All things EARTH...

[MollyFlyer]

Sorry, I think my question was imprecise -- I know that the dress I linked isn't formal-formal, but since there's different dress codes on different nights I was wondering which category it would fit into.

 

No question I'll let you know when I find out -- I want to know which Roll Call to join!

[laurspag]

Molly, welcome to our fun cruise planning world! Your dress is a beautiful earthy green. It can be hard to find.

 

As Anita said, when you would feel best wearing this depends on the cruise line. For Royal Caribbean, for example, I probably would not chose it for formal night, but for smart casual. That being said, attire is all over the place these days. If you want to make it feel like it fits in for a formal night, then I would say opt for metallic accessories. A gold belt, gold sandals or shoes and some fancier jewelry. By fancier, I don't mean expensive, just a more evening style with rhinestones or something.

 

Carnival is said to be a bit more casual but they have elegant night and it is similar to formal night. You could do the same there.

 

I think with Norwegian it is pretty much mostly casual? I am not as familiar with them. Princess an Celebrity are a lot like RCI from what I understand.

 

Anita, we ended up with a foot of snow here but we are equipped for this weather. Since it snowed overnight, there was no delays at all with our morning commute. They cleaned up all the main roads well although the side roads still had around 4 inches of snow on them.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[MJC]

Molly, I love that dress! It has a bit of the New Look vibe from the 50s. I hunted around that website and there are some wonderful things there! I'm glad you shared it.

 

On Princess, that dress would be on the dressier side of smart casual night but not totally out of place, especially with a low heel or flats and some fun jewelry. I'll be wearing dresses with heels on a couple of our smart casual nights, for example. On formal night I would pair it with some seriously sparkly jewelry and evening shoes, and then you'd be about in the middle of dressiness for Princess. Some people have said that on Princess the Caribbean cruises are slightly less formal than others, say a European cruise, but I won't know first-hand until March. :) I'm wearing a gown anyway and DH will wear his tux. Then again, we like to dress up.

 

As Laurie said, cruise line and location have a lot to do with it.

[MJC]

 

Here is what I have so far for Tshirts and bottoms. I think this is too many Tshirts, so I’m thinking of eliminating the blue/green on the left because it’s not a favorite, and the fifth one from the left because I think the fabric might be too hot. One of my favorite T’s has gone missing, and if I find it then I’ll swap it for one of these.

 

For bottoms I have L-R teal shorts, khaki skirt, off-white shorts, khaki skort, brown shorts, and mushroom ankle pants. In addition I’ll have the brown pants I’m wearing for travel that can roll up to capri length. I love the khaki skirt second from left that I just bought today because it’s a very golden khaki, without being gold. A lovely color.

 

I haven’t decided on shoes yet, but here are some possibilities on the right. The brown Danskos are really great for walking, the multi-metallic ones I got at Christmas time at Steinmart for -- $12! I love my gold sequin flip-flops because they are so versatile. My pale khaki Columbia cap goes everywhere with me.

[MJC]

 

Here is my non-EARTH but very functional tank suit, rash guard, board shorts, and all-important hat. The lightweight long-sleeved shirt upper left would be an optional post-swim coverup, which I'll need for sun protection. It's much more muted, which I prefer, and I don't know if I really care that it's not a perfect match.

[MJC]

 

Here are my bathing suits with my Tahitian pareo. A little more FIRE than EARTH maybe, but so much fun, and I love the memories it evokes.

[MJC]

Just had to share this beautiful wrap from my friend's spring collection:

 

http://shop.yeohlee.com/products/persimmon-mobius

 

Does she give me clothes? No, but sometimes I wish!

[laurspag]

Margaret, how many days are you cruising for? Are you going to be in town a day before your ship leaves?

 

I ask because I was thinking that if you are going on a 7 day cruise, you certainly don't have too much picked out. My first two cruises were in August, and I very badly needed extra clothes. Some outfits got so sweaty in port, that I got back and showered and put something fresh on. The sweaty outfits were not re-wearable. I don't like to overpack, but I always make sure I have an extra top or two.

 

Where I tend to add on is evenings, after dinner. Sometimes, my husband I like to spend time out on deck and use the lounge chairs. For that reason, the pretty dinner dress gets swapped for something else. I get cool at that point, so I look for something a bit warmer than shorts and a tank top.

