Spring has always been one of my favourite times of year. After months of hiding under puffy coats and bulky hats it’s time to get out into the city again and BE CUTE!
Unfortunately, this Spring has been postponed due to COVID-19 and the need to practice Social Distancing (and I do hope you all are doing your part). Instead of brunching on patios and sipping wine, er, soda in the park we are all stuck in our homes.
But, just because we are Social Isolating doesn’t mean that we can’t still be cute! If you’re like me, you still have to walk your furry friends a couple times a day and even if you don’t have dogs to take care of it is still recommended that you get out at least once a day to take a solo walk, jog or bike ride.
Staying active and getting fresh air is important for your mental health during this lock-down, and as long as you stay 6-feet apart from others you can do so safely and FASHIONABLY.
For my afternoon/evenings I like to take the time to get dressed up for what I call my Furryball-Fabulous strolls!
My (properly distanced) friend snapped this photo of me during one such adventure in Toronto last week.
This is an easy to put together look that mixes old and new from my closet and is functional for the activity it’s being worn for – waling these guys.
Me and Frodo Doggins out on an afternoon Furball-Fabulous Stroll during the first week of lockdown in The6ix of COVID-19
In the early days of Spring it’s still a little dull outside, so I like to stick to a basic black and white look. It’s chic and timeless. I start to mix more colour into the look as the days get warmer – like nature itself!
Here, I’m wearing bomber jacket made of sweatshirt material from Forever 21. It’s a stable of day-to-day wear this time of year. Surprisingly warm and light it’s practical without being bland.
I accent it with a Kelly Green crossbody purse, a graphic popcorn Tee (both Forever 21) and music note socks from Soxxy Socks. 🙂
Animal print continues to be a 2020 on-trend vibe … and I happily oblige with my tiered leopard print skirt (from Shein, I think).
It’s muddy in the springtime in Canada so I need to wear boots, but they don’t have be ugly. Timbos are popular for a reason, you know!
I round the look off with a chartreuse headband from Addition Elle and a girl shouldn’t go anywhere without her Dior Sunnies!
This entire look is without nylons – it’s spring – RELEASE THE LEGS!
We may be in a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t look great!
How are y’all remaining sane and managing your mental health while Social Isolating?
Oh friends! I’m sorry I’ve been so absent with outfit posts.
I am getting up everyday and wearing clothes and going out and about … I promise. 🙂
I just haven’t been very good about photographing. And truth be told, been feeling kinda blue these days and not in the mood to write about clothes, shoes, etc.
Just been feeling ‘meh’.
But enough about that…..here’s my April Springtime in PINK recap:
Follow me on INSTAGRAM … as I often post OOTDs there as they happen 🙂
Pink Lace
I recently hit The Duffrin Mall for a much-needed eyebrow clean up appointment…and somehow this lovely frock followed me home 🙂
I’ve noticed that the styles of Forever21+ online are very different from what they’ve got in the store. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this one. (PS: Great plus size selection at the Duffrin Mall location by the way ;))
Since it’s been a wintery-like Spring for much of this month, I paired it with a long-sleeved cardi with diamond-like sparkle buttons (Mark’s Work Wearhouse)
Hot Pink Shortie Cardi
Oook! Remember my tailor-made-just-for-me Birdy Dress from Vietnam? Well, I took it to the office by wearing this hot pink shortie cardi overtop (Old Navy) and this bright printed circle scarf (Ardene) to keep the cleavage work appropriate.
And last but not least,
Colour Me Pink with the Fanny Midi Skirt:
I picked up this amazing green Fanny Midi Skirt from Tatyana Boutique last fall during their BOGO event. Happy to note it’s still currently available here.
It is a pricey piece…so I’m thrilled to be able to make it work for springtime too!
I wore it last weekend to a fun Rockabilly Brunch in my hood, with a long-sleeve laced shoulder shirt from Forever21+ that I picked up ages ago, and the striped purse is Kate Spade (click here for more purse).
OH, click here to see how I wore it this past Winter, and where I went.
Hoped you enjoyed this quick and dirty recap of my April Springtime looks.
Got a favourite? Which do you like the best? Tell me in the comments section.
Ban hay khong? [bahn nay khom?] – Would you like to dance?
