Affordable Vacation Outfits and Looks to Inspire You
The excitement is nearing, you’ve booked this fabulous all-inclusive luxury resort vacation in the Caribbean, and you don’t know what to pack. You don’t want to overpack, you don’t want to under pack, you want to be comfortable, but you want to look stylish. By the way, the days are hot, the nights are cool and you’re staying for a week! Where do we start?
The focus of your vacation should be having fun and enjoying your time doing the activities you love. Whether its a day at the Spa, Poolside, Beachside, or Excursions, I want to help make sure that you’re confident of what to pack and can instead prepare for your vacation with a clear idea of what types of fashions to wear each day.
What’s on the Itinerary?
First step is to review the itinerary. Use the days you’re on travel as a starting point for how many outfits you’ll need to put together. My itinerary normally looks like this:
- Travel Day 1
- Travel Outfit
- Pool Side Outfit
- Dinner
- Travel Day 2 – 6
- Fitness Wear
- Swimwear
- Casual Wear
- Dinner
- Travel Day – Activity
- Swimwear
- Casual Wear
- Travel Day – Adventure
- Swimwear
- Fitness Wear
- Travel Day 7
- Travel Outfit
Now that we have a rough draft of what we’re doing each day, we can now determine how many of each item we need to bring. So far, looks like we definitely need at least 5 fitness outfits, 7 swimwear attire, 7 dinner outfits, 1 pair of sneakers, 2 casual outfits, and sandals. Pretty simple right?! Yeah it is. Now let’s breakdown the categories.
Travel Outfit
Depending on where you are departing, you want to dress appropriate for the weather. My travels to the Caribbean are usually in the Winter. Make sure your travel outfit is transitional from cold to hot. Leisure wear is my go to. This cute jogger set was warm, comfy, stylish, and transitional once I reached my final destination.
Swimwear
Let’s face it, you can never have enough bathing suits! Whether you’re relaxing in a cabana or sipping a drink on the sand, do it in style with a chic swimsuit. Always go for swimsuits that make you feel comfortable and confident. There are so many styles of swimsuits out there, so grab a few of your favorites to toss in the suitcase!! I noticed in the Caribbean that neon swimsuits were everything! They look good on every skin tone and standout as you sashay around the resort. Don’t be stingy with the swimsuits, you will need them.
Multifunctional Cover-Ups: From the beach, to the bar, to the bed.
Keep in mind, we want to avoid over packing. Having multifunctional fashions make choosing what to wear easy and increases your options from day-to-day. Most Cover-Up options look like grandma’s moo moo’s or unflattering dresses. I put a twist on my swimsuit cover-ups to be more chic and stylish. Whether sheer pants (picture above), a maxi dress, kaftan or jean shorts, a cover-up can transition you from the water to a luxurious lunch or evening cocktail. And in my case, I purchased Boohoo’s Basic Strappy Maxi dress in multiple colors, using both as a cover-up or a night gown. Check out these smart and affordable options:
Evening Wear
This is your moment to shine! You want to choose outfits that are easy to wear, however when you are at the resort, you will have to be mindful of what type of dress code is in place on the resort. Most of the restaurants are Resort Casual to Elegant Casual but these options below will fit any dress code. I had the most fun planning for this category. I chose easy-to-wear dresses, maxi length, and backless. I also tossed in a metallic pant suit for a more elegant evening on the resort. Remember comfort, as you may go straight from dinner to the dance floor!
Strappy Racer Neck Cut Out Maxi Dress
Casual Wear and Excursions
Here’s a category where you can mix and match, grab and go. Check out my Spring Basics: 10 Must Haves for the Spring and Summer. In my suitcase, these are considered back-ups that I grab for maybe a day at the Spa, a chill day on the resort, or an excursion off site. I pack maybe 2-3 of these items (Basic Tank Top, Denim shorts, Bodycon Dress, Sandals, Sneakers, and Sunnies) and rotate them throughout the vacation.
Fitness Wear
You might be saying, “Girl, I don’t plan on exercising on vacation!” Well, not only are fitness outfits stylish but also versatile. You can wear on a morning walk on the beach then head to breakfast. A day at the Spa, or in my case, to actually exercise for one hour every morning in PARADISE! They’re light weight, compact, easy to throw on, and don’t require much thought. Just thrown them on then go out to enjoy palm trees and a sultry cool breeze, ahhhhhhhh.
Shoes and Accessories
Now this category is my biggest strength and biggest weakness. Shoes are very heavy and take up a lot of space in your suitcase. But they can also make or break an outfit. Do you need a different pair of shoes for every look? No! On a resort, all you need is sandals. Whether they are slides, flat sandals or heel sandals, you only need a few to go from day to night. Stick to neutral colors and metallic. These color choices will give you a wide range of options and styles to create. For more dressy outfits, I wear a clear heel. They go with everything! Keep it cute, classy, and simple ladies.
Keep your accessories low. Going from water to land all day every day, doesn’t really call for a lot of changes in your jewelry and bags. Pack your favorite sunnies, a straw hat, a day to evening bag, a dressy pair of earrings, and you’re good to go! Remember, you may go shopping while you’re there, so lets leave some space in our luggage for the memorabilia.
Remember to Have Fun!
Vacation is a time to have fun! You can incorporate more light, bright, fun patterns and colors into your wardrobe to accommodate the tropical vibes. Don’t get caught up in what to wear and packing lists. Be sure to pack a suitcase full of clothes that feel fun, sexy, flirty and confident. You’ll be all set to have a great vacation at an amazing resort and make memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime. The options are limitless.