 

I've just gotten out every pair of shorts I own, every tank top, every short sleeved shirt, etc. I've taken pictures. I may think about what I really like and then eliminate a few things. It will be easier to pare down the outfits this way.

 

I love the shorts and skirts you are showing. They are all really nice neutrals, so you can't go wrong mixing and matching with the shirts you have. Those mushroom ankle pants are just the kind of thing I reach for when I change after dinner.

 

Your shirts really seem to be such a good selection for pairing with the bottoms. If you do bring extras, they won't take up a lot of space. Do you plan to bring all three pair of sandals? At least they are flats, so they won't take up too much space overall. That whole layout is just perfect. Love the hat too. That is where I mess up a bit, especially for someone who doesn't have thick hair. My scalp burns easily and I don't wear hats. I really can't help it, my hearing aid makes this squealing noise when I wear them. I'm going to do some looking around though. Maybe I can find a style that doesn't create that problem.

 

Your swimsuits are great! My new purple tankini is the same color as your swimsuit. I love the colors of the others. Where do you find them? My general motto when it comes to swimsuit is to avoid black like the plague, and do what I can to buy something warm. The selection is just too limited to be able to find much in earth tones.

 

You are so ready!!! When do you leave?

 

Do you accessorize the shorts outfits during the day? I do somewhat, but not with the kind of thought I give to dinner outfits. It depends on what we are doing at the different ports we visit.

 

I really need to come up with suitable ideas for cover ups, and narrow down my shoes a bit.

[Anita Latte]

I'm laughing over here with the thought of how different everyone is...I was looking at all of Margaret's bottoms and thinking that she was packing so many more bottoms than me! I haven't planned all my shirts yet...so no comparison there...

 

I'm getting my hair cut Tuesday! So excited! Going for a pixie cut!

[MollyFlyer]

You've all got an edge on me in the wardrobe department -- I've only recently caught on to dressing to suit my colors. I've got a lot of blacks and blues I need to winnow out of my closet.

 

I hope my brother lets me know which line/ship we're going on soon -- it'll make it so much easier to plan if I know the details.

[laurspag]

Molly, we've all been caught in the black trap, I think. Everything is available in black, and we are made to think that it somehow makes us look skinnier. Truthfully, dark colors do create that effect, because they absorb light while lighter colors reflect it. Our black is dark brown.

 

Once you start to look at things through the perspective of color, you will find yourself weeding out the black. I still have a pair of black pants, a pair of black shoes and a pair of gray pants. I don't wear them often, but as long as they fit and are in good shape, I keep them in the closet. Their days are numbered, lol.

 

Anita, I've learned to take less clothing with me on the last two cruises, but I was really overloading the suitcases after the first cruise I took, since it was so hot that time, and incredibly humid. You were soaking wet just standing still, practically.

 

For a 7 day cruise, I would bring 8 daytime outfits, no matter what. I think you mentioned yours was a 5 day, right? I'd be bringing 6 outfits. You will probably be just fine re-wearing things at this time of the year though. You seem very good with figuring that out. I just would rather bring home the clean outfits than risk running short.

 

Now, I need to figure out the shoe situation. I want to bring too many. Add that to the dilemma above, and 4 of us...uh oh!

 

You are right, we are all so different! This is what makes this so interesting. I think we are always learning from one another as well, and we give each other so many good ideas.

 

I was thinking about swim suit cover ups and someone mentioned on another thread to try swimsuitsforall.com. At first I thought it was all plus size, and that wouldn't work because although I'm very chesty, the smallest plus sizes are too big unless they are the rare size 12 sizing that is sometime available. However, the sizing ranges from size 8 and up. I found exactly what I was looking for, and at a fantastic price. I think $17.00 with free shipping? I found a swimsuit I loved too, but don't need. I kind of wish I had found this site before I picked up the coral one. The coral one is very much fire, which fits my criteria based on the slim pickings, but the suit I found just seems to hit the right note with me. I think it was only $27.00 on clearance too. I just don't want to be frivolous.

[Anita Latte]

Another scarf arrived today. It's really bright. I'm bummed because I really liked the style. I'll have to try it on and debate whether or not it would be worth it to try to mute it out with tea or coffee staining.

