All things EARTH...

[Anita Latte]

Likely, ya'll have read my conversation with Debbie over on the FIRE thread...but just in case you haven't...Debbie mentioned the blog Vivienne Files...and I have been reading it today. Two posts have me inspired to start planning my cruise wardrobe.

 

http://theviviennefiles.blogspot.com/2011/06/back-to-roots-of-vivienne-files-part-7.html

 

http://theviviennefiles.blogspot.com/2011/07/back-to-roots-of-vivienne-files-part-8.html

 

I have one HUGE challenge that relates to this...I am still losing weight. I have a goal that I have been working on steadily since September...progress has been slow lately, but forward progress continues...even as I plan a wardrobe...I need to plan how weight loss and changing sizes will fit into the plan.

 

Based on the strategy in the blog, I could have 12 items of clothing for a 7-day cruise, not including shoes and other accessories. The funny thing is that this sounds so restrictive...BUT...based on previous week-long trips to Disney, where I definitely over-packed and came home with too many unworn articles of clothing...I'm thinking that this could be about right.

 

I mean...when you find that great (insert favorite clothing item here) that goes with everything and looks so great on you...don't you want to wear it more than once in a week's time? (provided that could handle a second wearing stain and smell-wise :o:p)...I'll grab those great fitting shorts and throw on a new shirt and call it good for casual wear...KWIM?

 

SO. A couple of issues immediately come to mind...

 

1. exercise clothing...sorry ladies...but I WILL be doing Zumba on the cruise...it's fun and I love it.

 

2. swimsuits.

 

3. formals.

 

How this factors into the over-all wardrobe scheme will be hashed out as time passes. Any thoughts?

[Anita Latte]

I've been cleaning out the closet for a long time...getting rid of wrong colors AND (yay!) wrong sizes...I tried to look at my current clothes to figure out what I would take on a cruise...if I had to pack TODAY...and the fact is that I realized that I was missing BOTTOMS...anything for the lower half of the body...be it shorts, skirts, pants, capris...whatever...I had ONE PAIR of shorts...and these are already too big...

 

In thinking about what I would want on a cruise...I know that I want a flowy, long skirt...something to wear with my favorite tank tops...

 

I have to report that Macy's is having a HUGE clearance sale right now on summer clothes!

 

I found long, as in ankle length, skirts of crinkle, cotton gauze...they are almost mermaid style?...being fitted from waist through knees-ish and flaring out at the bottom...they have a lovely chocolate brown, black and white...they have a built-in slip that is knee length under the gauze...they were $11.00. I bought one chocolate brown skirt and two white ones. It'll be a while until I figure out what color would be best to do, but my plan is to dye the white ones...I'm thinking that I will go for a kind of neutral colored EARTH similar to this Earth color from Tommy Bahama for one skirt:

 

http://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/Women/Pants/PRD_TW14640/Two+Palms+Linen+Pants.jsp

 

Then I'm thinking that I will do a color...maybe a green...maybe an orange.

 

I wish I could post a picture of these skirts, but of course, I can't find them online :(.

 

Regardless, there are a lot of choices on the clearance racks right now for summer clothing...it's the kind of thing where you save 70% when you take another % off the already reduced price.

 

In thinking about other potential cruise clothes...I've also been dreaming over the Tommy Bahama's website...

[Anita Latte]

I had about an hour today while DS was at tennis camp to cruise through the areas that I didn't hit the other day.

 

There is some GREAT shopping out there for EARTH right now!

 

One thing that I find frustrating is the lack of similarity between what is available in the stores and what is available online. I THINK that this is reflective of the job title "buyer" or similar...and that potentially each store...or region...and the web store have different buyers and so the merchandise will vary slightly. Anyway...the brand Charter Club has some particularly lovely things right now that are vacation worthy for sure. The colors in the store are a very pretty shade of mustardy yellow, an Earth blue, and chocolate brown. There is also white (of course) and a color they call sand, but I don't think sand is really warm enough...it's striking me as being one of those weird colors that LOOKS like it should be warm, but would end up blending well into an AIR wardrobe...too much cool gray undertones?

 

Anyway...all of the following pieces could be found in the yellow and blue color in the store...but not online:

 

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=566863&CategoryID=11427&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D102

 

THIS tank is AWESOME in person!

