Take A Scarf

A couple of weekends ago, we stayed at the Inn at Biltmore Estate.

I took a few basic pieces to mix and match, as I always do when we travel. This packing formula serves me well, and I can fit everything into a small carry-on bag.

A scarf can make all the difference when you dress in solid basics. It adds texture, pattern, and colors to pull the whole look together.

The white Evan Picone trench coat is old from Stein Mart. I wore it over a large square silk scarf by Versace from Saks Off 5th last year. The scarf adds the punch of a pattern to tie the white tank and dark wash Klaveli ankle jeans together.

When we went down to breakfast on the second morning, I wore a black Clara Sunwoo mesh sleeve tunic over white pull-on pants by Tribal. I tied the scarf onto my BCBG bag (old) from T.J.Maxx. The shoes are by Vince Camuto from last year.

As we were having breakfast, I became too cold, as I often do in the air conditioning. The scarf served me well as an additional layer. Large square silk scarves are so versatile.

In Summary

On Sunday, we had a lovely afternoon brunch before leaving the beautiful resort of Primland for now. We will return soon and often!

I layered the White House Black Market jacket over the white tank top by Peck and Peck via Stein Mart with the black ankle jeans by Chico's for the long drive home. I wore the gray faux reptile booties by Vince Camuto and carried my Zac Posen bag, both from Saks Off 5th.

Let's look back over the past few blog posts to see how I mixed and matched the ten pieces of clothing I took with me on this trip. I took three jackets (it could have been just one white one), three tank tops, one cashmere cardigan, and three pairs of pants. All of the items fit into a rolling carry-on size bag in addition to a hanging bag for the jackets. All of my toiletries and shoes also easily fit into the carry-on bag.

My travel look on the first day.

His mother loved the sweetness of the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. His father admired the baseball player Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane. As a result, Mr. Mickey was so named. He has been collecting Mickey Mouse antique toys of the highest caliber for most of his life. That massive collection is now for sale in its entirety. You can see much of the famous collection as it was once displayed in his museum on this Facebook page.

I wore this to dinner on the first evening.

I wore this casual look to breakfast on Saturday.

This was my look for dinner on Saturday evening.

This was my look for the drive home.

As we left the resort property, we saw this beautiful pheasant pecking about in the grass beside the road. I might have scared him a little when I squealed, "STOP... back up!"

The view of mountains for as far as the eye can see always soothes my soul.

I hope that this series of blog posts help you pack fewer pieces that work in various ways for your next trip.

Packing Tips

When we travel, I take a core wardrobe of pieces in three colors. I can take a few pieces but have several possible combinations, from casual to dressy as needed.

The color choices for this trip were black, white, and gray. I wore this combination to breakfast on Saturday morning during our recent stay at Primland. J.Jill provided the gray cashmere sweater. The white tank is from Peck and Peck via Stein Mart. The pants are by Lior Paris. The shoes are by Vince Camuto via Saks Off 5th. The watch is by Michael Kors via Nordstrom. The rings were long ago gifts from Mr. Mickey.

I regularly get numerous comments about wearing heels. I am not encouraging you to wear heels. I find that shoes such as these, which have many straps, support the whole foot and the ankles, and are so much more comfortable than ballet flats or (horrors!) flip flops, which often give the foot no support. Mr. Mickey can attest that I can even run in these shoes when I need to.

The view from our table by the window at breakfast was nothing less than spectacular!

That is the observatory tower behind me. We spent the afternoon enjoying being pampered in the Spa at the resort. They thought of everything! There is a theater, library, and workout room as well.

I took two white jackets, one dressy one casual. I also took an ornate black jacket, gray sweater, one white tank, one silver tank, and a black one. The three pairs of black pants were of different fabrics and styles. I took two pairs of shoes in addition to these, which I wore for travel.

In addition to all the other amenities at the resort, there were many original art installations throughout the property.

Preparing for a Cruise

From My Itchy Travel Feet, Donna Hull has agreed to help me with another blog post today as I continue to get caught up after being away from my office for a week. 

Preparing for a Cruise 

Earlier this summer, I shared my cruise packing tips with you. Today, Susan has invited me back to show Fifty, not Frumpy readers, more about how I prepare for a cruise. I hope you’ll find my tips and tricks useful for your next sailing.

Before you go

Since I cruise about once a year, I use the trip as a reminder to replace old makeup—a healthy practice for your skin. And I also make an appointment with a skin expert or cosmetician for a makeup lesson to learn new trends. When making the appointment, explain your style and emphasize that you are looking for makeup tips for a mature woman.

If you’re going to change hairstyles, do so a couple of months before the cruise so that you’re practiced at maintaining the style. For longer cruises where you’ll need to schedule haircuts or color, take a photo of your hair looking; it's best to show the ship’s stylist (or one onshore if you choose to have your hair done in port). If you color your hair, bring the formula with you.

Who doesn’t try to lose a few pounds before a cruise? Raising my hand high here. But don’t forget about getting in shape for all of the fun excursions. You’ll enjoy walking the streets of Rome a lot more if you’ve been following a walking regime at home. And don’t forget about light strength training and stretching. You’ll be the one hopping in and out of tenders, zodiacs, and bounding up the stairs without any achy muscles.

Traveling with a partner? Cross pack. When my husband and I cruise together, I make sure that each piece of luggage contains items for both of us that cover all of the dress codes on the cruise. And we each pack a carry-on with an outfit for each dress code—even formal night—so that if our checked luggage is lost, the cruise isn’t ruined for us. 

Fifty not Frumpy travel tip: write down items as you pack them. If your luggage is lost, it will be easier to make a claim. And you’ll know what needs replacing.

Must takes

When you’re anticipating wearing your favorite outfits, it’s easy to forget the practical side of things. Yes, I have forgotten these, so here’s a reminder for all of us:

The weather won’t always be perfect so bring a raincoat. I prefer one with a hood. Umbrellas only get in the way and drip water on other people. Use a hooded raincoat instead.

Fifty not Frumpy travel tip: If you’re traveling to a gloomy or snowy climate, a bright-colored coat or raincoat will help you stand out in photos.

Everyone needs a break from all the fun. Bring your favorite comfy outfit for hanging out in the cabin.

Pashmina is one of my favorite multi-purpose clothing items. Use one as a blanket on the plane or to wrap around your shoulders in over-air-conditioned rooms. I bring two: a casual version for travel and a dressier pashmina that takes a basic black (or other neutral) outfit from ho-hum to wow.

I find that shampoos and conditioners provided by the cruise line dry out my hair so does the ship’s water. Consider having a keratin treatment to protect hair before leaving home or schedule one in the ship’s salon if you’re traveling on a long cruise. 

Fifty Not Frumpy travel tip: pack a shoe bag to hang over the bathroom door to hold toiletries. This puts items in easy reach plus frees up counter space in those small shipboard bathrooms.

Stay organized

A good organizational system keeps me from losing things when traveling. This applies to a cruise or any other type of travel. I keep the same items in the same place every time, whether in my purse or on the cruise cabin's nightstand. If you follow this practice, you won’t leave anything behind when it’s time to go home.

And my last tip for getting ready for a cruise—have a plan of attack when it comes to eating healthy and exercising on the ship. Stay tuned because that’s the next article that I’ll share with you here at Fifty, not Frumpy.

Donna L. Hull writes about active travel for baby boomers at My Itchy Travel Feet, The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Travel. Going on a road trip? She’s currently offering a road trip checklist to new subscribers.