The beach, the sunshine, the pina coladas …it’s all so alluring. We can almost forget we have a pile of laundry awaiting us once we get home. That’s often the reason we feel compelled to go shopping when we’re in a favorite vacation spot: all the trinkets and mementos transport us back to the “land of no responsibilities.”
A vacation shopping adventure can be one of the most fun events on any holiday. It’s one of my favorite things to do, frankly. But it’s always a good plan to be at least slightly practical when shopping for clothes away from home base. I know that sounds boring, but it can save you some money and what you end up with will still connect you back to that oasis just as well.
Case in point: my husband and I headed to Hawaii (our first trip there) for his 70th birthday. Our hostess (how lucky are we to have friends with a house there!?) suggested she and I check out the local boutiques. Now, Hawaii is still mostly warm in February, but on the north shore of Kauai the wind doth blow like crazy, it rains almost every day, and there aren’t a lot of sheltered swimming holes.
Dress from Garnet Hill
So happily I forsook the sandblast by the beach as we piled into her car to check out the local shopping “mall.” Her favorite boutique was a tiny little shop chock-full of breezy, flow-y tops, jersey pants, bikinis, and skimpy but super comfy underwear. But I took a breath and made sure to remain grounded in reality. Everything I pulled off the rack had to work for my coloring and style type. Then I did a quick review of my own rules from the ‘Shop for your Lifestyle’ chapter in my book: How often would I wear something I buy here? Will it end up sitting in my closet taking up space or will I enjoy and use it for a long time? Does it serve a multiple purposes, not just here, but for future events or circumstances when I get home?
Summertime in Berkeley
Since I live in a climate that is often foggy and cold in the summer (Berkeley) I’ve had to train myself to mostly avoid all those lovely summertime frocks in the catalogs. It’s not that we don’t get hot days, but they usually come toward the end of summer and the warm season is painfully brief. So, clothes shopping in a wonderfully hot climate always comes with a big caveat for me.
What I did on My Vacation…
Bralette from Anemone
So what did I buy? Well, fortunately there was a wonderful long jersey skirt in one of my burnt orange colors that miraculously fit perfectly and had the right casual but hip quality that worked for me both lounging at home and on the island. And I found a strapless “one-size-fits someone” bralette (with thin removable modesty pads) from a company called Anemone in multiple ice cream colors for those days you don’t want straps digging into your shoulders.
And then, something caught my eye: a brown leather bomber jacket. Yes – a leather jacket in Hawaii. I found the size small, tried it on and it fit absolutely perfectly. 
For a petite shortie like me, that was a minor miracle. And as everything in the store was on sale for 25% off that day (and, as it turned out, the jacket was faux leather – my shopping guru John Kitchener still can’t believe it’s faux) it came to $41.00 after tax. How many people come to Hawaii and buy a leather jacket? Apparently many – both locals and tourists, as the proprietress explained. With their thinner blood, every time the temperature dips below 70 the locals run for jackets and sweaters.
Since I’ve come home I’ve probably worn that jacket close to 100 times. Because like everyone else, I like to have something to remind me of the vacation, I have that terrific, very pack-able jersey skirt too. But on that trip, at least, I think Ma Nature rewarded me for my practicality by providing me with something completely unexpected and that likely will go with me to my grave.
So, what are good reasons to buy something at a resort or vacation spot?
- It reminds you of one of the best times in your life.
- It’s a thing of beauty in and of itself.
- You love the handiwork of the locals (assuming it’s not just something imported from China.)
- It’s in your colors.
- It’s in your style.
- It’s very flattering on your body.
- You’ve enjoyed the local cuisine so much that you can no longer fit into the clothes you brought with you.
If it’s an inexpensive piece go for it. If more pricey it deserves a little more scrutiny. If it’s a classic, wear it every year and enjoy it!
Here’s to the relaxed, rested and smart-shopper real you!
Andrea’s books and new video series:
