What I’m Packing For Travel During Shoulder Season

Welcome to the 424th Metamorphosis Monday!

I had hoped to post photos of the hat rack I ordered back on February 25th, installed here in the office. Unfortunately, it still hasn’t arrived. It’s coming from Bulgaria and the last time I looked, it had finally made it to the U.S. and was in New York. So since I can’t share that little before and after, I thought I’d share how I’m packing for my upcoming trip to Morocco, as well as some tips for traveling during what’s known as the shoulder season. Update: Looks like my hat rack has finally made it to Georgia! lol

Travel during the off-season or shoulder season is always a bit tricky. Actually, this isn’t exactly the shoulder season for travel to Morocco since travel there during the summer months isn’t very popular due to the heat. But the weather this time of year will make it feel a bit like the shoulder season since the mornings and evenings will be quite cool. The daytime temps should be really nice, though. This is a sampling of the upcoming weather for Casablanca. It’s actually very much like springtime in Georgia! lol

 

I thought I’d share some of the clothes I’m taking for the trip, including a few of the pieces I’ve paired together. Not shown in this post are the coat and a couple of cardigan sweaters I hope to take as well.

I plan to wear a straw hat every single day (along with sunscreen) for sun protection. I’ll be wearing a lot of light-weight, long-sleeve cotton shirts, too. They layer really well and the sleeves roll up when the sun comes out, although I may leave them down for protection.

The hat you’ll see paired with the outfits throughout this post is available here: Straw Hat with Bow.

 

Sixteen days is long time for which to pack. Since I’m limited to one large 50-lb suitcase and one carry-on bag, I’m taking 4-5 pairs of pants and lots of shirts/tops. The pants I’m taking are primarily jeans with one pair of black slacks.

The tops seen on the far left side of the picture above are tops I plan to wear with either blue jeans or black or navy jeggings.

 

This top that I purchased during the winter is perfect for this trip because though it’s a combination of wool and cotton, it’s very light weight and super comfortable. I’ll layer it atop a long-sleeve shirt so if I get too hot, I can always take it off.

Tip:When traveling during the shoulder season, think layers. Layering is definitely a good strategy on those days when the temperatures fluctuate a lot between morning, daytime and evening.

J. Crew Buffalo Check Shirt Jacket

 

Down the center of that same photo, you’ll see the tops I plan to wear with white jeans.

 

Note the bright pink sweater at the top and the aqua sweater and purple sweater further down in the photo. Those are all cashmere sweaters bought many, many years ago. They are very light weight, though very warm, so they won’t add weight or take up a lot of space in my suitcase. I’ll definitely be doing a lot of layering with those.

 

At the far right of the picture, we see a blue and white striped scarf I purchased during a trip to Italy in 2015. I believe I purchased it during out stay in Sorrento. It’s super lightweight and should come in handy for going in places where it’s custom to cover one’s head/hair.

The infamous flannel, cupcake pajamas are going with me. Those are the ones I was wearing during the mini-flood. lol Read about that crazy morning here: An Adrenaline-Charged Morning. Update: I ordered these fun pajamas a few days ago by the same company that made the cupcake pajamas: Pajamas.

 

Pairing with Navy or Black Jeggings/Jeans

Here’s how I plan to wear some of the clothes shown above. The navy, white and pink plaid top on the left was a recent purchase in Marshalls. The lightweight, pink cardigan is currently available in Gap. I purchased it in both pink and white.

 

Here’s a close-up to see how the colors/clothes work together. The pink cardigan pulls out the pink strip running through the navy and white plaid shirt.

 

Remember this adorable navy “vacation” sweater I fell in love with earlier in the spring and had to have. Though it kinda has a “beach” theme, I’m taking it along on this trip. It works well with both navy jeans/jeggings and white jeans or slacks.

 

The cute sweater pictures a pink suitcase coming open with all the clothes flying out 🙂 It’s currently on sale here: Vacation Sweater. I just love it!

 

If I have the room, I’m taking along this red, wool sweater I purchased this past winter. It’s super warm and would be great to wear the two nights we’ll be camping in the Sahara Desert where it can get into the 40’s at night. It would look great with either the navy or the white jeans and any of the shirts shown below. The red sweater is available here in very limited sizes: Red Sweater.

 

Blue polka-dot shirt is available here: Polka-dot Shirt. I purchased it a while back, may have been last fall, so not sure how many sizes are available now.

 

I’ve had both the green top and purple cashmere sweater for many years. They will make the trip and will work great with either my black or blue jeggings.

 

Here’s a little close-up with navy jeggings below. I was planning on taking both of my “packable” straw hats, one has a navy blue bow and the other has a white bow. But you’ll notice in all the photos, it’s the hat with the blue bow that seems to go with so many different outfits, so I may end up just taking it.