 

Laurie...what do you consider to be your restraints for packing? Do you check baggage when you cruise? We are flying Southwest so we wouldn't be penalized for checking baggage...and because we are arriving two nights earlier than embarkation...it wouldn't be horrible if our luggage was delayed...if that happened...but I'm still not sold on the idea of checking baggage. I'm trying to plan my wardrobe and then figure out if I want to check or not...

 

I think time of year and weather makes a huge difference in how many outfits you need. Houston was very humid...and I relate strongly to what you are saying about how often you want to change clothes when dealing with that weather...especially in August!! OMG.

 

The one thing that I am concerned about for our cruise is the fact that we will be in Florida for so many days...the 2 nights before embarkation...Key West is a port...my experience in Florida involves rain...lots of rain...whether or not the rain lasts all day...or just hits for brief periods...it's still something to deal with and could affect my re-wear strategy...

 

I re-wear clothes a lot. I hate laundry and it seems that no matter what I do...my life is filled with laundry. LOL. If I don't absolutely have to clean something...I just wear it again. And I guess I take that with me, even on vacation. So for me...I'm happy if I have a new shirt (if necessary) and new underwear...same bottoms, same hoodies...but rain...that affects my system. That said...I usually do bring home some unworn clothes...I wonder what it would be like, actually, to wear EVERYTHING I brought...what would it take to WISH I had brought something more?

 

I may go for that feeling with my daytime clothes on this cruise. Because I plan on wearing a new dress each evening...and many of those will be sundresses...I could just rewear a sundress during the day IF I underpacked on the day clothes.

[Anita Latte]

Molly...if you have a clue about the number of days for your cruise...that could help you start to think about what to bring...but I agree...it's hard to plan until you know the details. Like Laurie said...I think everyone that figured out their best colors had to deal with black clothing. I'm a homemaker...and I teach a few fitness classes during the week...so I don't need a typical working wardrobe...and I live in the suburbs...so I think I've had a relatively easy time transitioning out of the blacks.

 

How long have you known about your colors? How did you find out?

[MJC]

Margaret, how many days are you cruising for? Are you going to be in town a day before your ship leaves?

 

It's a 7 day cruise with a day and a half pre-cruise. We'll do some sight-seeing the day we arrive in Houston before checking in at the hotel, and then all day the following day with dinner out. Then we board Sat. One of the things I'm struggling with is actually how many and what kind of clothes I'll need. Tanks? T's? Shorts? Capris? Will it be hot and humid, or warm and breezy? Spring can be unpredictable. Our last cruise was in Australian spring and I ended up having tanks and shorts that didn't get worn. This is actually our first mainstream Caribbean cruise -- on Windstar its bathing suits and shorts all day, and maybe a sundress or two, so very easy to pack in comparison. I don't like to do laundry on vacation, although I will do hand wash in the sink.

 

 

Where I tend to add on is evenings, after dinner. Sometimes, my husband I like to spend time out on deck and use the lounge chairs. For that reason, the pretty dinner dress gets swapped for something else. I get cool at that point, so I look for something a bit warmer than shorts and a tank top.

 

The routine we liked on our last Princess cruise was cocktail, late seating for dinner, then some dancing in the nightclub. So, we tended to stay dressed in our dinner clothes until we retired. On formal night we'll go to the casino for a bit just because it's a fun James Bond kind of moment.

 

I love the shorts and skirts you are showing. They are all really nice neutrals, so you can't go wrong mixing and matching with the shirts you have. Those mushroom ankle pants are just the kind of thing I reach for when I change after dinner.

 

Thank you. :) Those are pretty much all my summer bottoms at this point, so not a lot of choice. But, I tend to like more color and pattern in my tops so it works out well from a mix/match point of view.

 

Do you plan to bring all three pair of sandals? I think so, but I haven't gotten my summer shoes out of storage yet so I may change my mind. Love the hat too. That is where I mess up a bit, especially for someone who doesn't have thick hair. I just bought DH a swim cap because he burnt his head the last time we were snorkeling. I've had skin cancer three times now, so a hat is a must for me (fortunately not on my face, knock on wood).