 

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=559484&CategoryID=11427&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D2%26spc%3D102

 

Unlike the model, I went for a bigger size in this vest...it made the fabric fall in "loose lapel" like fashion...the back has a band and gathers to give it shape...

 

This one looks a bit funny in the picture...there is a kind of sheer fabric that is the basis for the beads at the neckline...

 

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=566862&CategoryID=11427&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D102

 

Also in my store...there are two brands...Ruby Rd and Elements...if you like that kind of tribal influence that is in clothing right now?...WONDERFUL selection of EARTH colors...also some nice coordinating embellished tanks over there.

 

I didn't purchase any yet...the sale in the store wasn't as good as some of the online prices...which has me bumming about that cardigan vest, because I really wanted that in the yellow...ANYWAY...I found a pair of linen/cotton blend Tommy Hilfiger pants...in a wonderful golden sand color...fabulous neutral...the kind of straight legged tropical resort looking pant...

 

I can feel my cruise wardrobe taking shape...I'm going for the complete tropical resort vacation wardrobe...lightweight, airy clothing...but with full coverage to shade from the sun...mostly neutrals in the bottoms...and going for color in the shirts...I think I'll put together a vignette like in the one blog...

 

If anyone every read the straw hat thread...I have a wonderful packable straw looking paper hat...sounds weird huh?...anyway...I found it at a local garden center...

 

 

You can shape it...and it has a band around the inside for comfort...anyway...I saw on that other thread that someone bought a similar shaped hat with a scarf like thing around the brim...so PRETTY!!...and I am totally going to copy that!...it will be a way to inject some more color in and amongst all the neutrals...and the beauty of that idea too...since I sew...is that I can totally make my own scarves for it!

[aoknkentucky]

Check out The Vivienne Files for today, August 2. If you were planning a Baltic Sea cruise, this would be the perfect set-up. Even the hat she's picked out could be used with handmade scarves, don't you think? How do you think you would translate this for the hotter and more humid waters of the Gulf? I see capris/shorts/skorts and skirts rather than pants.

 

I'm still anxiously awaiting her to post a "bright & clear" capsule.

[Anita Latte]

Check out The Vivienne Files for today, August 2. If you were planning a Baltic Sea cruise, this would be the perfect set-up. Even the hat she's picked out could be used with handmade scarves, don't you think? How do you think you would translate this for the hotter and more humid waters of the Gulf? I see capris/shorts/skorts and skirts rather than pants.

 

I'm still anxiously awaiting her to post a "bright & clear" capsule.

 

Today is a great post!! I have to analyze what she did in more detail...with more time than I have to be able to do this right now...but I'm very excited about today's post...it will be great to maybe use this to create a kind of outline for a cruise wardrobe...and the BEST part...

 

Ladies...it's an EARTH capsule wardrobe!! *happy dance, happy dance*

[Anita Latte]

This lady likes her some EXPENSIVE clothing!

 

I have analyzed this wardrobe...she breaks her rule about 15 articles of clothing...picking out 18 items for the wardrobe...there IS a trench coat counted in that 18...

 

Also, it should be noted that almost every item COULD be dressed-up...

 

And by the same token...there isn't a FORMAL...but the description said it wasn't a "fancy" cruise...

 

For 12-days, she picks out:

 

8 tops...2 sleeveless, 4 short-sleeved, 2 long-sleeved

5 bottoms...1 skirt, 4 pants

3 dresses

1 over layer...cardigan sweater

1 outer layer...trench coat

 

NOTHING is a print...the breakdown of color combinations goes like this:

 

Tops:

Sleeveless...light neutral, color

Short-Sleeved...medium neutral, 3 colors

Long-Sleeved...2 medium/light neutrals

 

Bottoms:

Skirt...light neutral...knee-length

Pants...4 neturals...light, medium/light, medium, dark

 

Dresses:

Light neutral

Medium neutral

Color

 

Over Layer:

Cardigan Sweater...Light neutral

 

Outer Layer

Trench Coat...Light neutral

 

Trying to analyze this is terms of how many times you might be wearing these clothes...you COULD break down the 12 day cruise into:

 

2 Traveling Outfits

11 Night/Dinner Outfits

10 Day Outfits

 

For dinner...if you wore the 3 dresses to dinner...then you still have 8 other nights...you can wear a different shirt each night...with 5 bottoms, you will end up wearing 3 twice...you will have a unique outfit to wear to dinner each night then.