Hoi An, Vietnam!
Of all the places on my travel agenda for this trip – this destination was for the shortest stay. We flew out just for the weekend from KL, Malaysia to Danang, Vietnam ….a 30min drive from Hoi An, specifically for VLX – Vietnam’s Lindyhop Exchange weekend!
What is a lindy hop exchange you ask?
A lindy exchange is a gathering of lindy hop dancers in one city for several days to do the same dance at other venues, showcase ones own talent to the local community, and to dance with visitors and locals alike.
This was my first time swing dancing outside of Canada!
If you remember from my previous post, there was a pie chart highlighting the various nationalities that would be at this dance exchange – I’m proud to say that me and Dee (my travel mate) added to the 7% Canadian slice who were in attendance 🙂
Where We Stayed
We signed ourselves up for the full weekend – which meant we did’t have to do a thing when it came to booking hotels and transportation to/from airport – VLX took care of us as soon as we landed!
THIS was our fantabulous suite —- These Beds! These Pillows! These amazing fluffy robes!!! This place was divine!!!
The Dances
We were on a tight dance-filled agenda which began with a Welcome dance our first night at theHoi An Historic Hotel ….
The theme that night was “East Meets West” … here’s what I wore:
Dee and I found these lovely batik printed skirts from The Central Market in KL, and went twinsy for the evening complete with flower in hair and vintage bangs.
Batik skirts with fanny prints + tanks + vintage hair flowers + bumper bangs = East Meets West
Caught in the lindyhop act. (Thanks Jason & Sheila)
AND we were caught on camera and made the News in Nam!!! See if you can spot ME in the news clip friends 😉
While other VLXers woke up super early for a bike ride to explore Hoi An (after dancing ’til 3:30am the night before) …
me and a few other deep-sleepers chose to enjoy the day in the pool instead – until the next afternoon dance of course 🙂
Isn’t this a great picture? I borrowed this hat from a VLX Cowboy …and he snapped this photo complete with cartoon Asian sworded companion. 🙂
Beach Afternoon – An Bang Beach, Hoi An
On Sunday afternoon we were shuttled to An Bang Beach’s Soul Kitchen and took over a lovely little section of sun and shade …in between DANCING, of course!!!
Day drinking + relax-o in between barefoot lindy hopping = Paradise!
Me among the beauties representing Malaysia at the VLX 🙂
And then the barefoot Lindy Hopping began!
The VLXers of 2015…. such a great group of people!!!
MORE Dancing Nights …
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ve likely already seen a few of these pic and can watch a few vid clips too.
Every evening there was a dinner and a dance planned for us. Here are a few shots of all the fun:
This evening’s dress code was “Extreme Opposites”. I had no idea what that meant … and so I went as Batman!
I’M BATMAN! 😉
Our last night in Hoi An, we had a farewell dinner at Green Mango ….with a dress code of “Modern Vintage”
Dinner our last night there…le sigh.
After dinner our last night of dancing in Hoi An….we took the Lindy Hopping to the streets…
My dress is from the Canadian designer Cherry Velvet Plus, click here for outfit deets.
Dancing in the Streets! Loved it!!!
Of all the places I visited this trip, THIS is the city I wish I had spent more time in….sigh. Guess this just means I’ve gotta make another visit sometime soon ❤
Although much of the trip was spent dancing …. I was able to check out a few sites, ate some amazing meals and even got to visit a tailor to get some custom threads made!!! 7 new pieces came home with me!
Stay tuned for the next blogpost highlighting these things specifically!!! Thanks for reading! xo
In case you’ve missed any… PPMeow’sAsian Adventure includes:
For years now, I’ve heard the rumours of how beautiful the beaches of The Philippines are. So Boracay Island was one of the MUST-SEE spots on my travel agenda while I was in South-East Asia last month.
Hello, Kalibo – Philippines!
Now, getting to these beautiful beaches takes a bit of effort which included a 35-min LRT ride to Kuala Lumpur Airport, a 4-hour flight to Kalibo, Philippines.
Then a 2-hour bus ride to the edge of the sea to board a questionable mini-ferry boat for a 15-min ride to Boracay Island.
Followed by a 30-min shuttle bus AND a 10-min walk with luggage to our resort bungalow ….
