Dear Self,
You know, packing for long vacations has never been your strong suit. I hate to break it to you, but you suck. Usually, you fill your suitcase with 25 neon t-shirts, 12 pairs of ugly pants, and as much sockage and underwearage as you can cram in. This is all fine and dandy until you get to Hawaii and you realize that none of the clothing you brought actually goes together. Bright pink pants, bright pink shirt, and a horse bolo tie? Unacceptable. Thus, on this last business trip to New York, I forced you to choose one outfit, buy multiples of it, and wear it every day for two weeks. I’ve actually wanted to do this experiment for years, starting in high school when choosing clothes to wear started to stress me out (am I the only one who wishes I had a stylist/servant to dress me every morning so I never had to make a decision?). For my New York costume, I chose basic elements that could be layered. A white t-shirt, grey hoodie, faux leather jacket, skinny jeans, and boots. I accessorized with a necklace, a winter hat, and glamourous fingerless gloves. This is what I looked like in my costume:
I used the following costume pieces to blend in with the New York natives. The Target finds were by far the most surprising. I actually find a lot of clothes there. If you mix it right it can be pretty cool and it’s cheap as cheap can be. Luxury.
Faux Leather Jacket from Zara (it’s from last year and I can’t find it anywhere online).
Necklace By Janine Echabarne, my mother’s jewelry designer friend.
Hanes Tees (I bought 18 and somehow still had to do laundry twice)
These boot are my very favorite. I have a friend who has the same ones and we fight about who gets to wear them all the time (I always win). They’re the perfect combination of hobo and glamour, just like me!
In conclusion, I would highly recommend this packing solution to anyone who has a problem packing lightly. It was so convenient not to have to think of what to wear every day. It made getting ready so much faster. I can’t say everyone else enjoyed my wardrobe as much as I did. Emily and I worked together every day and by the end of the trip she wanted to stab me for boring her to death with my clothes. Also, I’m pretty sure our New York clients thought I was just wearing the same shirt over and over again, which probably made them think I was even more hobo than I am. Which is ok with me because it gives me street cred.
Love,
Self
Well, I see that you have been gifted with the “Fashion” gay superpower in addition to the “Design” one! Please continue to blog about your excellent fashion sense (the detailed breakdown of everything is super-helpful), and help those of us who are hopelessly fashion-impaired…
`jaja…I recently (yesterday) had to pack for a 10 day christmas vacation, the excess baggage fee is sooo high that I HAD to do the impossible and pack light, so, a bit like you did, I bought myself three pants, all the same style in similar colors: greyish silver/ beige champagne-ish (jajaja trying my hardest to describe) and light mauve with some turtlenecks that match all 3 pants and ballerinas THAT’S IT!! I’m going to look like a polaroid all during my vacations but I avoided paying and avoided the hassle of thinking before packing…comfort and being faithful to ourselves that’s the most important fashion statement…btw love your writing style
That is the funniest post ever! It made me think of my catholic school days – having to wear a uniform every day. I hated it but now I think life would be pretty easy without having to think about what to wear.