 

For day outfits...you will wear each bottom twice during the week...and will have to wear 2 shirts twice.

 

For travel...you will end up wearing the two bottoms that you DIDN'T already wear twice to dinner...and 2 more shirts twice.

 

SO...for a 12 day cruise, you end up wearing:

4 shirts TWICE

4 shirts ONCE

Each dress ONCE

Each bottom TWICE!

 

Obviously, you could play with this...you COULD decide to designate one shirt as a traveling day shirt...and then end up wearing one shirt twice to dinner...for which, you could add the cardigan sweater, so that it looked completely different...and I'm sure that there are several other ways to break this down...but that's my initial breakdown.

 

AND...I think it's important to note here that the dresses are all being saved for dinner...so you could change out at least one of these to be a FORMAL.

[Member123]

I'm going to have to think about this a lot more, but I can tell you my initial impression about warm weather vs cool weather cruising. You know, at first blush, you think that you need a LOT more clothes for cool weather cruising, but I'm thinking that the opposite is more likely true... you need more clothes for warm weather cruising. For example, it appears in the analysis of this wardrobe, that you would be wearing the same clothes on the shore excursion and into the dining room for the evening, right? I mean, even though you might change your daily outfit into something different for the evening... at some point, you will we wearing the skirt or pants that you would wear on the shore excursion into the dining room one evening.

 

You just can't do that on a warmer weather cruise. For example, the sundress that is ideal to wear on a catamaran because it's made out of swimsuit fabric... that just can't go into the dining room if you want to be comfortably attired and "appropriate" in the evening.

 

It's interesting. I thought that cooler climate cruising was so much more complicated than warmer climate cruising. But, I tell you, I'm now thinking the opposite.

 

Plus, sorry, but ladies wear heels on board ships all the time! Especially into the dining room!

 

Gotta think on this one a little bit more.

[Anita Latte]

Sports in general throw this whole wardrobe plan for a loop!

 

So there have to be exceptions made for any activity that requires specific clothing...ZUMBA :D...swimming...boating...I think we could easily group all these types of activities into a sub-heading called SPORTS...these clothes would have to operate outside of the wardrobe scheme.

 

I can't comment on the shoes because I didn't really look at the accessories yet.

[Anita Latte]

For our 7-night cruise...

 

7 nights/dinner...4 casual...1 smart casual...2 formal

3 sea days

3 shore excursion days

2 travel days

 

(I have to make a correction here to my earlier writing regarding bottoms...in her plan...you wear 2 bottoms three times and 3 bottoms twice...not 5 twice.) Using what I have been able to discern in terms of a kind of "formula" for creating a travel wardrobe, I would suggest that she would suggest the following:

 

3 dresses...each worn once

6 shirts...2 worn twice, 4 worn once

4 bottoms...each worn twice

1 over-layer for indoors

1 over-layer for outdoors

 

My thoughts are that whatever duty you require of your wardrobe in terms of multiple wearings, you don't want to have more than half of your wardrobe to be on the heavy end of the deal...so I didn't pick 5 shirts because that would mean that 3 shirts would be worn twice and 2 shirts worn once...keeping odds in favor of having some choices with a mix and match wardrobe in case of mishaps...so that's why I picked 6 shirts, because less than 50% of the shirts need to be worn twice.

 

I COULD assign the casual/formal nature of the clothing in this manner...

 

Concerning 7 DINNERS:

 

Dresses (3):

1 FORMAL worn TWICE at dinner

1 DRESS that would be fitting for smart casual night as well as day worn ONCE at dinner

1 SUNDRESS worn ONCE at dinner

 

Bottoms (4):

2 bottoms that are appropriate for the dining room; 1 worn TWICE at dinner; 1 worn ONCE

 

Shirts (6):

3 shirts that are appropriate for the dining room to be worn ONCE each at dinner

 

Concerning 2 TRAVEL DAYS...

Any of the 6 shirts...preferably a shirt that hasn't already been worn twice

2 bottoms never worn at dinner...it could also be possible to designate a bottom for ONLY travel days.

 

Concerning 3 SEA DAYS...there are serious choices:

 

DRESS

SUNDRESS

Any of the 6 shirts...IF one of the 3 worn to dinner, preferably AFTER worn to dinner.

Any of the 2 bottoms never worn at dinner...or the 1 only worn once...OR from 1 bottom never worn at dinner or traveling...or the 1 only worn once to dinner.

