I’m back among my creature comforts after four nights and days of camping with extended family. The dirt is gone from our fingernails and the campfire smoke has been washed off, but the sense of being in the trees and by the river, out of reach of technology and any cellular service, lingers strong. It felt so good to disconnect that I’ll probably write more on the benefits of a digital detox soon.
Each summer my family rents out a small campground, which means it’s closed to the public and our collective kids and their cousins are free to roam the grounds. We spend our days playing outside, BBQing, bike riding, swimming, playing cornhole (personal favorite!) playing cards, and reading. It’s truly relaxing and a wonderful time as a parent – to let the kids be kids – and to connect with my immediate and extended family.
A fringe benefit of camping is little-to-no exposure to mirrors! It’s amazing how not seeing your own reflection prompts you to invest less emotional energy in your appearance. Despite that, I did take a few OOTD photos to show you how I was wearing the items I packed.
During the days, I alternated between my go-to cut-offs and my Elizabeth Suzann linen shorts. By the evenings, I donned jeans to keep the mosquitos and cooler temperatures at bay.
I got way more than I expected out of these Elizabeth Suzann shorts when I paired them with my bathing suit at the river. I ended up wearing them IN the river while chasing down my kids, and the linen fabric was comfortable and dried quickly. I also found they were great for wearing while sitting on the rocks, since I was concerned about snagging up my swimsuit. Note my beloved Rebecca Mir Grady necklace came camping with me.
WHAT I PACKED
As I’ve shared before, I’m nowhere near a minimalist packer, I take great comfort in having options. But, I did work hard this time to be a ‘reduced’ packer. I recently received the Pakt One bag c/o Pakt, and it’s designed for minimalist travelers, so I was determined to make it work for a five night trip. (After camping we stayed a night in Eugene with my family.)
I’m not going to review this bag yet, because I have a few more trips coming up this summer, and I really want to give it a good test before I compile my thoughts. So far, I like it, but it does feel small. I was able to fit most of my items in there save for shoes and some outerwear. There are several compartments on the inside which were great for keeping me organized. Look for the full review next month.
LAYERS:
–Patagonia Fleece– (M) – I will shamelessly admit I bought this fleece jacket for precisely this trip. Previously I’ve prided myself on being ‘fleece-free’ but I broke down and purchased what’s considered typical northwest garb, and you know what, I can see why. This coat is so darn practical, I’ve worn it many times. Please stop me before practicality takes over my closet.
–Everlane Sweatshirt– (L) c/o – It seems wrong to go camping without a hooded sweatshirt, right? I wore this one quite a bit, and it was especially perfect when paired with my long flannel shirt. It has a nice, wide cropped fit and is great for layering, and making a girl feel slightly modern and stylish despite a lack of flushable toilets and showers.
-Chambray Shirt- old, (similar in relaxed fit) – The perfect layering piece for when the mosquitos come out but the temps haven’t dipped.
-Oversized Flannel Shirt- This piece is about four years old from Urban Outfitters, if you’re looking for a similar vibe, size up in one of Tradland’s awesome flannel shirts. (Hint: discount code coming next week.) This top was great for layering open over tanks and shorts on chilly mornings and wearing to bed over my pajamas.
BOTTOMS:
–Boyfriend Jeans- Everlane, (27) – I wore these every evening we were camping. The relaxed fit was easy for anything I wanted to do, and definitely did not impede on my vay-cay mentality.
-Vintage Levi’s- I told you I’m not a light packer. Surprisingly my other jeans stayed clean enough though, and I didn’t wear these.
-Denim shorts- These are pretty much my ‘old faithful’ of shorts. They’re a pair I bleached and distressed a few years back.
–Linen Work Short– Elizabeth Suzann, (6) – Such a winner! As I mentioned, I wore these in the river! These are super sturdy, versatile and functional. And cute to boot.
-Linen Blend Skirt- c/o Bridge & Burn – I didn’t wear it, but as I mentioned, options make me feel good.
TOPS:
–Burn Tee– c/o Bridge & Burn (runs small) – One of my favorite graphic tees.