The white sand beaches of Boracay is split up into three boat stations: Stn 1 known to be the ‘party spot’, Stn 2 and Stn 3. Since accommodations can be pricy we chose to stay at a more modest resort for the first 5-nights.
The jungle-like garden walkway toward the bungalows of The Boracay Island Beach Resort
The beachfront location of Stn 1 & 2 is always busy and bustling with activity.
Our little bungalow was a welcomed and lovely quiet respite from the island’s bustling party scene, but close enough to its heart for two single gals on vacation who wanted the complete Boracay experience. 😉
Our private bungalow in the jungle
Added bonus to staying at this resort: it’s fully WIFI accessible …. even on this little jungle porch! Which was perfect starting off our day with fresh fruit shakes & delicious breakfasts and for our evenings of impromptu name-that-tune challenges and Facebook updates to make family and friends back home jelly 😉
The only downside to staying in these bungalows was the window AC units were very loud. So night-time was kept cool and tropical with just the fan mode. Plus, earplugs make everything better.
Our quaint relaxing porch ….where we were served delicious breakfasts every morning and enjoyed cheapy beers every evening. Sigh… how I miss it so 😦
For our last two-nights we checked out of our sweet little bungalow and stayed at this upscale, splurge-o hotel: Henann Garden Resort
The fancy Henann Garden Resort —- Sadly, the pool was the most noteworthy thing about this hotel.
Sadly, the pool was the most noteworthy thing about this hotel…. which couldn’t be enjoyed as there weren’t any ‘children only areas’. Which meant children were everywhere running amuck, often without parental supervision! Sigh….
The other disappointments of Henann Garden Resort: it cost us nearly DOUBLE what our 5-night stay cost which got us a “deluxe room” ….. which had zero view, no balcony or access to any private outdoor space and no WiFi. In fact, the entire splashy resort only offered WiFi access in their lobby…which was always crowded for this reason.
“Deluxe” …pfft!!!!
Thank goodness the bulk of our stay was at The Boracay Beach Resort ... how I miss it so! *sniff sniff*
WHAT WE DID
Both of our hotels were located along the White Beach between Stn 1 and the island’s newest center, D’Mall. There are tons of shops and restaurants within this area…which we explored daily.
Boracay Island is a water sport enthusiasts mecca!
Sadly, as I’m a non-swimmer (for more facts you didn’t know about moi, click here), I spent my days being a beach-bum working on my tan (ha!), eating, drinking and exploring the beach.
Like the day where we noticed a grouping of rocks off in the distance towards the end of Stn 1.
According to the map this was known as Willy’s Rock. I thought maybe it had something to do with the classic 80s flick GOONIES one-eyed-Willy … but upon closer inspection turns out this point of interest is actual a Christian shrine – notice the statue.
Willy’s Rock …. at Stn1 of Boracay White Sand Beach. My gf/travel mate ventured onto the rock. 🙂
We actually walked to it from shore and you can swim to and around it, as the water was quite shallow around it.
My Outfit: Dress, Tommy Hilfiger; Sunnies, NineWest; Hat, picked up on my travels from a lil’ shop outside of KLCC
We also came across this giant Gorilla after lunch one day … kinda random, right?
Monkeying around on the white sand beach of Boracay
There was a lot of time spend lazing around on the beach and on the hammock of our bungalow’s veranda reading my book: Gone Girl. (Really, really enjoyed it. Sadly, it wasn’t one of the movie offerings on any of my flights back…le sigh.)Watching the sailboats at sunset never got old…
Toward the end of the week, I wandered over to the end of Stn 3 and noticed that the clear blue waters were keeping covered in thick green grossness. Apparently at this time of year this algae seems to take over the shores. It wasn’t THIS bad by where we staying, thankfully. And once you’ve managed to walked past all the greenness, the water was perfect!
The intense algae situation at Stn 3
And People-Watching was always entertaining…
We got pretty chatty with one of the below table of dancers/hireable companions… so much so, that by the end of the evening one asked to touch my boobs 😮
True Story!!!! LOL!!!
This table of ladies were a combination of dancers and um, hireable companions for the night or week.