 

You might have to really study this to follow along...

 

I think this is totally workable!

 

It looks like this:

 

Dresses (3)...formal, smart casual, casual

Bottoms (4)...travel/casual, casual MDR worthy (2), casual

Shirts (6)...casual MDR worthy (3), casual (3)

Overlayer (1 indoors)...dressy for the dining room

Overlayer (1 outdoors)...casual

 

SPORTS require their own clothing...and that would be a different analysis once excursions were finalized...and that's a different post!

[aoknkentucky]

Thanks for the breakdown, Anita. I LOVE IT! I agree that this is very do-able and now I can make a spreadsheet or a simple written plan of what to wear each day.

 

I feel like my vacations are much longer when I plan like this because the preplanning stage of any trip is great fun for me. When I've used my cold hard cash and planned where we will vacation, our accommodations, and the various excursions we will participate in while away from home, it only makes sense to me to equally plan to be prepared with needed medications, reading materials, and electronics (camera, binoculars, phone, etc.) Of course, being prepared with what I wear while away from home is equally important to me. Like I said, I enjoy the preplanning. If I can travel with a carry-on piece of luggage and a large purse, that means a "Drink of the Day" nearly every day of the cruise or a souvenir to bring home instead of more luggage to drag along with me.

 

THIS IS GREAT! Did I say - I LOVE IT!

 

It looks like this plan could really offer more options (more items worn multiple times) if the dresses could be utilized more than once. It has shown me is that my choice of dresses need to be more multi-purpose. Maybe a maxi that could be a little more than just casual. I need to look for a smart casual dress that could be accessorized for a more formal look. (I need that for my wardrobe regardless!) This would open up the third dress for a second possible casual/smart casual dress that could be utilized more than once. I'm thinking that the two more casual dresses especially could be used for either excursion days (depending upon the type of excursion) and/or days at sea.

 

Just a thought -- I know that it would put me over our "limit" of items, but I have skirts that are reversible and super light-weight material that easily dry overnight. More tops would be needed, but if a reversible skirt were worn on one of the first evenings and worn the next day as a coverup, it would easily be dry enough to wear if washed out and hung to dry. If you took two or more of these and less pants for bottoms, you might be able to take fewer dresses and more tops? Like I said, just a thought.

[Anita Latte]

Speaking of reversible skirts...

 

I have one by Kariza Designs that I picked up in Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park of all places...I looked online after I got home and I actually got a great deal buying it in person. I would post a link but right now the website seems to be directed to a blog?...anyway...this particular skirt is a two-layered, wrap skirt...there are instructional videos and brochure available on all the different ways to wear the skirt...it can be a shirt, a skirt, or a dress...

 

Not all the ways they say you can wear the skirt appeal to me, however, even as JUST a skirt...most of the skirt methods appeals to me. Here's a video:

 

 

Referring the prior post regarding bottoms, a multipurpose piece like this could satisfy many requirements and thus eliminate the need for as many bottoms...freeing up space to accommodate another shirt...which is really what most people see at dinner IMO anyway.

 

Mine is like a polyester/rayon blend, I think...it has that great drape?...unfortunately, the purchase was made BEFORE I knew how great I looked in EARTH colors...the material is actually a print that is a hodge-podge of seasons. :confused:

 

I would really like to make myself one though in my lovely EARTH colors...I actually like the skirt in the video...except that I think it looks like one of the silk ones that I saw sold online...not a big silk fan...

[Anita Latte]

I have been doing some great shopping lately!!

 

Between yesterday and today, I have purchased 5 tops, 2 over top layering kind of vest things, and one formal dress!!

 

Here is the formal that I purchased, it was $49.95 at Dillards:

 

http://www.dillards.com/product/Sangria-Maxi-Dress_301_-1_301_502706440?splashlink=dd_w_tc1_dressesspecialoccasion_060111

 

It IS a very deep brown...how would you accessorize this? Can you even DO a necklace with this kind of neckline? I'm thinking I'd like to create two different looks with the dress for the two formal nights.

 

Two shirts and the vest things were on clearance at Macy's. And three tanks I picked up in Target. I'll have to put it all together to take pictures, because I can't find the items I purchased online. This is the most frustrating thing to me...that the online items vary so much from those in the store. ANYWAY...

