of pajama pants and a t-shirt or jeans and a tee.
Day 6
Suddenly, it was 80 degrees. I didn't pack for an 80 degree Thanksgiving trip, mind you. I brought long-sleeve and three-quarter sleeve shirts mostly and two pairs of jeans. I was trying to pack lighter, remember? I could have kicked myself for not bringing an extra pair of capris. This was a Saturday and the first day my sister's husband could join us for some fun. We drove up to Hilton Head for a dolphin cruise! We all got in a small boat with a few other people on the tour and a guide took us through the marshes looking for dolphins. We definitely saw quite a few, got splashed by one, and saw lots of different birds. Even though the sun was hot, the ocean breeze was quite wonderful. After our cruise, we walked on the beach at Hilton Head as well. This was Sean's first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean!
Thank goodness for the Catherines Girlfriend Jeans I brought along. They are my favorite pair of jeans to travel with right now because the hidden elastic in the waist makes sure they stay fitted to me instead of stretching out like all my other jeans. The legs stretch out just a little, but don't look baggy and saggy. Plus, they look super cute rolled up as makeshift capri pants. I wore this football raglan tee from Torrid because it is a light knit material and cut in a more A-line way almost. It seems to skim my tummy rolls and hang in a really nice way. And yes, I bought the black one too. lol A couple pink accessories to add color and personality (and a bit more femininity) and I was good to go.
Raglan Football Tee & Lipstick Necklace - Torrid; Girlfriend Jeans (Dark Wash) - Catherines; Reebok YourFlex Trainette 3.0 (7.0 is the latest version)
Day 7
Silver Shimmer Pocket Tee & Spa Jogger - Lane Bryant; Rhinestone Panda Necklace - Torrid; Stretch Sole Flats - Crocs
Because our Saturday was a big, long day, we kept it simple for Sunday. Crissy, Sean, and I went out to lunch, did some grocery shopping, and browsed Michael's for crafty items. It was a much more subdued and leisurely day.
For running errands in the 80 degree heat, I decided on knit pants instead of jeans. My shimmer tee was simple and not too warm, while my flats were comfy and added a pop of color. The rhinestone panda head necklace I picked up from Torrid kind of tied everything together. I often say, "When in doubt, wear the rhinestone teddy head." And now I have several to choose from. hahaha
Day 8
Our second to last day was the hottest and longest and busiest day for Sean and I. It was our only day for additional sight-seeing. We thought about driving down to Okefenokee or driving up to Charleston, but that was easily four hours of extra driving time that we really didn't have the time for. Plus, there was plenty around Savannah that we still wanted to see. So we drove by Wormsloe Plantation (it was closed on Monday, of course), Bonaventure Cemetery, Old Fort Jackson, back to Downtown Savannah, and dinner.
Thankfully, I picked up this cute top at the Torrid Outlet on Day 2. I was in no mood for extra sleeves because being too warm makes me really cranky. Because of the sheer, striped back I don't think I would have normally picked this top up, but my sister made me try it on. It was pretty cute and on clearance, so I bought it. It is on the thin side, along with the semi-sheer back, so I wore a black cami I brought along underneath this top for added coverage. My girlfriend jeans as capris and hiking sneakers got me through the heat and tons of walking that day. I don't know if y'all have tried the Wicking Active Socks from Lane Bryant yet, but they have to be the most comfortable socks I own right now. They have some extra padding on the back of the ankle and feel padded somehow. They hug my foot just right and I love them. I ended up buying five pair.
Star Tee & Lipstick Necklace - Torrid; Lace Trim Tank & Wicking Sport Socks - Lane Bryant; Girlfriend Jeans (Dark Wash) - Catherines; Reebok Trail Grip 4.0
Day 9 was a lazy day. We slept in and then spent the rest of the day in pajamas while we washed all of our clothes, visited with the fam, and packed our suitcases. I decided to wear my same travel outfit back since everything had been cleaned. We had some funky turbulence a few times that scared the crap out of me, but the trip seemed to go a bit faster than we anticipated. I can tell you I was a cranky bitch and so sick of people by the time we got our luggage at the Portland Airport. I HATE the process of traveling! When are we going to have teleportation??
It was a windy 30-degrees and raining that night when we arrived back in Portland. Sean and I were so warm from the stuffy flight and in dire need of fresh air that we stood out in the weather - he was in shorts and a t-shirt, me in my tee, flats, and joggers - that I know we got crazy looks waiting for our ride. But the air felt so good!
Where was the last place you traveled? Where would you LOVE to travel to? How practical do you pack for trips? What not so practical items do you toss into the suitcase?
Vivalasvegas0209- sounds (and looks) like you had a great time. Great photos. Your outfits were so great. You have a flair for what looks good together!
ReplyDeleteVivalasvegas0209- sounds (and looks) like you had a great time. Great photos. Your outfits were so great. You have a flair for what looks good together!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! It really was difficult to try to put together outfits with as little clothing as possible. Damn the suitcase restrictions!! I need options! I only took 3 pairs of shoes too, which is HUGE for me. Thankfully, it all worked out. We really had such a great time.
DeleteI am so, so grateful I got to spend so much time with my sister and her kids. It was a fantastic trip. I can't wait to share more!
I want those crocs ASAP!
ReplyDeleteI talked my friend into picking up some too. They are super comfy and so cute! I really want them in every color. I have these in the turquoise and black and the loafer version in tan. Sometimes 6pm.com has really good sales, but I think Amazon only has them up to a size 8 right now. Lucky you if you have small feet! :-)
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