It’s hard to believe that it’s September 1st and fall is just around the corner. It’s time to think about digging out the fall wardrobe. Time to see what fits and what goes into the giveaway pile. If you’re anything like me, you will look for any excuse to spruce up last year’s wardrobe. Who doesn’t want new clothes? In general, I lean toward classic items that will last more than one season. I live in the Southeast where the weather changes on a dime; I want to be sure that I am covered even if we get rain, snow or 70-degree temperatures all in the same day. This is especially important if you have travel plans and have a limited selection on hand. These fall wardrobe essentials get me through every autumn in comfort and style.
Fall Wardrobe Essentials
I love a good shawl. This isn’t the old-fashioned type your grandmother wears but rather an all-in-one item that converts into a scarf, wrap, etc. Soft, light and fashionable, a shawl travels well, can be easily stowed and work as a pillow in a pinch. Not a shawl person? Consider a poncho or an oversized scarf for the same purpose.
Waterproof jacket with removable liner. The first time I went to Europe I took this type of jacket and it was the best move I made. A waterproof jacket protects against rain, fog, and damp weather, plus the removable liner can help you to adjust to varying temperatures. This is my absolute must for any fall wardrobe.
Boots. You can opt for fashion boots or something a bit more rugged depending on where you’re likely to go on your daily travels. Again, waterproof if the best option; particularly if you take long walks in the woods as the leaves are changing colors.
Sweaters. I’m a huge fan of a cotton sweater. They are the warmest, breathe well to help you adjust to variable temps, and can be worn over a t-shirt or turtle neck. A cardigan works equally well.
Lightweight gloves. Generally, I’m not a big fan of gloves. I love my lightweight gloves because I can function while wearing them. Lightweight synthetic material keeps my fingers warm, they are lighter, and easy to store in a pocket or bag.
Good socks. I’m a barefoot girl most of the time. When it starts to turn cold, I head for my sock drawer. Being out and about with cold feet is not my idea of a good time. My top two suggestions are wool socks, which will certainly keep your feet toasty. For those of us that can’t wear wool, I nominate heavy cotton socks. Synthetics are ok around the house but if I am wearing boots all day, I want to make sure my feet can breathe.
Thermal anything. Are you a sports fan? If you are and don’t thing a Snuggie is fashionable outdoor wear, choose some of the latest items in thermal wear. These aren’t your granddaddy’s long johns, but fashionable, cozy additions.
Finally! Summer is here and we’re sure you’re just as excited as we are for it. However, you might be wondering what you should bring with you for the perfect beach weekend. We have a few recommendations that we think you’ll like:
Sand Resistant Towel
Tesalate makes beautiful and colorful beach towels that are sand resistant and quick-drying. Their colorful towels can absorb up to 1 liter of liquid and repel sand, even when wet.
The Australian company makes their towels in an array of vibrant prints. We personally like the bohemian print.
We feel that our taupe wrap pairs perfectly with white jeans and a white tank top or blouse. This sand-colored sweater wrap can be styled as a poncho, shrug, scarf, or vest, though we feel that for a beachy-casual look it’s best to wear it styled as a poncho.
This look will keep you warm on breezy coastal nights and allow you to exude an effortless sense of classic style.
Shawl by SelahV Fashion – Taupe
Polarized Sunglasses
It’s important to protect your eyes just as much as it’s important to protect your skin while at the beach. Tree Tribe makes stylish sunglasses completely out of bamboo, and they plant 10 trees for every purchase.
Our moisture-resistant Pickleball bag isn’t just great for carrying your sports gear, but it also works as an excellent beach bag. It can easily be carried over the shoulder and it’s roomy enough to carry one large beach towel, a change of clothes, a book or tablet, snacks and something to drink.
The compartments on the side of the bag make it easy to find whatever you’re looking quickly. Our black and white geometric print bag goes well with any outfit.
Pickleball Bag by SelahV Fashion – Black/White
Day-to-Night Flip Flops
Instead of packing multiple pairs of shoes, just pack one pair of flip flops can be dressed up or down. Havaianas is known for their high quality and bright flip flops. Our favorite pair is their thin strapped rose gold flip flops. These sandals will work for the beach, or dinner.
We prefer the neutral color, but check them out in hot pink, purple, green, and coral for more of a statement.
Havaianas Metallic Sandal Rose Gold (Havaianas Image)
Classic Tankini
The most important piece for any beach trip is of course your bathing suit. We like this simple and chic tankini from La Blanca Swimwear. The wrap style of the top contours to flatter any figure.
The tankini comes in a solid color and there are three options: black, midnight blue, and magenta.
Island Goddess Wrap Tankini Top La Blanca Swimwear (La Blanca Image)
These are just a few suggestions that we hope you enjoy.
Whether you’re heading out on your dream vacation or on a business trip, these are the must-have travel accessories that will make the next time you travel more enjoyable and stylish!
We’ll go through the top 10 items that you should pack the next time you’re taking off.
1. Packing Cubes
What’s more annoying than having to dig through your suitcase to find something? Packing cubes solve this problem and eliminate the issue of needing to empty out your suitcase to find one certain item. Another great thing is that they allow you to keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes.
Shacke Pak offers a set of 4 packing cubes in a variety of colors.
Shacke Pak – Aqua Teal Packing Cubes (Shacke Pak image)
2. Secret Pocket Infinity Scarf
Get rid of the ugly and bulky money belt that’s designed to hide your valuables and get this stylish and James Bond-esque secret pocket infinity scarf. Keep your passport, money, and other valuables hidden in plain sight.
The scarf has a secret zipper pocket built into it, SHOLDIT makes different styles of this scarf. They even make one especially for nursing mothers.
