I’ve been a huge fan of Carolyn (aka @petite_punk), the powerhouse behind DC Goodwill’s Finding Your Good initiative, for a while. So I was so excited when she asked me to chat about one of my favorite topics, thrifting, for their blog. Head on over to read some of my favorite thrift tips, finds, and upcycling wins!
STYLE
STYLE II Hawaii Vacation
Desert 2 District Design II Hawaii packing list
We got back from Hawaii last week and I’m already having vacation withdrawals. I painted every day. We started each morning with leisurely coffee on the balcony. We cooked every day. We saw some beautiful sights, and got to be outside at least half the day every day. I loved it. After this outfit post, I'm next going to put together a Princeville, HI travel guide to recap what we saw, ate and did during our visit. Check back soon for a fun illustrated map of the area!
Here are a few of my favorite outfits from the trip. I'm one happy girl when I get to where floral prints and be outside all day.
STYLE II Playa del Carmen Anniversary Weekend
Desert 2 District Design II Playa del Carmen packing list
Last weekend, my husband and I celebrated 11 years together in beautiful Playa del Carmen.
This was my first time visiting this region of Mexico and I was just blown away. The weather was gorgeous, the ocean was so warm and bright, and the city was so vibrant. I can't wait to go back!
Today, I'm sharing a couple of the outfits I put together from this packing list. Thanks for following along!
I was totally obsessed with this beautiful piece that hung in our room. It's making me want to add more bright colors to my painting palette and to try to paint whimsical patterns like this.
Desert 2 District Design II art selfie
outfit
no. 1
I found this lovely high-waisted skirt at Unique Thrift, a gigantic thrift store in Falls Church, VA, and paired it with an old Old Navy cami and Charles David sandals (found on consignment at Clementine in Richmond, VA). If you're ever in Richmond and have some time, I highly recommend Clementine and their sister stores. If you can't make the trip, they actually also have an online shop as well! Some great finds there for sure. I threw this on before heading out to explore Playa del Carmen.
outfit
no. 2
In the afternoon, we headed to the beach and then came back and hung out at our hotel's rooftop pool. I broke out my new Poppy Apparel swimsuit and threw on a thrifted cover-up and my favorite hat from ThredUp. This isn't a great photo of my swimsuit, but it is seriously so flattering and comfortable. I highly recommend it if you like the high-waisted style. Use code "desert2district" for 10% off your order at Poppy Apparel.
outfit
no. 3
After washing up and grabbing dinner, we ended the night with a couple cervezas on the roof. I paired my comfiest thrifted cut-off shorts with this off cold-shoulder top (originally from Nordstrom Rack, similar here).
Thanks for following along! I'll be rounding up a map of the places we visited on our trip soon. I'm thinking this is a good time to try my hand at a watercolor map...
STYLE II Phoenix Long Weekend Trip
Phoenix Trip Packing list - illustration by Heidi Nielson of Desert 2 District Design
I've been illustrating my packing lists for a while now and it is one of my favorite traditions. I used to hate packing, but now I kind of look forward to it because it helps me visualize my outfits and gives me an excuse to draw tiny clothes and traveling essentials.
The last time I posted one, one of my lovely Insta friends suggested that I post some outfit pictures from my travels to see how I styled the clothes I packed. I didn't have time to do all of my outfits from my trip to Phoenix, but my long-suffering husband took photos a couple photos for me. So here goes... facing my fear of having my picture taken head on!
OUTFIT
NO 1
Here's a second picture to see the full outfit.
I like to travel with separates that all pair together so I can reuse pieces. I ended up wearing these boots twice and the vest twice. The boots are thrifted from Goodwill, the vest is thrifted from ThredUp (similar here, this is seriously one of my favorite sites EVER), and the dress is from asos (purchased a while ago, it doesn't look like it's available anymore).
The weather in Arizona was just beautiful. Definitely makes me miss the desert. I certainly can't wear this type of outfit (at least without a coat and tights) in D.C. this time of year!
OUTFIT
NO 2
We spent a wonderful, beautifully warm and clear day with my family out in the desert. My family is very into the outdoors and adventure so we spent the day riding ATVs, hiking around, doing archery (my family has some interesting hobbies to say the least) and making food surrounded by the Superstition Mountains. It was FANTASTIC.
I wanted something comfortable, but still stylish and unique. Poppy Apparel totally delivered with this super versatile jumpsuit. I seriously wear it all the time--it's so comfortable. It looks like it's also not available anymore, but if you want to check out their other clothes, I actually have a discount code for you all! Use code "desert2district" to get 10% off your order. In addition to this jumpsuit, I got an adorable high-waisted swimsuit that I can't wait to take on our next trip.
Thanks for tuning in for my first style post! What are your thoughts--packing list or no packing list?