Nightly entertainment along the beach included live cover bands and fire-dancers. Visit my Instagram for vid clips of these performances 🙂
Fire-Dancers!!!
Roof-top cover band performing along the white sand beach
Oh! And I even donned my first bikini ever beachside and poolside! Woot!
My Outfit: Jellyfish Aqua Bikini from the GabiFresh line by Swimsuitsforall.com
WHAT I BOUGHT
Now y’all know I’m a hardcore shopper. But this year I’m really focused on spending money on ‘experiences’ rather than things…. and I have to say that there wasn’t anything particularly fabulous that I needed to purchase from Boracay Island.
I did come across this young artist on the beach, who was making personalized jewellery out of surgical steel wire. Earrings, necklaces and rings.
As you can see, I got myself one …complete with butterfly motif and pink beads…which worked out to be a whopping $6 CAD 🙂
We also found a caricaturist along the beach – THIS was not at all the pose we picked to be drawn.
LOLOL!! I’m pretty sure they thought we were apart of a lesbian commune. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 😉
Also, seems I’m white in caricature, while my gf is part of the big-titty-committee. LOLOL!!! Too funny!
LOL! Even the crab on the shores of Boracay knows of our love. 🙂
I have to admit, there wasn’t anything AMAZING that I had to bring home with me from Boracay. OH!!! I did discover that full body massages along the beach and (if you preferred, in private air-conditioned lofts) worked out to $10 CAD for an hour!!! Naturally, I had one every day I was there!!! Paradise just got better!
All that returned to the T-dot with me was a bottle of Red Horse Beer that I couldn’t finish the eve of our departure and these chocolate covered mangos I picked up at the airport. Both are delicious!
My only souvenirs from Boracay
So there you have it friends. Hope you enjoyed reliving destination 1 of 3 in my 22-day Asian Adventure with me. Stay tuned for the next instalment. xo
Thinking about travelling to Asia yourself?
In case you’ve missed any… PPMeow’sAsian Adventure includes:
Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here for blogpost
SPRING IS FINALLY HERE…with weather that matches. Finally!!!!
Now I know florals for spring isn’t a new concept or new fashion trend this year or any other year. 🙂
So, I tried doing the floral trend by mixing it up:
I’ve been trying my hand at mixing patterns more. Taking this floral dress and pairing it with a striped black and white cropped blazer really amped up this look, right?! I’m really digging the contrast.
In an effort to keep this outfit ‘work-wear’, I wore dark stockings along with my black suede booties. This was the outfit I wore to the office for my first day back from my big Asian Adventure (I’m working on those posts friends…stay tuned).
Both these pieces were thrifted finds as last year’s BIGDeal Toronto Sale (and the first time I’m wearing this dress ever). I’m not the biggest fan of floral patterns — but I really liked these colours on this white background of this dress.
Plus, being a peplum skirt it creates hourglass-come-hither style hitting the curves in all the right places …. that always gets a BIG thumbs up from moi!
How I Got The Look: Floral peplum dress & Stripped cropped blazer from Forever21; Black suede booties from NineWest
Dunno what sort of plan y’all might have this long weekend, but this might be a good Easter weekend outfit inspiration, hmm? 😉
What do you think of this look and the pattern mixing? Would love to know your thoughts in the Comments section below.
For other looks with this striped blazer click here and here.
Hey Hey Hey! I’m back from nearly three weeks travelling South East Asia. It was a fantastic trip filled with good food, lots of dancing, new friends and shopping galore!
Y’all know I was anxious about doing such a BIG trip travel solo … PLUS, I was determined to fly without checking any luggage what-so-ever there.
Well, on the eve of my departure it turns out that my travel backpack ended up being larger than the allowable carry-on dimensions as per airport regulations.
Knowing that it isn’t easy finding larger clothes in the cities I’d be visiting … with all my many connections, the possibility of losing my luggage filled with PLUS SIZE clothing was terrifying.
And so last min, I transferred all my items into my trusty roller-bag and mini-backpack instead!
I was determined to get myself to the airport WITHOUT my winter coat.