SHOLDIT Convertible Infinity Scarf with Pockets (SHOLDIT image)
3. Power Bank
Sometimes you’ll get stuck on an older airplane that isn’t equipped with outlets or USB ports. If it’s a longer flight this can often mean that your phone battery will start to die, and everybody knows the struggle it can be to find an free outlet in an crowded airport. That’s why it’s essential to pack a power bank.
When you’re in a pinch this tiny and powerful gadget will keep your phone or tablet from dying. Xiaomi makes an affordable option that will charge your iPhone up to 4 times.
Xiaomi Mi Slim Portable Charger (Xiaomi Amazon Image)
4. International Adapter
If your trip is international, you’ll want to pack one of these. What’s great about this adapter is that it’s multiple adapters in one, meaning that it’s good for trips to multiple continents.
Conair makes an excellent adapter that can connect up to 4 devices at once, and can be used in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and North and South America.
Travel Smart by Conair All-In-One Adapter (Conair Image)
5. All-In-One Shawl Wrap
Versatility is key for when you want to pack light. That’s why investing in some clothing that can be styled in multiple ways is the perfect suitcase space saver. We recommend our women’s shawl wrap as the perfect clothing item to have on hand at all times.
This shawl can be worn as a poncho, vest, shrug, and scarf, allowing you to make 4 outfits out of one piece of clothing. It’s also lightweight and wrinkle-resistant which makes it easy to toss into your purse or carry-on. Whether your heading to a breezy beach or sightseeing in a city, this travel accessory compliments every outfit.
Shawl by SelahV Fashion – Styling Options
6. Sleep Mask and Earplugs Kit
Jet lag is a very real thing, and fatigue can set in quickly when traveling. For this reason it’s best to travel with a sleep mask and earplugs because you never know when a flight might get canceled, or you’re stuck in an AirBnB or hotel with construction next to it.
Don’t let a bad nights sleep, ruin your next vacation. Dream Essentials offers a wide variety of sleep masks and other sleep aids at varying prices.
Dream Essentials Twilight Side Sleeper (Dream Essentials Image)
7. MAPS.ME App
If you’re traveling in another country, you probably don’t want to be roaming and racking up a hefty cellphone bill. Luckily most restaurants, hotels, and even some parks and public transportation offer Wi-Fi. However, when you’re not on Wi-Fi and don’t want to incur data roaming charges MAPS.ME is a great option for not getting lost.
The app acts like a stripped down version of Waze, and it can be used completely offline. You can download the app from the App Store or from Google Play.
8. Hygiene Survival Kit
If you’ve ever been on an overnight flight you know how poorly you can feel in the morning. The way to combat this is to carry along a hygiene survival kit with you whenever you go on a trip. These kits are also great space savers and contain enough supplies to last you at least a week. This means that you won’t need to pack larger bottles of shampoo.
You can either buy a hygiene kit or you can put together your own using travel size soap bottles. Convenience Kits International has a range of hygiene kits, or you can fill your own. The Container Store has a various travel size bottles that you can fill with your preferred toiletries.
Convenience Kits International Women’s Deluxe 10 pc Herbal Essences Travel Kit (Convenience Kits International Image)
9. Foldable Flats
If you’re going on a business trip and need to wear heels for your meetings, make sure to either pack a comfortable pair of shoes or bring along a pair of foldable flats. Small and compact enough to fit in any bag, these flats will save your feet the next time you’re out and about with an uncomfortable pair of shoes on.
Cinderollies has foldable flats in several neutral and metallic colors.
Midnight Black (Black) Foldable Ballet Flats by Cinderollies (Cinderollies Image)
10. Microfiber Towel
A microfiber towel is compact and won’t take up a lot of space in your suitcase. These towels repel sand, dry quickly, and though not as fluffy as a regular towel, are super soft. They can be used at the pool, gym, beach, yoga, camping, and more.
Raqpak makes a solid color microfiber towel that has a hanging loop and a carry case.
Packing for a trip can often be a pain. Especially if you’re in a rush, or heading to a place where the weather is unpredictable. Not to mention that planning out what you’re going to wear a week ahead of time can often be a challenge.
At SelahV Fashion we’ve found the perfect solution to make packing for your next trip a little bit easier. Our versatile women’s shawl that can be worn as a vest, shrug, scarf, or shawl, is the answer!
Lightweight & Warm
Always chilly on flights? Heading to the coast? Taking a cruise? Our lightweight, but incredibly warm shawl is the best thing to take with you.
It easily folds up and can fit into your purse or carry-on. The knit acrylic fabric is soft-to-the-touch and wrinkle-resistant. This shawl is great to keep in your car, your bag, or your office desk. Whenever you feel a chill it’s the best thing to have on hand.
Effortless Style
This shawl can be styled in four different ways. Using the 12 buttons that it features you can fashion it into a vest, shrug, scarf, or shawl. You’ll save room in your bag by packing one piece that can be worn in so many different ways.
We currently have this wrap in silver grey, taupe, and black. These neutral colors are perfect for any outfit and any time of the year. They’ll quickly become staples in your wardrobe no matter what the season.
Other Packing Tips
Packing a functional and fashionable piece like our women’s shawl isn’t the only way you can make packing for your next trip easier.
Roll your clothes, don’t fold them. Not only will this prevent your clothes from becoming wrinkled, but it will also save you room in your suitcases. More space for souvenirs!
Make a list before you start. Nothing is worse than getting to your destination and realizing that you forgot something essential. By making yourself a list you’ll be sure to not forget anything, and you’re less likely to overpack.
Bring extra bags. This can include collapsable/foldable tote bags, like our water-resistant duffle bag, or plastic bags. You never know when you might need to separate some dirty or wet clothes and shoes from the rest of your belongings. This is especially important if you’re headed to the beach.
