volume sixty-one

fashion, turn to the left

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There are tracks on my carpet from the wheels. It took me a while to figure out what they were, these grooves that slowly appeared over time — so faint that I only caught them in certain lights — but the last time I pulled out my suitcase from under my bed, the wheels ran along the lines to further imprint them and revealed their cause to me. I don’t have a lot of storage space in my room, but under my bed lives two full-size suitcases, their medium-size companion and my Facebook marketplace acquired carry-on, placed right under the edge for easy access. When I got back to Vancouver in April of this year, with these four bags filled with everything I own, I knew the bags were not going into retirement. 

In the months that have passed, the larger bags have lived nested underneath my bed, awaiting the day I choose one of them to accompany me to Australia for the winter months. (It is going to be the pink one, I already know, just don’t tell the others). The carry-on, as is suggested by the carpet grooves, has been in high demand. I knew when I made this next chapter “go live”, I would be making travel a priority, and as a result of this becoming true, I have mastered the art and ritual that is packing a suitcase for a trip to the point that it has become one of my favourite activities always filled with excitement.

Running with writing about joy as per last week, I am going to share with you my process. You signed up for the digital journal of a chronic oversharer, let’s not leave any stone unturned.

The first step is to pick the right playlist. Nothing else should be done before you decide the tone with which you will pack. This should be based on 3 things: the weather of where you are going, the mood of the trip (Relaxing? Party time? Writing retreat? Family chaotic time?), and the time of day that you are packing. You want the playlist to get you excited for the upcoming trip, inspire the clothes you’re popping in the suitcase and help you to mentally put yourself in the mood you’re going to be in once you arrive while also not taking you too far out of where you are right now. Don’t be putting yourself in party mode if it is already 11pm and you board your plane at 7am. Put yourself by the pool instead.

For example, I might be getting ready to go to Vancouver Island for a writing retreat (ahem, the last trip I took) and know that the majority of my time will be spent either going on sunshine walks or sitting and writing with a coffee in one hand and petting the cat with the other — wait how do I write? That is the million-dollar question. The soundtrack I would likely choose in this scenario should be of an era that inspires my creativity, in other words, by someone who makes me go “I wish I was you”. Bowie. I am going to listen to Bowie. Some chill, some dance, all singalong. Putting a pep in my step as I bop around packing clothes to be the most fashionable person in the history of time to barely leave the house.

The second step, as mentioned in step one in a way, is to actually check the weather. I know we all have a vision in our minds of what we *hope* the weather will be (sunshine, hot, all the time, always please) but rainy days happen, cloudy days happen, and other seasons happen. I give the little weather app a peruse and decide how many layers I am going to need, because the fewer layers, the more space I have to squash in more outfit options. I also want to make sure whatever layers I may need will match my activities. On another holiday, I would want to make sure I have a nice, fitted, stylish jacket that will go with everything and a pair of versatile boots. For a relaxing writing retreat? Make sure you pack something loose, soft, cosy and even fluffy if you can manage it. Comfort is key and past Lauren has made the mistake of assuming it will be hot and then only having a denim jacket to wear around the house. Not great for writing when your flexibility in your arms is limited. Help me I am uncomfy.

Outfit planning for a writing retreat (I am just going to keep using this example, let’s roll with it):

• Take the number of days you will be there, times it by seven, that is how many pairs of underwear you need

• Take 1-2 ‘out to dinner’ outfits (dresses for me), even (and especially) when travelling alone, because you will take yourself out for a yummy meal at least one night, please

• One pair of comfy walking shoes, one pair of ‘slip them on over my socks to run out and do this quick thing’ shoes, and one pair of ‘goes with both dresses’ shoes

• Enough comfy, elastic waist pants that if you wore elastic waist pants every day you could, without feeling gross for wearing the same pair of elastic waist pants for too many days

• Bathing suit. Always. No matter where you’re going, no matter what the weather. Sunbathing, beach days, hot tubs — any of these could pop up. Be prepared

• PJs? Optional. I sleep better without them but if you’re going somewhere new you might be cold and there might be only one blanket and then you end up wearing the sweatpants reserved for writing in, to bed and get fewer days out of your outfits as a result

• T-shirts and tank tops. If you’re wearing loose elastic pants, and you’re me, you’re going to want to pair them with a nice tank or tee for the illusion when you join a zoom call