 

Not sure if I’ll take the orange cardigan below or not, but I’ve been wearing this outfit sooo much this spring.

 

I never thought I liked the color orange in clothing, but I’ve discovered it actually works great with my pale skin tone. And I love how it looks paired with navy and white. The white polka-dot shirt is available here: Shirt.

 

Pairing With My White Jeans

What am I pairing with my white ankle slim jeans? I love this floral shirt! It’s so much prettier in person than it appears in photographs. It works with both navy and white jeans, and I think the collar and cuffs will be cute showing underneath my bright pink cashmere sweater. Floral shirt is available here: Floral Shirt.

I know it’s hard to see, but the sleeves on this shirt and many of the shirts I’m taking along, roll up and have the button on the sleeve that will hold it in place. So I can push up the sleeves on the light-weight wool sweater if I want and roll up the sleeves to a 3/4 length.

I love how that looks because you get to see a bit more of the shirt. All the shirts I’m taking are long enough that they can show out the bottom of the sweater, if I want to wear them that way. That seems to be a popular style/look these days.

 

A close up…

 

I’ll take along one of the cotton, funnel-neck shirts I purchased in a clearance sale in J. Crew this spring. They are a heavy weight and should be pretty warm. I love blue and white striped shirts with white pants/jeans! And there’s the straw hat with the navy bow. I can’t get over how many outfits it compliments!

 

A close-up…

 

Here’s a better photo from the site showing the hat, you’ll find it available here: Straw Hat with Bow.

 

If I take my other straw hat, the one with the cream-colored bow, it will look pretty with some of the other outfits I’m taking on this trip. Here I’m pairing a light cotton shirt purchased on clearance in Talbots last summer with my aqua cashmere sweater and white jeans. I think I’m taking two pairs of white jeans since I don’t want to have to wash clothes during my trip. Straw hat with cream bow is available here: Straw Hat with Cream Bow.

Tip: Almost all the shirts I’m taking are long sleeve, but the sleeves roll up. So as the weather warms up during the day, I can peel off my sweater and roll up my sleeves if I need to. This is a great way to dress for the off season or shoulder season when traveling.

 

The white slim ankle jeans I’ll be wearing are available here: White Jeans in Classic Style. If you have more of a curvy figure with a smaller waist compared to your hips, the curvy style is better. That’s what I wear, otherwise I get a pretty big gap in the waist. You’ll find the curvy style here: White Jeans in Curvy Style.

This shirt never photographs well but the color looks much softer in person. It’s a light fabric, again with roll-up sleeves. I found it in Marshalls this summer and love it!

 

This trip I’m going will be a small group, no more than 10-16 travelers. That’s all Overseas Adventure Travel does. Love that! Our guide both emailed and called to see if I had any questions. I’ve never traveled where I received a personal call from the guide in advance of the trip…so impressed he did that!

I missed his telephone call but I emailed asking if there would be a dressy night, like for our farewell dinner. He said no, all dinners would be casual, but I could certainly bring along dress to wear if I liked.

I don’t think I’ll take a dress, but I decided to take the short, blue-velvet jacket that I’ve had many years. It looks amazing with slightly faded denim jeans and whenever I wear it with jeans, I get so many compliments. I love the contrast of the velvet with the denim. I have a lacy blue and white top I wear under it, as seen below. So this is what I’ll probably wear for our farewell dinner in Morocco.

 

I’m still deciding what shoes to take but these are all under consideration.

I’ll definitely be taking the navy blue top-siders. They are sooo comfortable, I could live in them! You’ll find them available here: Top-siders.

I just purchased the sneakers after seeing a fashion YouTube Vlogger share them. She said they look awesome with black jeans. Apparently, they are super popular because I had a hard time finding them in stock, but I eventually found them available here: Sneakers. They run big so order a half-size down.

My black waterproof boots that I wore in all the torrential downpours we encountered in Italy will definitely be going. They are available here: Black Boots. They were so comfortable, I could have worn them every single day. They run about 1/2 size small, so size up at least a half a size when purchasing them. I think they will come in handy for the cooler nights or any days we get rain, although I think rain storms are usually short-lived in Morocco, unlike Italy where it sometimes rained the entire day.

I may take the Sperry rain boots, but not sure there will be enough rain to justify taking those. They were great for the Italy trip and also for the Holland/Belgium trip. We had some rainy days on that one. I guess when you travel to Europe, you have to be prepared for rain!

