Hawaii Travel Capsule
Why I chose to RENT almost every thing I brought with me...
Over Thanksgiving our family of 6 traveled to Hawaii…and I’m just now getting around to writing about my travel capsule. But I feel like a tropical destination travel capsule is always relevant so who cares when I hit publish on this post?
Just a little fun fact before I dive in: Hawaii was our family’s LAST STATE to check off. Ever since 2016 when we lived in Kansas City, MO we have been checking states off one by one. (It’s easier to get to most of them when you live almost dead center of the lower 48 😉) We have driven to each of the lower 48 states and have physically gotten out of the car/RV at each state. We checked all those off by summer of 2019. Summer of 2023 was our cruise to Alaska, state 49, and that was so beautiful. We always knew Hawaii would be the grand finale and it was such a fun trip. We saved up Delta Sky miles for about 4 years and it was 100% worth it. If you’ve never been to Hawaii, we highly recommend it. Especially the Big Island and specifically Kona.
On to what you’re here for…the travel capsule details!
When I started to think about clothes to pack in about late October I realized I didn’t have much in my closet in the way of tropical destination appropriate attire. Probably comes with living in places surrounded by mountains and forests the past 7 years.
And because I live in the PNW, I know if I purchased tropical type items, I would most likely donate them after my trip. (Because tropical prints are not really the “vibe” here, if you know what I mean 😉) That feels extremely wasteful. Even if I bought everything at a thrift store, that still feels icky.
That’s when I started to look into renting my vacation capsule. and you guys it might have been the BEST decision I’ve ever made when it comes to vacation outfits. FABULOUS clothes. ZERO guilt.
*this post contains affiliate links*
I’ve used Rent the Runway in the past for company Christmas party dresses, but I was drawn to Armoire and their flexible plans, types of styles, and customer service. I’m so honored to have partnered with them for this travel capsule. And I’ve loved their service so much I’m continuing to rent clothes from them…but I’ll have to write another post on that another day.
I selected 7 dresses for my rental capsule and brought a few things from home, shoes, bags, and swimwear. Looking back, I probably didn’t need to bring the shorts. The dresses were so fun to wear I barely wore the shorts outfits. (Btw the above graphic does not include running clothes, airport outfits, or PJs. Just for full disclosure.)
Here’s a gallery of the rented dresses, just so you know what is from Armoire.
Not only was there zero guilt about wearing dresses that fit the island vibes, it made packing and unpacking easy and quick!
Before I left I created some outfit ideas in Canva so I didn’t have to put too much thought into what I wore each day.
I wanted dresses that could be worn with sandals or tennis shoes. Thankfully everything on the islands has a laid back attitude so I didn’t have to worry about any “formal” looks. I wanted dresses that could work for sightseeing, walking around markets, going out to eat, and I wanted one I could wear to a Luau. Each dress worked so well for whatever we had planned.
Psst! If you like this Hawaii travel capsule post, you might like this one too! 👇🏽
Sometimes we went places between the beach, the pool, or snorkeling so I wanted to have outfits ready to slip on over a swimsuit.
The two swimsuits on the right came from Nani Swimwear and they are soft and high quality. Also great for moms at the pool or beach. You feel covered up but stylish.
The green suit in the top left is from Jessica Rey. Highly recommend her suits! I really like the ruffle on the neckline and the thin belt around the waist. Those details make it feel so feminine.
And the bottom left suit in red is from Siena & Co. Swimwear. I love the bright color, the quality, and how well it fits.
And finally the shorts outfits I really didn't wear. But I was glad to have the shirts. I did layer those over the dresses a few times. And I did use shorts going to and from the pool. So they weren’t a total waste of space in my suitcase.
Overall my outfits and planning of what to wear made the trip more fun. Loving what you’re wearing has a way of helping one enjoy oneself even more! Especially when you’re wearing fun pieces you would never buy/add to your closet.
If you are unfamiliar with Armoire, browse their site. I’ve truly fallen in love with their business model, customer service, and prices they offer to rent. When you use my link, it comes with a special code for your first month ;) And I promise I will soon share my reasons for continuing to use their services.
You can also check out a few reels I made about my experience with Armoire: my first case/try-on of my Hawaii pieces, my luau dress, and the most recent talking about statement coats.
Whether you are renting, creating a travel capsule, or planning a closet clean out soon, let’s be intentional with our closets & outfits!