 

Your swimsuits are great! My new purple tankini is the same color as your swimsuit. I love the colors of the others. Where do you find them? The two on the left I just bought last week at Marshall's. The one on the right I got at Marshall's last summer and only wore once or twice because I was spilling out the top (no longer, yay). The tank & rash guard I got at Stein Mart when I was there over Christmas break. I must say though that it is rare that I can find suits I like at Marshall's. In the past my favorites have been MiracleSuits that I got at Macy's. I like them because you can buy by the bra size. Being smaller up top now is a definite bonus for swimsuit shopping.

You are so ready!!! When do you leave? March 20th! But March will be very busy for me so I'm trying to get ahead of things now during the quiet part of the semester.

 

Do you accessorize the shorts outfits during the day? Probably just earrings, depending on the weather, because I find necklaces too hot in the summer. We won't really be in port in the usual sense, since two of our days will be boat/snorkeling days, and one will be at a beach club. The rest are sea days, and those are the ones where I don't really know what I'll want to wear. If we want to do MDR lunch, I'll probably do an "outfit" and wear more jewelry.

 

 

Laurie, you asked some really good questions, thank you. Got me thinking, which is always a good thing.

Edited February 17, 2014 by MJC
typo

[MJC]

I'm laughing over here with the thought of how different everyone is...I was looking at all of Margaret's bottoms and thinking that she was packing so many more bottoms than me!

 

 

I think it's the city girl in me, I look at all those light colors and think how dirty they will get. :)

 

Can't wait to see pics of the new haircut! BTW love your new avatar photo, that gold color is really stunning on you.

[MJC]

Can you tell I'm off work today? Ha.

 

Here are my tank tops. The one with the gold sweater below might be my Houston sightseeing outfit depending on the weather.

 

 

 

The one on the far left reminds me of Anita's scarf. I thought I had gotten rid of it, but I altered it and it will do for now.

[MJC]

And here are my long-sleeved choices. Actually they are all 3/4 sleeves. The one on the bottom I bought right before Christmas and I love, love, love the colors. So much so that I - yikes - paid full price for it at Coldwater Creek. The jacket on the left and t-shirt will be my travel outfit, with my small jade drop earrings from China:

 

 

With these I'll probably bring longer necklaces to wear. I have a beautiful coral glass bead and gold tone one for the top sweater, and a pretty teal crystal and gold tone one for the CC top. I'll have to experiment with the middle one because it's new.

 

All of these would work nicely for dinner if I decide to take fewer dresses.

[Anita Latte]

The only thing that I can say regarding Houston weather in spring time...definitely humid. The thing about Houston weather is that is can appear to be temperate...and depending on what you are used to...you may think that the temperatures will feel cooler than they are. 70 degrees in Houston is much warmer than say, 70 degrees in a less humid, higher elevation. Ask Mom...she would always forget how sticky you can feel in Houston in what should be a cooler temperature.

 

Layers are kind of a must for Houston too...if the weather is humid, the air conditioning will be running and Houston definitely overcompensates for humidity with air conditioning...so outside it's kind of warm and humid and inside, it's freezing cold with air blowing. Good idea to have the sweater and dress in layers. And be sure to have rain friendly shoes... If it rains...it usually doesn't rain all day...it's like a hard hitting shower that lasts for several hours and then the sun might come out...and then the warming temperature makes it feel especially muggy following the rain.

[Anita Latte]

Must mention!! We talked about hats briefly...how about sunglasses? Does everyone have some they love? I don't buy expensive sunglasses so that I can feel more comfortable about bringing them into situations like a sandy beach, etc. I needed new ones because mine had all broken or become really worn in the finish on the ear pieces. I picked these up at Kohl's over the weekend:

 

 

The brand is Daisy Fuentes...and they call them snakeskin online but I think the brown ones look like a giraffe print! From a practical standpoint, I really like the wide sides and the wrap around feel of the glasses...no sun peeking in from the sides. I think they are good on my face...I'll take a photo with them on with my new hair cut tomorrow.

 

I've decided to go for a cross between Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Goodwin. I have photos of both that I like in what I would call a slightly grown out pixie with the top being a bit longer and the sides still very short.

[MJC]

Yes, sunglasses, so important. I wear prescription ones, though, so I don't get to have fun with different styles.

 

Since my only evening bags are black, white, and blue (yikes), I just bought this small beaded clutch on eBay. So cool!

