weekend trip packing tips

It might be a little late in the summer to give you weekend trip packing tips since there aren't many long weekends coming up... this weekend is the last of the summer!! Sniffle. But I hope it may be useful for someone, somewhere, sometime. I've made a few short trips recently instead of doing a larger vacation this summer, so obviously, I'm an expert (ha, I kid). This applies to not only weekend trips, but I packed this way when I went to Vancouver for a week too.

What kind of trip are you going on? Are you visiting family or friends? Going sightseeing? Going shopping?
It is useful to know what you are going to do on your trip. If you are going out, maybe you need a nicer outfit. If you are going sightseeing, you will need to make sure you wear something comfortable you can walk in all day. If you're going shopping, pack less cause you're buying stuff anyway (that's my mom's tip.. she swears by it. I can't do it because I have to alter so many of my new clothes and I don't like risking not buying enough shirts or something).

Now that you know what you're packing, pick your bag(s).
I say, stick to a maximum of 2 bags (purse included). If you're okay with lugging one backpack around everywhere, all the better. But there are so many combinations you could do:

Suitcase + backpack, suitcase + large purse, suitcase + small purse, backpack + large purse, backpack + small purse, you get the point..

My personal favourite combinations are suitcase + large purse and backpack + large purse. I have a problem with bringing too many bags (one for every purpose!) but in both instances, I have a large versatile purse (and I usually throw a small clutch in, shh!) where I can carry anything I need from water to passport to a light cardigan to my iPod. And then I throw the rest of my clothes in the suitcase or backpack, depending on what degree of wrinkled is okay and if I need to walk a lot with my belongings (aka if you are taking the bus or train and are sightseeing on your way to the hotel).

Pick a clothing colour scheme
This is my #1 space saving tip!!! Use your basics and neutrals, and only accent with one colour family. That way you can mix and match and re-use your pieces without having to pack too many different outfits. Use your accessories to change up the feel of some of your pieces and you instantly have a new outfit (a thin cotton belt vs a thick leather belt makes a world of a difference). I usually figure out one outfit first and then build around it. For example, when I went to Toronto a few weeks ago for my cousin's bridal shower, I picked out an outfit for the shower (skirt and top) and then built the rest of my choices around those colours. That weekend I packed in pinks, purples and neutrals. When I went shopping in the States last weekend I packed in blues, turquoises and neutrals. Make it work!

Before you start actually grabbing your items, make a list.
This way you can see how much you're packing and you can easily strikeout items or add to it without having to turn your closet inside-out (has happened too many times). And if you've done it before, reuse an old list and you'll be sure to never forget the same items you forgot last time (happens to the best of us).

As I get ready for my weekend trip to Kingston, my best friend is on the other side of the world in Fiji. Rosemarie shares her tropical travel tips on her blog, threepiece. Check it out!

(photos from Pinterest)

haircut.

I got a haircut!!!

..but I am not nearly as excited about it as those exclamation marks seem to convey.

My plan was to grow my hair out to donate 8 inches, and still have longer than shoulder length hair. Last time I donated my hair (in grade 11), I had shorter than shoulder length hair and didn't really like it. Three years later, I was almost there!! Maybe another 2-3 inches and I would have happily donated my hair. So I figured I would get a little trim, and then wait until the spring when my school does hair donations to donate!! Perfect, right?

So off to the hair dresser I go. There's a new lady there and they charge less when she cuts your hair (less experience, I guess). Okay, why not? My haircut is hard to mess up. Just going in to clean up my hair! So I tell her to cut off about 2 inches, and to start the layers at about my chin length. Two inches is nothing, I always say it expecting to lose about 3 or more inches anyway. Margin of error.. I've already prepared myself to lose more hair!

This is a photo from June, so just imagine my hair was the teensiest bit longer
(really, not longer by all that much)

Snip snip snip, off she goes. She shows me a chunk of what she has cut off, "Is this okay?" It's about 4 inches. Wowee, but yeah that is fine. She keeps going and brushes some of my hair to in front of my shoulder to measure against the other side. Wait, is that all I have? It barely touches my collarbone! There must be more behind my back. I hang tight, and by the end when she shows me the back.. I HAVE NO HAIR.

my {summer rain} style.

