Hello, and welcome to Dressed for My Day. My goal here is always to encourage and inspire women over 50 to get dressed for our unique days in a way that feels authentic, appropriate for the occasion and a little stylish…so we can show up and contribute to the world around us. I know that many of us women over 50 do a lot of traveling, so for the next few months I’ll be sharing updates on how I’m packing for an Alaskan cruise in May.
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I enjoy sharing my travel capsule wardrobes, and I think a lot of my readers enjoy those, too. Last year I shared how I packed for an early summer vacation to Maine HERE and for a late summer week in London, England, HERE, HERE and also HERE. You can check out all of my travel posts through the TRAVEL link under BLOG in the top menu.
In May of this year (2024) we’ll be boarding a Regent Cruise ship for a week along the coast of Alaska. Then we’ll rent a car and explore more of inland Alaska on our own. My husband James and I are so excited. This “trip of a lifetime” is one we have saved towards for a while now, and we’re taking it in celebration of our 60th birthdays.
In a recent subscriber email I asked for readers to share their recommended essentials and tips for my Alaska cruise, and so many responded. It was a wealth of information and I’ve leaned into it heavily as I’ve been making my packing list and beginning to shop. If you’d like, you can see most of those reader responses in the comments section of this recent blog post.
But a few of the main pointers I took away from those comments and other reviews I’ve read include:
- pack & wear lots of layers
- prepare for every day to be wet and cool to cold (Alaska gets about 250 days of rain each year)
- pack some waterproof shoes/boots and clothing
- take a warm hat and sun hat (baseball hat or hiking hat)
- your top layer coat needs to be waterproof and accommodate multiple layers underneath
- pack thermals or fleece tights, etc.
- take gloves
Of course, there’s more. But with those and other pointers in mind I have indeed begun to put together my packing list for an Alaskan cruise and land excursion. While I understand the dress code, so to speak, is very casual, I will still be true to my personal style. That’s very important to me because it helps me to feel confident, be more friendly and outgoing and look my best for the photos we’ll undoubtedly take.
Today I’m sharing with you just a few of the layers that I’ve already accumulated and will be packing for my Alaskan cruise. Obviously this is not a complete packing list. But I had so many readers who told me they were planning similar trips and that they’d love to hear what I’m putting on my list. So I decided to share a little bit here and there as the trip approaches as a resource.
I will be taking a pair or two of jeans, but I really enjoy wearing other casual pants, too, when I travel. So my updated Talbots chinos will almost certainly go with me. This outfit looks like something I might wear for our day of touring Vancouver, British Columbia, or for a day on the water. It’s comfortable and casual, but a little elevated and polished, too.
For excursions that involve any hiking or other outdoor activities, I’ll wear my L.L.Bean water-repellant comfort trail pants. (I also ordered these and these and they were way too lightweight and ran small.)
These water-repellant hiking pants are not heavy, but they are sturdy and thick enough. And they have so many great hidden features, including interior secret pockets, hidden bungee cords for tightening around the ankles and an adjustable waistband. They fit perfectly true to size. I’m wearing a 10 (which is what I usually wear in hiking pants) very comfortably.
My layers up top include this lightweight slub cotton cropped length tee (I’ve ordered this long sleeve tee in the same color), this L.L.Bean mid-blue pro stretch shirt, a L.L.Bean Katahdin full zip fleece jacket and my Athleta RainOut Sutro long trench. And yes! My beautiful Snowfall Blue jacket is finally on the website and fully stocked in regular, petite and tall sizes.
For right now I’m planning on taking my Oboz hiking shoes (similar). They are waterproof and I enjoy wearing them. I have good hiking boots with Goretex, but they’re so big. I hesitate to pack those. Let me know if you have any insight to share on that. But I think if I wear my wool hiking socks I’ll be fine with these hiking shoes (similar).
By the way that blue plaid pro stretch shirt is just lovely. It’s soft and silky and stretchy. But it also features at least three hidden zip pockets for storing things like reading glasses, ID, lip balm. I’m so tempted to buy the sunlit coral one, too, but I don’t want to overpack. I’ll hold off for now. And yes, I do plan to take my chambray shirt because it makes a nice, versatile second layer, especially for non-outdoor activity days.
Obviously I’ll be packing more than this. But I’ll be sharing things as I get them in just in case you’re planning a similar vacation. I’m looking for a simple but elegant black dress to consider for a few dressy evenings at dinner. I think I’ll limit myself to the one dress and just accessorize a little differently. And then I’ll probably take a pair of black pants and a couple of blouses or dressy tops for the other evenings. We have complimentary laundry service on the ship, so I really don’t want to overpack. Oh, and I definitely plan to pack a couple of versatile cotton sweaters and other tees as well.
Well, I could go on and on. We’re so excited for this trip. James was born in Alaska, so he’s anxious to go and see a little of his roots. And of course we’re anxious just to see the beauty of God’s creation. Stay with me as I prepare for my trip and I’ll share more. I’ve actually added a few other items to the shopping widget below that I have ordered but that haven’t come in yet.
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Thanks so much for dropping in today. Let me know in the comments if you have a fun trip planned. I’d love to hear about it.
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Blessed for My Day
This week we’re walking through Psalm 19. The beginning of this Psalm of David admires the way nature reflects the glory of God. It serves as a living picture of God’s character. But this next portion of the Psalm notes how the Word or Law of God also tells us about God’s nature, His ways. And here David confesses that God’s law, while seemingly difficult and maybe even cumbersome to some, is exponentially beneficial to those who look to it for direction and wisdom.
Indeed, I’m sure God’s commandments do seem unreasonable and harsh to those who don’t not know the love of God. But when we remember that God gave us His mandates to protect us, to guide us and even to give us great joy, we see them differently. I’ve found that God’s law is perfect and it keeps me safe. His Word brings me wisdom and makes my life more joyful. Be sure to read more of the Bible today. It truly does rejoice the heart.
The law of theLordis perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of theLordissure,
making wisethe simple;
the precepts of theLordare right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of theLordispure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lordis clean,
enduring forever;
the rulesof theLordaretrue,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they thangold,
even muchfine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings ofthe honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. ~ Psalm 19:7-11
xoxo, Kay