So I dressed in the following layers for the 30+ hour journey to get to my first destination of my Adventure – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Pearson Travel Outfit: Black zip from Reitmans; Fox scarf from Suzy Sheer; Printed pants from Forever21+; Batman Tee from Ardene; Black sneaks from Payless
The long flights there (with layovers of waiting in-between) weren’t so terrible. It was all pretty low stress until I arrived in Frankfurt Airport – my longest layover and last leg of my journey there. So I decided to treat myself to German schnitzel and beer, and was approached by two Indian pilots (one more handsome than the other) who asked if they could join me. Seems mama still gots it even after 20+ hours of travel grime – must be those sexy compression socks, makes pilots crazy friendly 😉
Did you know that there’s now a new 15-hour flight direct from Toronto to New Delhi, India? True story.
Moi … 20+ hours of straight travel and those sexy compression socks Pilots can’t get enough of 😉
After I drank my beer and said farewell to my new pilot friends, I made my way to get my boarding pass and was given misdirections by TWO different Lufthansa desk clerks one telling me my gate was Z-something …. only to get there and be sent back where I began. Grrrrr And then was issued a Stand By ticket …dun dun dun.
Luckily the third desk clerk I spoke to managed to secure me a proper seat with my ORIGINAL booking. **phew**
After 20-hours of continuous travel…the last thing you want to see on your airline ticket is the dreaded words: STANDBY~ akkk!
FLYING HOME
The journey home was pretty smooth……just ridiculously long. (That’s what you get when you fly across the globe on points friends.)
I woke up at 4:45am to take a 10min cab ride to the KL Airport Express Train (35min ride) to catch my morning connection from KL to Bangkok. Once I arrived there, I had a little over an hour to make my way through Bangkok customs and find my gate for my next connection to Beijing.
Cutting it super tight, right? I finally arrived at my departure gate to see that FINAL CALL all-red flashing sign — maybe the most terrifying feeling when you know you have yet another connect to make. This was the first time I flew Thai Airways and I have to say their airplane food was delicious!
The last leg of my journey in Beijing (who’s airport was completely nuts – zero signs written in English + No one lines up for anything! Just a mass of people mashing their bodies and luggage into each other until they get to a clerk at a desk – nuts!!!!) An elderly gentleman – a professor in Hong Kong on his way to his father’s funeral in Hamilton, Ontario, struck up a conversation with me. Seems I look most approachable and friendly in the last hours of lengthy travel days. Sigh…
Confucius says: “Man going through airport turnstile sideways is going to Bangkok.”🎊
Kuala Lampur. Bangkok. Beijing. Toronto. 4 countries, 30+ hours of time-travelling travel. It was the LONGEST Friday ever!!!
Ditching the giant travel backpack for a roller-bag was definitely the right decision! With all the swing dancing nights and visits to multiple airports to get to the various destinations we had planned, having a roller-bag totally saved my back!
Funny story… just as I arrived to the doorstep of my gf’s place in KL, I was praising how great my lil’ roller-bag has been these past 3-years it’s been with me…and just as those words utter on my lips – the handle broke! Leaving me to have to pull this mofo bag by the straps for the remainder of the trip. LOL!
Not to fear, I bought myself a lovely new roller-carryon for my return home (and checked my broken bag on my flight home…since I ended up buying a ton of things from all three cities – Kuala Lampur – Boracay – Hoi An).
Isn’t she a beauty? Looking forward to taking her on many more adventures in the near future 😉
I’m still working on my recap blogposts for each city I visited. So stay tuned for those in the upcoming weeks friends.
In the meantime, feel free to follow my INSTAGRAM and catchup with a few snaps I took while I was on my Asian Adventure… as they happened. xo
Asian Adventure includes:
Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach – click here for blogpost
Here we are…the end of month 2 of the New Year. Crazy, huh?
My personal goal for 2015 is a simple one: Getting and Staying Happy. In order to achieve this lofty goal I applied a START-STOP-CONTINUE approach. Cooking is good for the mind, heart and soul. Especially when shared with others. And so I’ve decided to START cooking more – using recipes I’ve never tried before and sharing my culinary mis/adventures on the blog once a month.
I’ve even created a sub-menu on my homepage under REVIEWS on the homepage for you – my readers – to find them easily…and hopefully try a few yourself. 🙂
Buuuuut with my upcoming Asian Adventure looming (I fly on Friday – akk!), I haven’t had much time nor desire to try a new recipe. Plus, the snowy-wintery-weather hasn’t got me out socializing as much as I used to. Needless to say, I haven’t been very motivated in the kitchen this month.