 

I can share that the Macy's items are yellow and brown. The Target shirts are red, purple, and a funky green. Autumn colors are hitting the stores ladies! It's time to get out there and stock up on what you can find! I'm seriously thinking that I might go back a grab a few more of the tanks from Target for sure. At $7 a piece, it's a steal of a deal.

 

I'll have to do pictures on a different day.

[Anita Latte]

I can't find my camera...which is really frustrating. I know it is in this house SOMEWHERE! UGH! :mad::confused:

 

Meanwhile...I found the tanks that I bought at Target:

 

http://www.target.com/p/Mossimo-174-Women-s-Micro-Rib-Tank-Assorted-Colors/-/A-13630416#?lnk=Combo_Tops_X0Y0H2W4_0|X0Y0H2W4

 

The colors quaking grass, apple red, and night burgundy are ALL lovely EARTH colors. Nevermind what you see online...the red is like a clay, brick kind of color, but red, not rust. Assuming, of course, that dye lots are consistent...I think we were talking about how wonderful this particular red is earlier in this thread, but that it also was hard to find...I'm seriously thinking of buying several of these tanks, just to have them...for the future, when this one wears out...maybe not the green (which is a little pukalicious, truth be told), but definitely the purple and red.

 

If you look at the Macy's Shopping post...I purchased the vest like over layer in yellow and brown...and the brown version of the tank with the jewels on the neckline.

 

I'm in the process of playing with all these clothes to see about coming up with a potential travel wardrobe that I detailed in the previous posts. The only REAL problem that I am having playing with this idea right now...IS...that these most recent purchases all have a very definite AUTUMN color scheme...and I'm going on a SPRING cruise...and even though I want to wear my EARTH colors...I want to LOOK like spring!! KWIM?

[cruzisme]

Love reading this thread!

But I am probably an Ice (winter)--is that correct jargon?

Do you know a thread dealing with my season?

Thanks.

[Anita Latte]

Hi cruzisme! YES...ICE would be the corresponding element to Winter. At this time, no one has started either an Ice or an Air thread...I started this Earth one, and Joby (Kim) started the Fire one...

 

Right now, I am in the process of filling out the blanks of my outline for a cruise wardrobe. It is very interesting to go through this process. As I was filling in the blanks, I realized that I really wanted a print skirt. And I needed to buy a smaller sized pair of shorts that I currently own. So I headed out to the mall for the shorts.

 

Unfortunately, no shorts in the store right now...:(

 

I breezed through Banana Republic and Chicos...I love being able to literally BREEZE through the racks looking for my colors...and decided that I would hit Forever 21 to look for a skirt....AND...*drumroll*...I FOUND one!! And it EVEN looks like spring/summer! KWIM? I'm sure other EARTH ladies relate to feeling like we can be dressing out of season in our colors...especially in the spring, I feel this way...

 

Now I really have to find my camera, so I can share my find. LOVE the price too, under $20. :D I'm really close to filling in all the blanks on the basic wardrobe. I'm excited to share and get opinions.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Anita Latte

[JaneStarr]

Hi There, Earth Friends!

 

I'm crazy busy getting ready for DD's wedding in 13 days (YIKES!), but wanted to chime in about a Chico's color to watch for when it goes on sale: Raffia. It's a golden autumny color. Sprung for a full-price (minus coupon) no-iron blouse in this color, and have gotten tons of comments about how "well" I look. Some close to me have said, "I see you really have nailed down your best colors"!

This is not a great picture, but you can see how the color makes my eyes "pop":

Here's the blouse from the website on a model. On my monitor, the color is closer to how blouse appears in person.

Jane

[Anita Latte]

@Jane...Nice find! The pictures just go to show how colors vary picture to picture.

 

I've been working on my cruise wardrobe today...while I reserve the right to make changes, OF COURSE, I will be posting about what I have determined as of right now...

 

Coming soon...I'm uploading photos.:D

[Anita Latte]

I hope I can do this without being too confusing...

 

Here goes...

 

The skirt that I purchased today at Forever 21 is pictured below...also pictured is a coral colored shirt (Chico's) that commandeered from Mom (no EARTH for her!;)), a rust/orange shirt from Anthropologie, and the yellow cardigan vest (Charter Club) I just purchased from Macy's:

 

 

Here is a pair of tan linen pants that I purchased at Macy's (Tommy Hilfiger), my new tribal Elementz shirt from Macy's, and the Charter Club brown tank with bling at the collar:

 

 

Close up of the tribal print tank:

 

 

Close up of the brown bling tank:

 

 

And here is my new formal dress!:

 

 

That is a good summary of recent purchases, all of which are a part of my cruise wardrobe.

