How To Avoid Shopping For A Fantasy Summer Wardrobe

hello "Vacation ME!!"

Dear Readers,

One of my favorite activities as a personal stylist is reading the chats and comments on social media. It’s a great way to observe what people are buying and loving, what common styling pain points are and helps gain awareness on different consumer behaviors.

This is an un-anticipated post for today but I couldn’t stop coming across the topic of purchasing recs for vacations/events in the Substack chats:

“Whats a cute coverup for my beach vacation thats under $300?” (note: its the oversized button down already in your closet, or borrowed from your partner!)

“I’m going on a girls trip to Palm Springs and need a bunch of fun new dresses!”

“What should I buy for a trip to ______(fill in the blank: Vegas/Taylor Swift/Mexico)”

Recommendations span from $500 bold statement pieces to party dresses to sequins galore. Not to mention all the influencers who recommend very specific pieces to their followers via affiliate links because they are “just so cute!”, without regarding the versatility of the recs.

Which got me thinking…

Our summer calendars are usually filled with a fun vacation or two and social events but do you tend to buy or pack for your fantasy self?

Do you imagine yourself in a new locale and suddenly, you are “Vacation ME!” wearing things you normally wouldn’t ever wear at home?

I totally get it - vacations are a time when you don’t have your usual responsibilities and routines and you get to relax, drink aperol spritzes in the sun and create memorable moments outside of your day-to-day.

So your first thought may be… “It’s just a vacation, I don’t need a whole new wardrobe”.

But also you:

And maybe also you….

ok this one I’m totally guilt of!! Why do I always think I’ll go to the gym every morning before the hotel breakfast?!

When you shop for your fantasy self on vacation, it’s fun in the moment or for those social media photos, but it tends to add to the “I have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear” feeling when you are back in your everyday life.

So what’s the solution?

Yes, we can shop within our own closet (which I always recommend first!) but I also get that we want to buy new pieces as a way to celebrate or get excited for an upcoming trip or event and that’s totally OK!

Instead of:

• shopping for a specific one-off occasion or locale and then getting rid of those pieces the next season

• talking yourself into thinking you “could” wear an item outside of vacation but then feeling like you are in costume when you try to wear it at home (and maybe feeling a bit cosplay on vacation…)

• thinking about future events or situations you can wear the items, even though none of those events are actually on the calendar

Try this instead:

• Shop with a broader intent in mind - think about the weather, activities you will be doing, level of formality vs the specific location (ie: a resort vacation is in warm weather, mainly outdoors with activities ranging from casual to dressy for pool>dinners vs “destination resort” looks)

• Think of existing wardrobe gaps in your closet that you can use this opportunity to fill into (ie: need some lightweight neutral pieces? shop for those and you already have a need to wear it outside of your trip!)

• Think of 3-5 ways you can wear the items outside of your vacation or event. This way, you know you are shopping to get versatility out of your purchases rather than shopping for a specific situation

And because I’m a visual person, here’s some examples!

a beach vacation just screams crochet but when in your everyday life do you really wear bare open knit pieces? Instead, take elements like texture, fabric and color!

I love these pieces because they are effortlessly chic for vacation but are still great everyday pieces too

If I got a dollar for every bold patterned dress I edited from clients’ closets…Unless its a print that emotionally resonates, you will get bored of it quick (or feel like you are “always” seen wearing it). It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy fun patterned dresses but if you are spending $$$, a solid will go much further in your wardrobe!

a bold solid color still has great versatility when mixed back to neutrals and layers

A fun “non-everyday” place like Vegas doesn’t mean you need to cosplay and be someone completely different! Take elements of what you want to feel like and apply them to your look (ie: a bit bare, an element of sparkle but still chic). If you want a bit of a statement, I always recommend something a bit more low-risk and versatile like a fun bag, which can be more easily styled with other looks

A slip dress is a more safe choice but you could swap for something with a bit of lace or sheer elements and still get the same versatility with these options

So as you are prepping and planning your Summer vacations and occasion looks, I hope you consider some of these tips! I promise it will make your wardrobe more enjoyable and versatile in the long run!

xx

Angie

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