Hey, Style Slayers — Happy Moda Monday!
Welcome Inside the Closet! In this edition, we’re sharing 1 quest, 2 tips, and 3 looks to help you embrace your unique style superpowers — Let’s step in! 👇
1 Quest for you to try
This week, you are pushing the boundaries of your carry-on luggage! I went to a work conference in Florida at the tail end of April, and not only did I want to feel confident and cohesive in my workwear, but when visiting a location with weather patterns different than what you’re used to, it’s important to plan ahead with those details in mind, too! Your quest, should you choose to answer this particular call of adventure (or the call of a work conference), is to create outfits that are stylish but still travel-friendly!
How to participate
- Choose: Think about your location, dress code requirements, and other travel details, such as flight vs car and carry-on vs checking a bag when deciding on your wardrobe (and spatial) needs for any upcoming trips!
- Create: Establish enough outfits to last your entire trip by using items that are versatile enough to span “downtime” casual, inspire confidence as fashion-forward professional-wear, and also function for traveling!
- Capture: Share your outfit with #VostraModaQuest, or reply to this email with your entry.
The most inspiring outfit will be featured next week! Please let me know if you would like to remain anonymous.
2 Tips to help you slay
My conference took place from Wednesday-Friday, but I needed about 6-7 outfits: 1 for each workshop day, a special look for a formal dinner out on our first night in town when I landed on Tuesday afternoon, and a casual look for our laid-back dinners the other two nights before heading home late Friday. Plus I had to keep my “travel” outfits in mind (and something to sleep in too!). Pre-planning my outfits ahead of time by focusing on a color palette of black, white, burnt orange, and blue allowed me to mix and match my items as needed, whether they were casual, professional, or slightly formal, without overpacking or feeling like I didn’t have enough outfits for the trip.
— As a side note, while I did pack a pair of heels, I ended up just wearing my flats for workshops and my sneakers for the casual dinners and travel due to my feet swelling from the change of temperature and humidity (which I was definitely not used to!). Looking back, the flats were actually a better choice from a functional point of view because I got about 10k steps on average each day and probably would have had blisters between the step count, humidity, and navigating outdoor cobblestone pathways!
Our style suggestions
- Create cohesion: I recommend choosing a color palette that allows you to create plenty of outfit options for yourself without needing to pack extra items or overpack. For example, the navy shrug I brought worked well as a cover-up for our formal dinner, but it also worked great as a cozy option/blanket when paired with a simple blue and white striped button-down, cream and blue hoodie, and my jeans on the plane. And because it was bulky, wearing it while traveling meant saving the limited space in my carry-on.
- Pack like a pro: Use packing techniques that allow you to add layers to your outfit by wearing items en route (like my shrug), or using packing cubes that you can compress to remove air and make more space in your luggage. Even using a convertible bag as your personal item can allow for more room in your carry-on. My new laptop bag worked great as a big purse option for the conference and traveling, but it also had a removable clutch for our formal dinner, which was attached to it, so I didn’t need to pack yet another bag for our formal event!
3 Looks for you to shop
Upgrade your wardrobe with just one click! Shop these fresh looks to trend the multiverse and never go out of style.
The Mr.
Our Mr Travel-worthy outfit: Versatile base items in the center, including a black ribbed t-shirt, floral print black and brown leather sneakers, and a black belt, which can all be paired with the items on the right (a linen blend cream hoodie and black bootcut jeans) for a casual look, or with items on the left (a sleek black blazer and slim brown chinos) for a more professional option.
The Mx.
Our Mx Travel-worthy outfit: Versatile base items in the center, inlcuding a gold and blue watch, brown wide leg trousers, and brown and white leather sneakers with brown detailing, which can be paired with the items on the right (a chambray button down and navy blue baseball cap) for a casual look, or with items on the left (a denim double-breasted blazer and knit white t-shirt) for a more professional option.
The Ms.
Our Ms Travel-worthy outfit: Versatile base items in the center, including a pearl drop earrings, a watercolor print and illustration white button down, and off white flats, which can all be paired with the items on the right (a cropped denim jacket and burgundy barrel leg jeans) for a casual look, or with items on the left (a wrap top style blouse that can be worn under the button down, and navy blue satin maxi skirt) for a more professional option.
Until next week!
👉 Share your quest success with #VostraModaQuest or reply to this email for a chance to be featured in next week’s email. Please let me know if you would like to remain anonymous.
“Still round the corner, there may wait, a new road or a secret gate.” — J.R.R. Tolkien
Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, plan ahead so getting dressed boosts your confidence, and adds some fun and inspiration to your daily adventures no matter where you are!