In an effort to stick with my monthly commitment to PPMeow, I was determined to share something.
February’s recipe: Detox Water
Detox waters have become very popular and there are many different recipes that you can make.
These waters contain ingredients like lemon which helps to flush harmful toxins from your body, mint which aids in digestion, cucumber which contains anti-inflammatory properties.
They are all very easy to make, require very few ingredients and the best part is you can mix and match ingredients to adapt the recipes to your personal taste.
Just 6 to 8 glasses every day will help to keep you hydrated and keep your vital organs in their best possible health.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight, aiming for clearer skin, or simply want to feel healthier, one of the best ways to rid your body of harmful toxins is to drink water.
Kicking up the flavour of your water by adding these tasty, natural ingredients just helps give you that extra boost. 🙂
If you have been thinking about adding detox waters to your healthy routine, this easy one might be a good start for you.
What do you think of this recipe? Do you think you’d give it a try yourself? How would you improve or change it for the better? Tell me your thoughts in the comments section below.
Oh man – this past weekend was a fun one! I had the pleasure of celebrating a stagette Salsa style!!!
The Lula Lounge (Dundas W/Duffrin Sts) in Toronto has a number of party packages, which makes celebrating a special event easy-peasy.
A gaggle of us -some more tipsy than others- with flowers in hair and penis-staws in hand …. visit my Instagram for that one friends 😉 … arrived for dinner (any appetizer + any main + any dessert), a beginner salsa lesson and then got to dance the night away to three sets by the live salsa orchestra (with a DJ in between sets.) And before the night was done, we were served up a round of Blushing Bride shooters!!! T.R.O.U.B.L.E. 😀
My Entree: Red Snapper over Polenta, with zucchini-corn-bean salad ~~~~~ My Dessert: Poached Pear. Delish!
Much thought had to be given to outfit choice for the evening. The MOH (matron of honour) assured us that there was no ‘theme’ requirement in the dress-code for the party she had planned, which naturally translated to:
Saturday Night Titty CityAttirewas encouraged and welcomed!!! 😛
I couldn’t find a hot pink hair flower …so feathers had to do 🙂
‘The Girls’, who too often are forced into hiding in an effort of making others more comfortable in their presence, extra precautions always need to be taken to keep them at demure levels of exposure.
But not tonight.
Tonight, “Thelma & Louise” (aka…’The Girls’) were coming out!!! STAND BACK!
All Black Everything – jumpsuit style!!!
The pants are a bit on the long side on my 5’2 bod. So this outfit only really works with a significant heeled shoe.
I picked up these black booties recently – while in search for sandals for my upcoming Asian Adventure – from Payless on sale for $33 and they work perfectly.
Now, I bought this all-black jumpsuit online, from Reitmans, just after Christmas. Buuuuuuut due to the amount of boobage I’ve avoided wearing it much. This one-piece has a sexy deep-v, back tie-up belt and nice broad sleeveless-shoulders to hide a supportive bra – requirement for fast paced salsa dancing.
And….there are pockets!!! Perfect for lip gloss, iPhone, credit card & ID. BOOM!
End of the night outfit shot — bridesmaids came to my hair flower aid 🙂
How I Got The Look: Black jumpsuit fromReitmans;Black booties from Payless; Necklace from SexyPlus Clothing; Earrings from Aldo; Hot pink feathered headband, gifted.
Salsa dancing with the Bride-To-Be + general stagette shenanigans. Fab Fun Saturday Night!
Now I wasn’t always a fan of the plus-sized jumpsuit. For more jumpsuit action on the blog ….click here and here and here.
In exactly TWO Fridays, I’ll be at the airport on my way to the tropics to explore and live as beach bum for nearly a month with only the items I bring on my back – literally.
With all my many flights and connections, I’ve decided NOT to check any luggage. Which means, I’ve gotta come up with 22-days worth of outfits NEEDS to fit into my 1 piece of carry-on below … yikes! 😮
My immediate thought: Where Do The SHOES Go!??!?!
