Editor's Note: Jessica Quirk, author of the blog 'What I Wore', has been taking photos of exactly that – what she wears – each day for more than eight years. When she’s not blogging, she’s a wife, mother, hat maker, knitter and reality TV show lover. Here she shares with us her tips for packing the essentials as we head into the busy holiday travel season.
All photos by
Jessica Quirk/What I Wore.
Shoes: Seven to 7 Ally High Bootie
Truth time: I do not love packing. But packing involves traveling, which is always a good thing! As we round the corner into the holiday season, that means many road trips for my little family.
Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go!
First up – we had Thanksgiving! We spent the holiday with my sister-in-law, her husband and their darling newborn son. My mother and father in law joined us, as well! For us it’s a day all about cooking and eating, so I planned my wardrobe accordingly.
First and foremost I pick pieces with waistbands that can grow. I like to either wear knit dresses with thick tights or a big sweater with leggings and
boots for the holidays with big family meals. If jeans are more your speed, here’s a little trick I learned when I was pregnant: You can take a pony holder and loop it through the buttonhole on your waistband and wrap it over the shank of the button for a little extra give. With a long sweater layered over, no one will be the wiser!
If you're prone to spills, pick darker colors to hide stains, because even when you’ve got on a fancy apron in the kitchen, there’s always a chance that you’ll get a little grease or cranberry sauce on your sweater. See also: children!!!
Speaking of little ones, with two small kiddos, this visit was more on the casual side. It’s always a good idea to ask the hostess if she’s planning on a big elegant sit down meal with a more dressy dress code or if her family eats around the coffee table while watching the game (or somewhere in between).
On any trip out of town, I like to pack things that can be dressed up or dressed down. I toss in some jewelry that can up the ante on a black sweater and jeans, and always include some cozy pieces in case we decide to stay in all weekend.
Finally - your footwear! I suggest at least two pairs - your travel shoes and something else that works with multiple outfits. There are two schools of thought for what to wear traveling. If you’re short on suitcase space or trying to just do the weekend in a carry on bag, you’ll want to wear your largest pair of shoes (usually your bigger boots). If you’ve got checked luggage and want to speed up your airport routine, flats might be a better solution!
Shoes: Total Motion Hidden Wedge Layer D'Orsay Flat
I also like
flats to wear in someone else's home (as long as they’re the kind of household that allows shoes inside!). They’re still comfy but a step up from socks. And if you’re on your feet in the kitchen all day a little cushion and support can be nice, too.
For your second pair - you could go basic with a
black boot or
brown boot or you could really spice things up with something a little fun like the
burgundy booties I’m wearing here. At first glance they look like a dressier pair, but don’t they look cute with jeans, a big sweater and a beanie? I think this would be a perfect outfit to wear to see a parade or to wear to a movie.
My final tip - try to think about your packing the weekend
before you leave for your trip. No doubt you’ll be busy enough either cooking or getting those last few pieces of work done before you head out the door. Once you’ve reached your final destination, give your Grannie a hug for me, snuggle that nephew and count your blessings. I’m so grateful for a day to do just that.
Happy Holidays!
Find more of Jessica's style inspiration by following @WhatIWore on Instagram.
This Port71 guest blogger received compensation in exchange for her post.
All opinions are the blogger’s own.