 

I’ll also be taking one of my Chanel Chance perfumes. I’m sooo happy they finally came out with Chanel Chance Eau Tendre in a travel-purse container. These were only available for Valentine’s Day but there are a few left here: Chanel Chance. The top twists up like shown in the center below, so it won’t leak in purses or suitcases. Love these travel perfumes! I always buy my favorite fragrances in these when I can find them. They hold a fair of amount of perfume, too!

 

Hope these tips help the next time you find yourself traveling during the shoulder or off season. Layering is definitely your best friend and I love the shirts with the roll-up sleeves that button into place. They are so versatile for when the weather suddenly turns warm.

Also be sure to take a rain jacket/coat with a hood, they are excellent for those pop-up storms and toting around an umbrella is a pain. I love a Barber coat for travel!

Happy Travels, dear Friends!

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Comments

  1. Goodness, you are just going everywhere fun and exciting!!

    • Thanks, Anita! Trying to travel as much as I can, before I’m too old to go. I’ve waited pretty late to start my travels so I have a lot of places I want to see. 🙂

  2. When I travel, I don’t pack “outfits”. Everything I pack goes with everything else. Depending on the length of the stay I pack 2 or three basic colors.

    • I really like to have a completely different look each day, so that’s why I prefer to take a few basic pairs of pants in black, navy and white, then pair them with lots of different tops, especially for a 15-16 day trip.

  3. rattlebridge farm says

    I’m such a traveling slob, and I’m enjoying your wardrobe tips. Have a great trip! And thank you for hosting the party today.

  4. You have become such a seasoned traveler! Love everything you’re taking, and I’m sure you’ll be the best-dressed traveler. I always take the wrong things when I travel (and too much). You shared some great tips for me to keep in mind. Thanks.

  5. Prudence Lay says

    Happy travels! I love the white pants but I’m worried about them being see-through. How do thes rate in your opinion?
    Thanks!

    • Thanks Prudence! They are definitely not see-through. They are jeans so a nice weight and not see-through at all. I love them and have been wearing them a good bit in the last few weeks.

  6. You will look fabulous on your trip! I can’t wait to see your pictures. Thanks for hosting another fun party.

  7. You might want to re-think those white jeans. Travel is “dirty” business and you could probably only get one wearing out of them.

  8. Great outfits, love all of the color! Have a wonderful trip! I can’t wait to hear all about it!

  9. Susan, lucky you for going to Morocco. It’s on my bucket list (but not on hubby’s). Take a scarf or two along with you. You are going to a Muslim country, and you might find you need it in certain areas. Also, might help if you end up in blowing sand in the Sahara. Check out travel guides for any social customs you might need to be aware of. I visited Egypt a few years ago, and had a few surprises, even though we tried to be prepared. Looking forward to following along on your travels. Have fun!

  10. A traveler recently recommended Lit Foot shoes (on Amazon). She said they were super comfortable, and she wore them all over Australia.

  11. You are quite the organized packer Susan! You are going to look great every moment, and comfortable- Thanks for all the sharing ideas today

  12. Bon Voyage.
    The scarf is very good advise. Even if you don’t end up in a sand storm.

  13. Kim JEFFERSON says

    I love your post about packing for your upcoming trip. I, too am going on a trip to China next week and I need to start packing. You are inspiring me with the way you have paired things.
    Have fun

  14. Antoinette says

    WOW! That’s a lot of packing! When my husband and I travel, we both like to travel light (except if we go on a cruise). As a matter of fact, several years ago, we took a 17-day trip to Italy and believe or not, we didn’t check any luggage! We each brought a carry-on bag and a shoulder bag, and that’s it! We brought enough clothes for one week and after the first week, we washed our clothes at a laundry mat in Sorrento and we were good for another week! It was great because during our trip we flew to different parts of Italy, we didn’t have to worry about the airlines loosing our luggage and we didn’t have to wait for our luggage after landing! It was very easy and painless! It also helped that it was the warm season and all our clothes were light, so they didn’t take up that much room. But your trip sound really amazing!

  15. Beautiful outfits Susan! I agree with Antoinette – hubby and I try to pack only carry on luggage. Each of us takes one small suitcase and a backpack. When we do check a bag, we cross pack in case the checked bag gets lost. That way, we each have enough for a couple of days and hopefully, the other bag would show up by then. I learned about Travelon purses from you and now have five of them! I carry them all the time – not just on trips.I recently ordered Travelon backpacks for both of us and they are my new favorite travel items.

  16. Shelley Collins says

    Love those pink cupcake pajamas! Where did you find them? Have a wonderful trip…

  17. I was looking at a way to make a chime out of silverware or flatware and I was taken to your blog on the ones you found several years ago. Love them. But I am so glad to have found your blog. Nice pairing on outfits. I love pulling things together like that for a trip. Have fun.