[Anita Latte]

According to THE PLAN...

 

3 Dresses...

 

1. Formal (pictured above)

2. Smart Casual

3. Sundress

 

Here is my Smart Casual:

 

 

Here is my Sundress. There is a cami in the photo because I need it under the dress:

 

THE PLAN also calls for 6 shirts:

 

1. Coral Short Sleeved (pictured above with skirt)

2. Orange Tank (pictured above with skirt)

3. Tribal Print Sleeveless (pictured above with pants)

4. Brown Bling Tank (pictured above with pants)

5. Yellow/Green Print

6. Red Tank (new purchase from Target)

 

 

 

THE PLAN also calls for 4 Bottoms:

 

1. Print Skirt (pictured above)

2. Linen Pants (pictured above)

3. Brown Crinkle Skirt (recent Macy's purchase)

4. Tan Bermuda Shorts (Aeropostale, assuming I can purchase them again, http://www.aeropostale.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11294718&cp=3534618.3534619.3534623.3541050.3536152.11327055.11331562)

 

THE PLAN also calls for 2 Overlayers:

 

1. Yellow Cardigan Vest

2. ???? (I do have a Brown Cardigan Vest)

[Anita Latte]

The complete picture looks like this:

 

 

From left to right:

1. Brown Maxi Formal

2. Brown/Blue/Green Sundress

3. Coral/Yellow/Brown Dress

4. Blue Cami Shirt

5. Yellow-Green Print Flutter Sleeve Shirt

6. Coral Short Sleeve Shirt

7. Yellow Cardigan Vest

8. Tribal Print Sleeveless Shirt

9. Brown Bling Tank

10. Orange Tank

11. Red Tank

12. Brown Crinkle Cotton Maxi Skirt

13. Coral/Orange/Yellow Print Maxi Skirt

14. Tan Linen Pants

15. Tan Bermuda Shorts

 

From this I get the following dinner outfits (7), all shown in a previous post:

 

1. Formal Dress (2x)

2. Smart Casual Dress

3. Coral Shirt with Print Skirt

4. Orange Tank with Cardigan with Print Skirt

5. Tribal Tank with Linen Pants

6. Brown Bling Tank with Linen Pants

 

Things NOT having to go to dinner are: Brown Crinkle Shirt, Tan Bermuda Shorts (both go with everything), Red Tank, Yellow-Green Print Shirt, and the Sundress. Day outfits will also need to include shore excursion clothing, which may end up being more swimsuit based depending on our port plans.

 

I have these Dining Room Worthy shoes that go with everything (not that I am planning on taking them all):

 

 

 

From left to right (back row): Brown Platform Wedge Sandals, Yellow Platform Wedge Sandals, Strappy Nude Formal Sandals (front row): Brown Beaded Bling Formal Sandals, Strappy Red Slide Formal Sandals, Bronze Wedge Platform Sandals.

 

This obviously doesn't include shoes that are more "shore excursion" and thus not very pretty for pictures.

 

AND...I can have a lot of fun with other accessories, like belts, scarves, wraps, jewelry, etc. AND I should have plenty of room for all this fun. Especially since I will still be packing swim suits, cover-ups, Zumba clothes.

[3dogmom]

Is the 'capsule clothing' limited to 15 pieces based on a week vacation? I plan on having all coordinated pieces next year, but thinking I'll need more for 2 weeks.

[Anita Latte]

Is the 'capsule clothing' limited to 15 pieces based on a week vacation? I plan on having all coordinated pieces next year, but thinking I'll need more for 2 weeks.

 

According to that blog...the way that she works a travel wardrobe is the begin with 5 basic pieces...

 

1. Jacket or cardigan

2. Pants that match

3. Skirt that matches

4. Top that goes with the above

5. Another top that goes with the above

 

From this you can get 8 outfits:

 

1. Pants, Top A

2. Pants, Top B

3. Pants, Top A plus Jacket/Cardigan

4. Pants, Top B plus Jacket/Cardigan

5. Skirt, Top A

6. Skirt, Top B

7. Skirt, Top A plus Jacket/Cardigan

8. Skirt, Top B plus Jacket/Cardigan

 

You get to add one item of clothing for every day of your trip, up to a maximum of 15 items of clothing, regardless of how long your trip is.