When I did my big trip to India, I bought myself a sturdy Women’s North Face backpack with Opti Fit™ System provides an intuitive, adjustable, easy-to-use-tool to measure torso length to ensure a correct fit. This was a big deal since I’m all of 5’2 – these adjustments were critical. The shoulder harness easily slides up or down according to user’s back length, and cam locks pack in place. This pack is also tough enough to withstand the forces of nature and airport security.
It was pretty expensive (I picked it up on sale when I bought it back in 2012), but within the world of backpacks and suitcases it’s certainly worth the investment if you’re planning on traveling long-term.
Thank you for your comments and suggestions on thePetite Plus, Meow’sFB page … it has helped me come up with a checklist to pack the essentials.
I went out and bought myself a new Travel Purse aka Day-Trip Bag … its material is apparently slash-proof and has a cut-proof shoulder strap too. I’ve been warned about aggressive pickpockets where I’m headed, so it’s kinda nice knowing my bag won’t be such as easy victim. Especially since this will be the bag I keep my most prized possessions like money, credit cards, passport and snacks from airport to airport.
Travelon Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bucket Bag in black
The weather is expected to be tropical super-summer-heat for the month of March (30+ degrees). Plus, the main religions present in the three countries I’ll be exploring are: Islam, with significant Buddhist, Hindu and Christian minorities. These are the two factors I’ve gotta keep in mind when coming up with outfit choices for the trip.
If you’ve been following my Instagram, you know that ROUND 1 of determining what to pack was an epic fail!!! 😦
ROUND 2 was much better.
Tah-Dah!!! This is what I’ve managed to streamline my choices. Here’s what I’ll be bring in my backpack …
Thin long pants. I plan on wearing these on my flight days.
Sun hat. Packed one that bounces back into shape, regardless of being packed in my carry-on.
Large, thin scarf. This is great for a chilly night out and useful for covering up shoulders, head and cleavage as needed. Plus it dresses up an ordinary outfit – cute scarves make it look like I’m at least trying.
Belt. Figured it would give me more options when mix and matching, giving an outfit a different/new look.
Comfort tank tops (x4). For daytime activities and easy beachwear.
Sarong. This not only can be a cover up at the beach…. but it can act as a fast trying towel, a sheet to picnic on, blanket for an over air-conditioned bus ride.
Swimsuits (x2-3). I just got my GabiFresh Swimsuitsforall – my first two-piece ever! These will be making their debut Fo Sho!!
Sun dresses (x5). These are basically what I wear everyday. Plus one extra one that currently fits me perfectly that I’m hoping to get copied by a tailor in Vietnam.
Lounge shorts. I’m not a bit shorts wearer, but figured in 30+ degree weather I may want something quick n’ easy to pull for those lazy mornings.
Nice tank tops (x3) for dinners out or party evenings.
Sleep clothes.
Small cross-body purse. Great for heading out to dinner when I don’t need to carry much – this one has a wristlet strap too. The cross-body strap is nice because I never have to take it off, even when sitting. And I can adjust the strap to fit across my waist (like a fanny pack) at swing dancing events. This helps deter would-be purse snatchers.
Sun glasses (x2). I’m known for losing a pair of sunnies on every vacation I take, so I always bring along two … lesson learned
Flip flops. Bring one pair that can get wet for the beach. Plus, need something to walk around in the hotel room (and possibly in the shower).
Slip-on shoes. I plan on swing dancing while I’m there, and my usual dance shoes needed replacement and more support. So I bought myself some cute black Champions memory foam that can be sporty or dressed up. These will likely be what I wear on planes too (with a pair of socks).
Walking sandals. Something light, breathable, and easy to slip on is fantastic in hot, beachy climates…, or if I have a big day sight-seeing. I plan on wearing these the most all trip, so these are also memory foam supported.
Black pencil skirt. This basic piece will help transform any of the top options into evening/party wear.
Tee-shirts (x2). For travel days so my backpack doesn’t rub on my bare shoulders.
+ tons of panties & bras that go with most of my outfits above. There you have it….22 days of outfits in 1 backpack…HAZZA!!! 😀
Happy to report that I’ve done a practice run at packing my pack — using the ‘burrito method’, where you layer clothes flat onto of each other and then roll them all up together and end up with one giant burrito of travel clothes…which then easily fit into a long backpack (like mine), maximizing the space.
