I can’t believe that this time last week I was in New Zealand. It was truly one of those most magical trips I’ve ever been on. New Zealand is a fairytale land – the people are so kind, everyone is active and happy, and the views are absolutely unbelievable. Oh, and the food is BOMB. And it turns out that they have just as psychotic weather as Denver does. When I was prepping my suitcase for New Zealand, I mentioned packing tons of sweaters and readers reached out warning me to chill out on the sweater packing since it had been so hot recently. Well I’m REAL happy I didn’t listen to them because all those sweaters, jackets and pants I packed came in handy, especially when we couldn’t even land in Queenstown because they couldn’t see the runway from the snow. That was super fun.
And even though I packed all kinds of different pieces of clothing, I found myself going back to the same three items my entire trip – my super warm and cozy Teddy Coat, the most comfortable and flattering Spanx Leggings and easy-to-slip-on sneakers. If you’re heading anywhere chilly, or where the weather is unpredictable, these items will come in handy in more ways than one. And since we stayed in an Airbnb, I was able to wash these leggings and wear them over and over.
But let’s first talk about this Teddy Coat that majorly came in handy while on vacation. When we landed in Queenstown (the second time – I’ll explain next week in my NZ recap), it was pretty much a white out blizzard. And luckily I wore this coat on the plane in case I needed an extra blanket while I slept. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the Teddy Coat trend this year but after seeing so many bloggers share different types of looks in them, I was onboard. And I’m so glad I took the Teddy Coat plunge because I LOVE mine. It’s so warm, cozy and it goes with almost any outfit. Whether you want to dress it down like I did or wear it with a dress and OTK boots, you are going to look stylish and put together. I received so many compliments whenever I wore it. And I needed to wear it pretty regularly since the temperatures ranged from 28-70 degrees on a daily basis. Spring weather in NZ is just as crazy as CO.
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Next on the list, Spanx Leggings. If you don’t have these leggings in your wardrobe yet, buy them now!! They are truly THE BEST leggings you will ever wear. And since my weight tends to go up and down each month (especially while on vacation), I can always rely on these to make me feel my best. They are so flattering, comfortable and they stay in place! I absolutely hate when leggings pull down and that tends to happen to me when my hip shape changes. But I wore these leggings throughout our 30 hours of travel and didn’t have to yank on them even once. This week I’m putting together a list of my top 10 gifts of the season and these leggings are definitely one of them. They are that great!
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Last but not least, footwear. If you ever go to Queenstown, you better pack some comfortable shoes because you walk A LOT. You actually walk a lot uphill. So if you’re thinking about packing high heels or uncomfortable booties that make you look adorable, just remove those from your suitcase now. Everyone in New Zealand is super laid back so slip-on sneakers were the perfect mix of comfort and style in a casual city. Whenever I’m looking for slip-on sneakers, they MUST have one thing – a padded collar around the ankle. If a shoe doesn’t have that, I’m bound to have a blister within 5 minutes. There’s no getting around it. And these slip-on platform sneakers caused no such issue. I even wore them every single day, uphill, in the rain, and even in the snow. And they held up great!
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When I did all my pre-vacation shopping, I obviously started at Nordstrom because they have everything I need…and it’s my favorite place to shop. Not only did I find this entire look at Nordstrom, but I also found the most flattering dress ever to wear to the wedding (you can see it here) last minute with their Pick Up in Store option. I consistently shop at Nordstrom every month because I know I’ll always be able to find exactly what I need at all different price points. They are simply the best! Hope this helps you pack for your next adventure!! Remember, just a few items like these will go a long way for your daily looks while traveling!
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Julie! On your insta story the other night you posted about coming back from vacation and your detox, eating etc., to get those holiday pounds off. Is there a blog post coming soon? It was a great story and such valuable information. Also just watched your blanket scarf tying video. LOVE. Now i won’t look like a loser wearing my dogs blanket around my neck.
i’ve already shared that post on my blog! https://paleomg.com/back-on-track-in-one-week-flat/
I just wanted to say your hair color is really beautiful!
I got a teddy bear pullover and get compliments every time I wear it. Weird enough, I got it at WalMart! Also totally off subject , but this jalapeño margarita mix is the best! It’s good with tequila or Tito’s.
https://bravadospice.com/products/pineapple-jalapeno-margarita-mix/
I love your hair color! What do you ask for when you get it done?
i do bayalage highlights throughout. i really don’t ask for anything, i just let my hairstylist do whatever she thinks is best. i really trust her!