 

The blogger talks about how she traveled for 5 weeks with 16 items of clothing...she admits to breaking the rule of 15 by the one piece of clothing.

 

Accessories are not included in the clothing items...neither are undergarments.

 

Her example is more specific to a travel wardrobe for business purposes. My Mom also pointed out that she was going to new locations and meeting new people, and so she could look fresh to the new people even if she was wearing the exact same "Monday" outfit over and over again.

 

So, for the purposes of my cruise...I studied and contemplated and came up with what I came up with for my week long cruise. My wardrobe is not necessarily intended for shore excursions, especially since I haven't necessarily figured those out yet...and I may need some very specific clothing for that...as in, going on a boat and possibly doing some swimming/snorkling while on said boat...or just hanging out at the beach all day...needing swimwear and beach appropriate clothing which may or may not be included in what I have already selected.

 

I would have to really put together the different outfits to see if it would still be fun for a 2 week cruise. I know my own clothing habits...and as much as others may be put off by the idea...I know that I rewear bottoms before washing...washing is the hardest thing you can do to your clothing...and so long as the clothing in question hasn't suffered through a Zumba class or otherwise become stained...there are care methods that can freshen up your clothes between wearings. So I don't have a problem with rewearing clothing.

 

Honestly, I have favorite clothing anyway...like my fav shorts that go with everything, that I can wear everyday and be happy in, especially in my life as a homemaker where I don't have to deal with the same people everyday. If I were at home for the time of the cruise, I could probably just put those same shorts on every day...KWIM?

 

Let me see what I can come up with to talk about outfits in specific so we can think about how this would all apply to a longer cruise.

[Anita Latte]

This is the easiest way for me to do this, I hope it makes sense to ya'll...

 

Dinners (7):

 

Formal Nights (2): Formal Dress (Dress A)

Smart Casual Night: Smart Casual Dress (Dress B)

Dinner 4: Print Skirt, Coral Shirt (Bottom A, Top A)

Dinner 5: Linen Pants, Tribal Print (Bottom B, Top B)

Dinner 6: Print Skirt, Orange Tank, Yellow Cardigan Vest (Bottom A, Top C, Overlayer)

Dinner 7 : Linen Pants, Brown Beaded Tank (Bottom B, Top D)

 

Day Outfits:

 

Travel Day: Shorts, Red Tank (Bottom C, Top E)

Sea Day: Brown Crinkle Skirt, Yellow-Green Shirt (Bottom D, Top F)

Sea Day: Sundress

Day 4: Pants, Coral Shirt (Bottom B, Top A)

Day 5: Smart Casual Dress

Day 6: Shorts, Tribal Shirt (Bottom C, Top B)

Day 7: Brown Crinkle Skirt, Red Tank (Bottom D, Top E)

Travel Day: Shorts, Brown Beaded Tank (Bottom C, Top D)

 

At the end of the cruise, here is the tally:

 

Dress A (worn 2X, 2 dinner)

Dress B (worn 2X, 1 dinner, 1 day)

Dress C (worn 1X, 1 day)

Bottom A (worn 2X, 2 dinner)

Bottom B (worn 3X, 2 dinner, 1 day)

Bottom C (worn 3X, 3 day)

Bottom D (worn 2X, 2 day)

Top A (worn 2X, 1 dinner, 1 day)

Top B (worn 2X, 1 dinner, 1 day)

Top C (worn 1X, 1 dinner)

Top D (worn 2X, 1 dinner, 1 day)

Top E (worn 2X, 2 day)

Top F (worn 1X, 1 day)

Overlayer (worn 1X scheduled)

 

I have a shirt listed earlier that is actually more like an undershirt because I need it for modesty purposes with my sundress...and I haven't scheduled it to be worn alone, although I could during the day, for sure if another shirt had a stain...)...so there are only 14 items on this list...I can still add another item.

 

Here's the way that I analyze this:

 

Every dinner has a unique outfit...so you never repeat an outfit at dinner...while you repeat bottoms, you never repeat the shirt...the repeat formal is no big to me...

 

There is only 1 shirt that gets a repeat during the day...

 

Each OUTFIT is unique...

