wanderlust

Travel Essentials Under $50

Last year I barely traveled at all and suffered a serious case of wanderlust. This year, things have changed already: I'm traveling almost every single month until June, and I'm pretty excited about it. As any frequent traveler knows, its good to have your essentials gathered together so that when its time to pack, you're not running around frantically trying to get things together. I leave mine in carry-on, so I always have them handy for long or short trips. So what makes up these "essentials?" I've come up with a few based on my domestic as well as international adventures over the past several years, and best of all, these are ALL under $50. 

 

Top row: Underwear Pouch (to keep your foundation garments protected because good bras cost $50+); fun passport caseuniversal travel adapter (for international travel); lip balm + tint to hydrate in dry airplanes. 

Middle row: Bright scarf (to brighten up your outfits, keep you warm on airplanes, and keep you decent if you are visiting a religious monument); monogrammed luggage tags (to help you identify your black bag from everyone else's black bag); mini first-aid kit (just to be safe).

Bottom row: Cozy slippers (for long flights and to rest your feet after a long day of walking); skin care (these are my FAVORITES; three different makeup artists have commented on my skin since I started using them); kindle fire for your beach reads! 

Do you have any favorites that I'm missing?

 

CLE Shops: COTTON

This past weekend, I stopped into COTTON in Lakewood to pick up a Father's Day gift. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. I got my father-in-law and my dad the same gift, but since I haven't seen either of them yet, they haven't seen their gift, so I can't share it with you. That minor hiccup aside, what I CAN share with you is that COTTON is a really great store for gifts at all prices. They carry an assortment of gifts that range from under $20, well into the multiple hundreds.

The store itself is really nicely curated and styled-- I had a lovely time walking around, taking pictures, and picking up must-haves!








I'm not gonna lie, going to the store made me want to get on a boat, travel to an island for a lobster-bake and bonfire while curling up in a beautiful blanket. Doesn't that just sound like a lovely day?!