Our bags are packed… (haha, yeah right, y’all know that I pack the night before we leave!) and we are prepping mentally for sand and sun and a week on the islands! (Don’t worry about our pooches, we have an amazing friend staying home with them, thank you Kel!) As I was preparing for this vacation, I was trying to be super mindful of my capsule wardrobe and while part of me wants to buy anything and everything for this one week of my life, I am really trying to be mindful of my purchases and making sure that the things I am adding to my wardrobe right now will still fit into my wardrobe post vacation! Here are the essentials I grabbed for our time away!

Chambray Shirt // Hi-Waisted Black Shorts // Long Kimono

Chambray Shirt: Okay, this little gem shows up on all of my capsule wardrobes! It’s a staple in my life, an easy cover up, and a nice lightweight shirt to throw on if it get’s chilly in the evening! Love these (and have three of them… oops!)

High waisted cut offs: These go with pretty much everything, are quick to slide on, and while they might remind me of what my mom wore when I was growing up, they are super flattering and comfortable.

Kimonos, kimonos, kimonos: I’m a huge lover of cute beach cover ups and since I pretty much wear my old Show Me Your Mumu kimono once a week, I opted for a new one in the cutest green floral pattern that is longer (covers the bum, heck yes) and can even be dressed up for a dinner out! Heck yes!

 

Black High Waisted Bikini // One Piece // Tee Shirt Maxi

Comfortable swimwear: I announced on Instagram that I am teaming up with Aerie – American Eagles line and their swimwear is divine. Not only is it cut really well for every body, it’s super comfortable! I nabbed a few of their new suits and plan to live in them!

Tee Shirt Dresses: Obsessed with maxi dresses that can be taken from the pool to dinner. I opted for two similar black and white striped tee-dresses from Shabby Apple for this trip because they are so comfortable I could live in them!

 

Madewell Tote // Tom’s Sunglasses // Wrist Watches

Madewell Leather Tote: This travels with me often. It’s the perfect size to throw in a towel, a book, and a camera and it spends many days on the beach with me! It’s cute enough to take anywhere but big enough to fit your essentials!

TOMs sunglasses: The One for One love continues, with each pair purchased, Toms helps restore sight for a person in need. I love their shades, take good care of them, and they last me forever (compared to my $10 cheap ones that I usually sit on or lose!) I can’t travel without them!

Daniel Wellington Watch: I love these watches! (I may or may not have four of them!) They are so classy, so modern, and they come in rose gold, which is my favorite part! I love these watches and wear them every day.

Fujifilm XT1 + Lens // Amazon Kindle // Packing Cubes

Fujifilm XT1: This was a recent purchase because I kept thinking about how I am always lugging my professional camera everywhere on vacation (I even strapped it onto my body when we went zip lining in Costa Rica!) and while I want to have super beautiful vacation photos to remember all that we get to see and experience, I wanted a more compact option (and can we talk about how stylish this little devil is?) I am super excited to capture our vaca and not lug around my big guy the whole time!

Kindle: I don’t go anywhere with out this (and you better believe I’ve loaded it up before I left.) It’s the perfect way to bring as many books as you can handle without weighing down your suitcase! Just don’t forget your charger if you’re a book worm like me!

Packing Cubes: I made Drew order these this time because we are packing for nine days on the island in just carry on bags! Ever since Europe, I have never checked a bag. Just think of all of the money I am saving from not having to pay for luggage (hundreds of dollars a year!) These cubes help organize everything and make it all fit like a glove!

Asics // Pons // Birkenstocks

Asics Running Shoes: I only wear one brand of tennis shoes in my life and it’s my Asics. We both packed our running shoes so we can hike, run, and walk our way through the island! Shoes are always the hardest to pack (especially when sticking to only a carry on) so we wear these on our feet while flying in order to get them there with us!

Pons Slip Ons: I wasn’t sure if these things were as comfortable as people claimed but after I wore my brown pair pretty much every day last summer, I finally nabbed a black pair. These things are super easy to pack and ridiculously comfy and easy to slip on. Pumped to break them in!

Birkenstocks: These were one of the best purchases I made in 2015! I wear these sandals all of the time and want to get them in every color. These will be perfect for the beach days!