 

Shirts really make the big difference...if you are wearing the same shirt for mulitple days...then your pictures start to look alike...for a longer cruise...

 

There are 2 shirts that aren't worn to dinner...

If another bottom is worthy of the dining room...and goes with those 2 shirts...then you have 2 more dinner outfits without adding any more clothing...now it depends on how many nights we are really talking...but let's just work on 14 nights...

 

We have 9 now...

 

For 14 nights, there may be another formal night...so this begs the question...do you wear your formal for 3 nights? OR do you add another formal that you ONLY wear once? Assuming that you LOVE your formal dress...wear it 3 times...I would...and have more fun with accessories...different wraps...no wrap...definitely different hair...adding hair jewelry...earrings...my formal translates easily into different looks IMO...and it is COMFORTABLE...

 

Now we have 10 nights...

 

There will be 2 more smart casual nights...for a total of 3...AGAIN...dealing with this...you can make the sundress MDR worthy...and wear it once...and wear the original smart casual dress twice...AGAIN...playing with accessories...adding wraps and/or overlayers...so one night...wear the coral/brown/yellow dress alone...and one night with the cardigan vest...no additional clothing items added yet...

 

Now we have 12 nights...

 

It becomes a question of what to do here to make two more evening outfits...Do you CARE if you wear a shirt twice to dinner now? It HAS been several nights...IF you repeat two of your favorite shirts...and mix them with a different bottom...

 

Days...this becomes more difficult to talk about because we have to deal with shore excursions...typical onboard activity (like do you LOVE to hang out at the pool, go to the gym...how much time will you be in an outfit before changing for dinner?)...but still...in trying to do so...

 

There was one top that wasn't worn during the day...so that increases the days by 1...up to 9 now...including that top, there was only 1 top that was already worn twice during the day...if we wear every top 2X during the day...THEN we increase by 5...up to 14 now...if we are talking a 14 NIGHT cruise, we technically need one more day...SO...we find that we don't want to wear our clothing over and over again too much...SO...I would add another shirt at this point...which would cause a whole reworking of the whole system...AND...would bring the total up to 15 items...since I only have 14 listed...so like this:

 

Dresses: 3

Bottoms: 4

Tops: 7

Overlayer: 1

 

Can you follow this line of reasoning?

 

The FUN comes in with the accessories...including shoes...because you will have so much space...and THESE are the things that really require more space in luggage...really...KWIM?

 

Now this sounds really restrictive...but if you were to take a look at the clothing that you REALLY wear, how much variety do you normally wear? OR do you keep grabbing your favorites every week?

 

Regardless...finding a group of clothing will mix and match together well is the basis for this...and if you find that you wish you had more individual looks...then really analyzing the whole thing is the key to successfully adding in any extra clothing...and being sure that you didn't pack a bunch of things that you don't end up wearing.

 

Because the fact is that it takes time to pack and unpack...weight...hassle...and you can lessen the hardship of it all with some serious planning.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Anita Latte

[cruzisme]

Love your outfits and how you are showing us how to mix and match. It is fine to rewear things as no one really remembers from day to day. I try to keep the packing down for each trip but still always look good.

Anita, keep on teaching us!

[Member123]

... another thing to remember as you think about wearing a top or a bottom more than once is the fact that you don't wear the clothing for the same length of time that you normally wear an outfit, if you wear it for the entire day.

 

For example, thinking about a typical port day... up in the morning and out for a shore excursion and then back to the ship for a shower and a change of clothing into something that you would consider comfortable to wear to a lounge, etc. Depending upon the timing of the day, this might be the evening outfit OR you might be in for a different change of clothing for dinner, etc. So, in theory, you might have 3 outfit changes, depending upon whether you're porting in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, etc. Also, if the port day would be a formal evening and you don't want to get dressed formally as quickly as you want to shower and change from your port day clothes... or you've got a spa appointment booked... etc.

 

But, this is why the MDR outfit, if thought about, could transfer over to a day outfit because you will only being wearing that item for about 3 or 4 hours, etc. Of course, this could be different if you're the type of person who goes from the MDR to an evening of high energy dancing, etc. So all of this thought process is tempered by how active you are, etc.

 

My point is just to give some thought as to the actual wearing time of these items of clothing because it's not really as bad as it might seem, at first blush, of saying that you'll be wearing a particular item for 3 wearings.