I’ll likely bring along a simple solid cardigan too for the flights … I haven’t figured out my “Pearson Airport” outfit yet, but I’m determined to wear items out of the above in layers, reducing the bulk of my backpack a bit more. And, am aiming to leave my winter coat at home.
So glad I tackled this well in advance of my trip, as I was really anxious. I hear it isn’t easy finding larger clothes in the cities I’ll be visiting. With all my many connections, the possibility of losing my luggage filled with PLUS SIZE clothing was terrifying. Even more motivation to only travel with carry-on!
I’m very proud of myself for being able to streamline my choices as much as I have. And I’m determined to continue treating the world as my runway … even if it means wearing pieces that are wrinkled repeats that have been slightly re-accessoried to give me a new look from my travel backpack.
South East Asia … here I come! Akkk! 😀
To find out where exactly I’m going click here. To find out what to know before you go, click here.
For the past month and a bit I’ve been three NEW products in my facial care routine …
This Active Naturals line of AVEENO products feature an exclusive formula of Southernwood Extract with anti-oxidants and vitamins A,C, and E.AVEENO FRESH ESSENTIALS Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30
Whenever I select a facial moisturizer I always make sure that it has an SPF baked into it … saving me one less thing to worry about. Happy to say this product protects from the sun’s harmful UVA & UVB rays. And the upright pump bottle doesn’t take up too much space in my already crowded ‘get-ready-station’ around my bathroom sink. 🙂
I have extremely dry skin in the winter, and while the lightweight daily moisturizer locks in existing moisture while adding extra hydration, I found that it wasn’t enough for my skin. By mid-day I would notice certain spots on my face appeared dry and chapped, particularly my cheeks and forehead, requiring additional application throughout the day. So this product might be a summertime ‘go-to”, rather than in winter. I’ve got my big Asian Adventure in a few weeks…definitely gonna be bringing this slim bottle along to protect my skin in the tropics. (I’ll let y’all know how that goes.)
AVEENO FRESH ESSENTIALS Daily Exfoliating Scrub
Typically, I only use a facial scrub product once a week. I was nervous to use a scrub product daily like this one. The exfoliates are super fine and gently sloughs off dead skin cells, leaving a light coconut scent upon your skin. This product is oil-free and hypoallergenic and super affordable at under $13 CAD.
I did find that using the scrub every day for the first two-weeks brought redness and caused me to break out a bit on my cheeks. Perhaps, that’s due to the scrub cleaning out all the pore-clogging impurities …leaving my pores more vulnerable to having crap fill them in again causing breakouts. But once my skin got used to this new routine, it did seem to make my skin smoother and fresher looking.
AVEENO FRESH ESSENTIALS Hydrating Night Cream
This was my favourite of the three products I used over the last month!
The night cream’s rich and creamy texture left my skin dewy and soft in the morning. My face looked refreshed and felt uber soft, smooth and renewed. It even showed improvements with the dark under eye circles I struggle with, and patches of dry skin on my forehead and cheeks! And at under $20 CAD for a jar — I love this night cream!!!
Overall, the Fresh Essentials AVEENO line of products are effective, smell wonderful and are affordable. I encourage you to try them out yourself and see if they work for you.
What’s your skin care in the winter? Anything special or additional you do to your regular facial care routine to combat against the winter elements? Share them with me in the comment section below.
I round the look off with a chartreuse headband from Addition Elle and a girl shouldn’t go anywhere without her Dior Sunnies!
Watching the sailboats at sunset never got old…
Well, on the eve of my departure it turns out that my
They are all very easy to make, require very few ingredients and the best part is you can mix and match ingredients to adapt the recipes to your personal taste.
AVEENO FRESH ESSENTIALS Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30
I have extremely dry skin in the winter, and while the lightweight daily moisturizer locks in existing moisture while adding extra hydration, I found that it wasn’t enough for my skin. By mid-day I would notice certain spots on my face appeared dry and chapped, particularly my cheeks and forehead, requiring additional application throughout the day. So this product might be a summertime ‘go-to”, rather than in winter. I’ve got my 
PPMeow! 