  18. You and I think alike when it comes to packing! How are you going to pack your hats so they don’t crush? Just asked my hubby if his mother ever had to cover her head when they lived in Morocco, he says no. Wear that sunscreen for sure, my MIL got melanoma as a souvenir from 3 years of living there.

  19. I also have the Vacation Sweater. It is so cute, and I am so glad I bought it. And I have your orange cardigan but in the blush color. Talbots has such nice stuff this Spring. I have many more new things from Talbots. I just couldn’t resist although I’ll probably faint when I get the bill. lol

    • Dawn, I just realized you ask how I pack my hat in this comment. I stuff the center crown part with socks or underwear or something like that, then I place it in the bottom of the suitcase, in the center of the suit case. Then I pack all around it, placing clothing on the brim which holds the hat in place during travel. So far that has worked great!

  20. Love the outfits that you’re taking on your trip! I hope you have the time of your life. I purchased those black waterproof boots after you recommended them last fall, and they are very comfortable. I have them on this minute because it’s so cold here today!

  21. I usually pack outfits when we are traveling but it is usually to Fl. or the beach so I don’t need alot! You are really a wonderful traveler, I wish I could get over my fear of flying. I have flown but the farthest is Fl.! Have a fabulous trip, I know you will! Thanks for hosting too!!!

  22. PS, I saw one of the comments above about traveling with just a carry on. HA! That would never work for me:):) I have alot of toiletries that are MUST HAVES!!! LOL

  23. Juanita in OH says

    It seems as though you are quite prepared for your trip. Your selection is wonderful. I believe you could run your very own travel agency with tips on fashion for the traveler’s. I think that would be a unique and immensely useful thing that your clients would LOVE. TFS.

  24. Your travel wardrobe is amazing. You will look so stylish and comfy.Also you are smart to wear the clothes before packing. I used to buy clothes for a trip and then just save them until then. Big mistake! So love the aqua pieces and the perwinkle dotted top. Funny that you’ve now adopted orange; other than pumpkins and fall leaves, I’m not letting orange across my threshold lol 😀

    • I know, and it’s my least favorite color! lol I do like it with navy, though…and surprisingly, it works for my skin. I never knew that because I’ve never tried anything orange on until. lol Well, at least that one sweater works.

  25. bobbi duncan says

    You will look smashing, dahling (Ha! Ha!). That’s usually how I pack: basic pants that go with everything and lots of tops to look different each day. I try to find jewelry that can be worn with several outfits so I don’t have to carry too many pieces. Jeans are great because they can be worn a few times if need be. Hugs!

  26. Your wardrobe looks wonderful. Stylish and comfortable. I love the blue velvet jacket! I know you’re getting excited. All of your fans are, too! 🙂
    Can’t wait to see photos of this amazing adventure. I’ll say a prayer that you have a safe trip.

  27. Cyndi Raines says

    Looks like you have it all together Susan – great clothes! I wish you the best and oh, so much fun. Saying prayers for you for safe travels.

  28. Have a wonderful trip! I have recently discovered jeggings and love them. So comfortable.

  29. The clothing you selected looks great. You have very good taste. Have a good time. I look forward to seeing you vacation pictures.

  30. Charlotte says

    Please tell me everything about the PJ’s. Love them. Need to find where I can buy a pair.
    Thank you

  31. Very informative! I would, however, think twice about the perfume. Many people, myself included, have very sensitive noses, and even if something smells fabulous to you, it may not to some of your fellow travelers. I’m sure you use a light touch, but to those sensitive to smells it can be headache inducing. At any rate, have a wonderful trip!

  32. What a great travel wardrobe, Susan. I love the orange sweater with blue (take it!), as well as the aqua and blue & white stripes with the white. Tres chic. I love travel perfumes too. I have my two faves in small, roll on vials. Looks like your weather will be what I call transitional. It kinda makes it hard to dress for weather like that, but you seem to have covered all the bases. Have a wonderful trip! And thank you for hosting us, as always.

  33. Mina Flor says

    Hi Susan, your Outfits are very, very beautiful! I love them all! Enjoy your trip , have a wonderful time in Marroko! I’m looking forward to see your photos!

  34. I hope you had a good time – I loved Morocco! You have a lovely selection of clothes, but wow, you also have a lot of them. As someone who has traveled extensively, I encourage you to pare down. I would also recommend throwing in a tank top or two. They wash and dry easily and offer great flexibility – especially for layers.

    • Part of traveling for me is wearing lots of fun clothes on vaca, so I always pack plenty. Everyone is different. I don’t want to be stuck wearing the same shirts/pants every day and the last thing I want to do while on vacation is wash clothes. Thanks anyway, though.

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