It has been raining so much in the past while, that I wanted to share with you my favourite rain outfit in the summer.

flip flops. capris. long rain jacket. stripey tank. colourful umbrella.

A long rain jacket and umbrella are a must for keeping dry, but it gets hot under that jacket, so I wear only a light tank top underneath. I love wearing rain boots, but in the summer it is just too hot! So my Old Navy flip flops do the trick, no rain is going to ruin my shoes.. never! What do you prefer? Rainboots or flip flops?

I made this also because I so wanted to try out polyvore to create a clothing set.. it was fun!

the reverse braid.

Have you ever heard of the reverse braid (or inside-out french braid or dutch braid)?

This summer I have become a little obsessed with braids. This obsession probably started at the end of high school but I didn't start trying new braids until more recently.

I have now mastered the french braid, which is awesome! It's definitely my go-to braid. I put my hair in a single braid, off to the side when I study, bike, snowboard, and pretty much whenever I want to get my hair out of the way. The only difficulty is that my hair is layered, so the shorter layers come out very easily.

I recently discovered the reverse braid which at first confused me. But it's really a very straightforward concept. It's a french braid.. but backwards!! It was explained to me as showing more of the braid, since in the french braid you tuck everything into itself, and hide the braid. But in the reverse french braid, all the hair goes on the outside so you show off the braid. It's useful when you want a fat voluminous braid (hehe).

See? The braid is on the outside!

It's simple, really. Braid normally, but when you take the side piece and cross it over the middle, cross it under instead. Ta-da! That was easy. Or see this great video tutorial. I'm going to keep practicing this so I can do more cool hairstyles with it. And there are so many ideas with braids on pinterest!

Ultimate goal: this swirly updo.


The waterfall braid... one day.


To the side, with a bun.


A braid within the braid (oops, I let out the secret).

To learn next: the fishtail braid.

(images from pinterest, and thebeautydepartment)

double the belts, double the fun!

In high school, I had a biology teacher who would tell us that tests were "double sided, for double the fun!" and it has stuck. I love the saying, and use it all the time.

Recently, I bought 3 belts from H&M, and the colours are so cute together! I wanted to put them together, so I thought why not wear two of them interlinked?

Two belts become one?

Ummm, I don't normally ask people to look at my belt/crotch area. Strange. But here's a picture of myself wearing the belts (selfie alert!)

Note to self: Don't do fashion posts in the future, but if I do, don't use myself to model. Hah. #awkwardselfie

Would you do it?

simple scarf to circle scarf.

I have wanted a circle scarf for a long time, since they are very easy to wear, and so fashionable right now. But I didn't want to buy a new scarf when I already have so many good scarves at home! So I turned one of my favourite scarves into a circle scarf, and I wear it like that all the time. It's been a good month or so now, and I didn't think it was anything special, but two different people asked me about my scarf today, and Chelsea suggested I write about it, and share it. So I thought, why not! It's super simple.. and I love wearing my scarf this way.

Here I am, wearing my scarf.

It's simple, really! Take two opposite corners (top-right, and bottom-left; or top-left, and bottom-right) of the scarf, and tie in a knot. There you have it! A circle scarf! Depending on how long your scarf is, you will be able to wrap it around once, twice, or maybe even three times.

perfect blazer!

I got a new blazer at Forever 21 when I was in the States. I actually saw the same blazer at H&M later for about $5 more (and I would think a little more durable than F21.. it felt like it was better quality but I had already gotten the F21 one and you can only return for store credit, so I decided it wasn't worth returning. I should have waited! But I'm over it already). Anyway, it's exactly what I've been looking for in a blazer!

It is proper, but not stiff. It is a flattering fit, and goes with almost anything I own. Perfect for the office! (though I'm only at this job for another week before I head back to school..!)

I love it when you find a perfect piece of clothing. Be it your favourite jeans, pair of flats, cardigan or comfy tee, these pieces make the wardrobe.

Also, I just finished removing the stitching that was keeping my pocket closed. I've always wondered why pockets are stitched closed, do you know why?