• In that same thought, necklaces will be very helpful not just for zoom but for making you think “I wore sweatpants every day but with effort”

• Cap. Protect yourself on those sunshine walks, babe! Cowgirl hats are also encouraged but your travelling outfit needs to take this into account because you will be wearing it on the plane/bus/ferry/train. You can’t squash that into your bag

• One “what would Bowie wear” outfit. Because you can. Because you should not lose your style on account of comfort. This outfit is reserved for impromptu nights out or a much-deserved solo dance party in the accommodation after a successful day of writing

• Fun socks

Other must-pack items:

• All of your journals. Yep, you are going for seven days but you need every journal from 2002 until the present day for the writing process

• A good book. NOT the book you keep meaning to read, one you will actually pick up

• Sketchbook, pencils and markers

• Crystals that will help in your intentions for this trip, google them to remind yourself what ones you should be taking

• A good face mask for a night of pampering in front of a good movie (thinking ahead, plan and time this right and don’t cry the mask off)

• Sunglasses, four pairs

• Reusable water bottle for travelling. Airport and ferry bottled water is in plastic bottles (gross) and costs too much (also gross)

Last steps:

• Wrap shoes in a bag and squash them flat into the edge corners of your suitcase. Don’t worry about squashing them too much, the important thing is getting them to your destination, worry about it then

• Use the zip compartment for your socks and underwear, of course

• Squeeze your ten-step morning skincare routine into smaller bottles, counting how many squirts you need per days you are away. Repeat this for your evening routine

• Roll the clothes. This folding business takes up precious space

• Assess if everything fits, if it doesn’t, do not sacrifice your Bowie outfit or your dresses. Give up a pair of sweatpants, they’re the real space stealer. Besides, if you wear the same pair for seven days who is even going to know?

Voilà! Leave it right at your bedroom door or in your hallway, just make sure it is somewhere it will be in your way until you leave. Make sure you kick your toes on it at least once to remind yourself how much fun you are going to have on this trip! The only thing left to do is to prepare yourself a dinner I like to call ‘Salad With Everything I Need To Use Up In The Fridge’ and tell your roommates all about where you’re going, again, not in a braggy way, but kind of in a braggy way. But also tell them when they should expect you back so if you do not return they know to put out a missing person or lurk your favourite celebrity crushes Instagram to make sure you’re not in the background of every photo.

P.S. Don’t forget your laptop charger.

Is packing for a trip as joyful for you as it is for me?

here are three things I struggled with this week:

🧦The weather cooled. Ever so slightly. Barely at all really. It went from really hot to reasonably warm, which is enough for me to need socks. The socks won’t cut it. Get me to Australia where it is warm before I do something silly like seek out a partner. Sweater weather = cuddle weather.

🖼️ Someone left a decorative basket on the street for someone to claim. That someone was me. Several hours later, and several hours past my bedtime, I rearranged my room and changed a bunch of the pictures on my wall and stayed up way too late. I know.

🪴 One of my plant babies needed a haircut. I went away and she missed me and she showed it by turning quite brown. How will my plants go when I am gone for five months? Saying goodbye to my twenty-something plants when I left Montreal was hard, but this might weirdly be harder.

here are three blessings from this week:

🦉 Okay but did you know about this? It is perfect in every way.

🦋 I finally turned over my job situation to my higher power, trusting that (as my friend Lou always reminds me) what is meant for me will not pass me. Later that day I got two emails from two jobs I already work at and love, offering me more work.

📖 I finished the first draft of the first chapter of my first book. Is this real? Who knew I would ever. I certainly couldn’t have picked this. I am so grateful I didn’t get what I thought I wanted in life because now I have the best life I could ever dream of.

here are three goals for the coming week:

🖍️ More intentional creative time away from the screen. This week there was more drawing, more music, more thoughtful walks without my phone, and more conversations about following our hearts and dreams.

🈁 I keep stressing about the future — getting to Australia, missing Vancouver, leaving for Vancouver, missing Australia. The goal is to be right here. And here. And here.

🛌 Get to sleep before 10pm. I did it one day this week and I woke up a few minutes before my alarm. Oh, I see, going to sleep late and waking really early isn’t the best way to go about it. Oh, you think I should also go to sleep early, too? Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.

here is something I enjoyed this week: 

 

pics or it didn’t happen:

came for the veggie dogs and stayed for the walk-up songs

I love you,

LD

xoxo