-Black Tank- (similar) – Perfect for keeping farmer’s tans at bay.
-White Tank- An old Everlane essential that I’ve worn many, many times. Wish they still made it. This one is similar.
-Chambray Tank- An old thrifted favorite from J.Crew, that brings nice variety to my warm weather closet.
-White U-Neck- Don’t leave home without it. Updated version.
-Micro Stripe Tee- The stripes are small, but they’re there. Gray version.
DRESSES:
-Striped Linen Dress- Everlane. This is my go-to 4th of July dress. However after wearing it again recently, I don’t really love it, it’s kind of straight and not flattering. BUT, I think it will be the perfect candidate for pajamas.
–Candela Utility Dress– c/o Able, (M) – This is a newer addition to my closet, and it actually lives up to its name! It’s a shift-silhouette in a midi-length made from slub-knit cotton. The kind of dress that’s perfect when you want the ease of one garment, but not the frills of a dress. Utilitarian and chic. I wore it on the way to camping, and for part of the first evening there.
ACCESSORIES:
–Mirrored Sunnies– Ray Ban c/o Zappos, Perfect for hiding behind on sunny days, and bringing a little color/interest to simple camping outfits.
–Swimsuit– c/o Hackwith Design House (M) – (discount code coming tomorrow!!) – This is the best swimsuit I’ve owned in years. It’s double fabric throughout the entire suit, so it feels secure, flattering and modest all at once.
–Baseball Cap– Everlane – Camping essential. Lightweight, great for hiding dirty hair or blocking harsh rays.
SHOES:
–Black Birks– Camping MVPs. Wore all day and night. I channeled my 90’s self and paired them with wool socks in the evening.
-Converse- (USA made version) – I brought my oldest, dirtiest pair of Cons on the trip, but it turned out I didn’t need them at all. See above.
–Rainbow Sandals– My seven-year-old flip flops, still going strong! They mostly only come out for pool trips and camping these days. I don’t know the ethics regarding how these are made, but I admire the brand’s commitment to repairing, reusing and recycling their shoes!
And now, I’m back in the throes of city life. There’s something about urban living that makes me appreciate the outdoors more than I ever have.
Cuuuute. One major thing that I’ve changed in the last year or so is not writing off the clothes that I wear camping / exercising / etc – when I invest time into making sure I get things I like, rather than grabbing the purple raincoat that’s on sale, I feel so much better long-term. Your camping outfits are so great!
Yes! That is so wise. Your comment has stuck in my head since I read it yesterday. And with workout gear, I feel like the better clothing is a motivator! GREAT point! And I think on some level, it makes me feel ‘less nasty’ when I’m camping too. ><
I kind of love it when everyday clothes become pajamas. I think of it as a promotion lol! Great list.
HAHA, yes!!!!! And thank Lo!
I’m so intrigued by the idea of renting out a whole campground. It’s such a great idea for having many families there at once so you don’t have to worry about strangers and/or bothering other campers late at night. I’m definitely going to have to research this a bit more and see if any campgrounds near me do this. Thanks for the wonderful post!
Same! We usually rent large Airbnbs for our groups, but a campground by the beach sounds like a fun option later in the year!
It’s really fun! And practical too because most of my cousins are married with their own kids now, and all our parents come too, so they are many, many of us!!
I HIGHLY recommend it! This is the second year we’ve done it, and it’s been such a great experience. It is definitely more restful than camping amongst the masses! Thank you for the nice comment Heather!
I also did not know you could rent out entire campgrounds! Looks like a lovely place and good time was had by all. What fun. I love Birkenstocks and love that my oldest are so far from precious (I mentioned on your IG post about your AMA that I have a pair from 1991!). I like that you mention Rainbow’s sustainability. I think that’s an important part of ethical shopping, really – and I also totally shop big box for the kids sometimes (though I love to go secondhand when I can). One of the best things we can do is respect the people and resources who make the things we buy and when that’s also a big part of the company’s ethos (also: Patagonia, LL Bean), that’s important, too, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out they care about the people who make their products, too. The more we can do to slow it all down, the better!
Wise, wise words Rebecca, and I totally agree!