Staying Fit
I bet you're dreaming of sandy beaches, turquoise water and swimming with dolphins right about now. (Or at least trading your puffer and boots for a sundress and sandals.) A brief midwinter break always sounds like a great idea — until the packing part. Have you ever crammed your carry-on with every possible thing, only to realize on arrival that you got it all wrong? Me, too! That's mainly because we overpack. At 50, a sunny weekend away could mean anything from pool-lounging and casino-hopping in Vegas to rides with the grandkids in Orlando or strolling the French Quarter in New Orleans. Here's how to dive in.
1. Dress up for the plane
Sure, you're headed toward sun, but don't pull out the flip-flops just yet. Transitional pieces in lightweight fabrics like ankle pants or cropped jeans and a stylish light sweater or blazer provide a pulled together look with enough coverage for icy plane temperatures and chilly airport delays. And it never hurts to look a little polished when you check in, either. It just might snag you an upgrade or better service at resorts, hotels, inns and restaurants.
2. Do more with less
We're used to packing lots of tops and bottoms for mix-and-match options. Sounds good in theory, but just two stylish one-stop items like a loose dress (see item No. 3) and a jumpsuit make more multitasking sense now. Choose a solid-color ankle-cropped jumpsuit in a soft stretch knit or light woven fabric — like the Old Navy Jersey Tie-Belt Plus-Size Jumpsuit ($43, oldnavy.gap.com); A New Day Women's Sleeveless V-Neck Jumpsuit ($30, target.com); Gap Gauze Jumpsuit ($90, gap.com); or Banana Republic Sandwash Modal Cropped Jumpsuit ($95, bananarepublic.gap.com). Look for wide legs, an elasticized waist or tie belt, and your favorite sleeve length (everything from sleeveless to cap to long). Accent this and all your trip-wear with hoops or dangly earrings, as well as slim-stacked bangles that take up no room and are literally cooler than necklaces or scarves.
3. Add a loose-fitting dress to your list
Like jumpsuits, this one-and-done outfit is a suitcase- and time-saver. Pick your preferred length — short, midi or maxi — and wear it as a beach cover-up by day, dinner dress at night. Leave the Spanx at home and choose a short, swingy A-line trapeze shape — like Old Navy Sleeveless Plus-Size Jersey Swing Dress ($33, oldnavy.gap.com) or a longer style like the A New Day Women's Sleeveless Tiered Dress ($30, target.com) — or go with a roomy shift such as the H&M V-neck Dress ($25, hm.com/us) or maxi dress like Loft Plus Beach Short Sleeve Maxi Dress ($90, loft.com).
More on Entertainment
Swimsuit Cover-Ups for the Pool or Beach
Easy pieces to lounge, play or dine in styleRecommended for You