 

 

I had my dress fitting on Friday (the long one which needs shortening), so I wore my hair in this twisted side-pony thing I was thinking about. It didn't work. The neckline of the dress is asking for my hair to be up. So I'm going to twist it back on the sides and have a little poof of curls in the back. I'm going to wear my citrines and put a pair of pretty clip earrings that were my grandmother's in the twisted parts. But, I wanted four, and so I bought these on eBay too because they are very similar in style and color:

 

 

So, the lines of the dress will stand on their own, but there will be a little action up top. I'm hoping it works!

[laurspag]

Anita, I am pretty sure you are younger than me, so I don't think you've gone through some things yet. I have been getting hot flashes. They aren't horrible, but I really feel yucky afterwards and I can't re-wear a lot of clothes over, even when I want to. The advantage of this time of year is that it isn't as bad. I will change to jeans after work, and I can wear them a few more times before they go in the wash.

 

Now the flipside: Shortly after I have a hot flash, I'm freezing, lol. I kind of have to cover a lot of territory with my clothes that I pack. Therefore, there will be 8 outfits, one for each day and one extra, just in case. There will be 7 dresses. There will be shoes and jewelry. Then, there will be a sweater or something lightweight, plus two pairs of ankle pants (to be re-worn, since I'll have them on when I'm not having a hot flash...) then about 4 tops that have sleeves, but are lightweight.

 

Each of us will have a carryon and one piece of checked in luggage. We use Jet Blue, and the checked in bag is free. My formals are lined and all that, so they will take space. I confess that I would bring an extra small suitcase to get any overflow each of us has if needed, but it shouldn't be needed.

 

Margaret, I love your selection of tank tops and longer sleeved tops as well. You always know when you are getting the color thing right when you can mix and match!!!

 

I love your hair ideas too. My daughter is going to help me come up with ideas for my hair. Curly hair can be put up fairly easy, right? I have that straight silky here that doesn't even stay in a rubber band, sigh. My daughter is sure there are a few things I can try, and I'm long overdue for a haircut. When I make my appointment, 'm going to ask my hairdresser for some ideas.

 

Whenever I have what my husband calls "banker's holidays" I meet my sister for lunch. Today, we decided to meet at the mall because Cheesecake Factory just opened and we do not have one around here. I was a good girl and got a nice salad from their Skinnylicious menu, but then I had cheesecake.

 

After that, my daughter and I stayed at the mall and looked around a bit. We stopped in Eddie Bauer because she works there and wanted me try on a lightweight coat for spring that is in a nice olive green. The whole store is 40% so I thought it would be worth a try. The store is expensive, so that wasn't as good as it could have been. However, she gets a discount and I got an additional 25% off of that. The coat was great, and will actually be nice enough to wear to work as well as wearing at other times.

 

I found a nice skort in a lightweight fabric. I love those, but they are often bulky and warm. This one is great - love the color and fabric:

 

http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/search.jsp?N=0&Ntk=IALL&Ntt=skort&Nr=REG%3aY&Nty=1&Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&D=skort&Dx=mode+matchpartialmax&cm_se=skort_All&init=1

 

I chose the khaki like color since they didn't have the olive in the store. It is lighter and warmer to me than the online picture.

 

I also found a basic knit cardigan - not a sweater, but a knit - that will be perfect for when I get cold. It even has pockets, which is handy:

 

http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=44242&catPath=&viewAll=n&pg=1&cmPathInfo=T319&colorId=225&colorId=839&colorId=225

 

Once again, the picture is really off when it comes to the color. It's much more of a warm oatmeal.

 

I ordered two cover ups today too, so I think I am done! You know how hard it is to find earth toned bathing suits...cover ups are no different! And then you want them to at least work with the non-earth bathing suits, right? Well, I found a really earthy one that will work well with my brown bathing suits.

 

I thought at first the website was plus size only, so I was very happy to see that the sizes start at 8 and go up.

 

http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/Multi-Splash-VNeck-Slit-Shoulder-Tunic?p=4490

 

Then I got a very iffy one, but I think that it will match the purple swimsuit and the coral one, so it should work out:

 

http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/Sunrise-Smocked-Dress?p=4477

 

Oh, Anita, I forgot to tell you that I'm a washaholic. If I don't have laundry to do, I look for it. My daughters think I'm possessed. They are old enough and responsible enough to do their own, and I let them, because that is my job as a mom. However, it kills me to see that they have laundry to do, and I want to run and start washing it. Yup, I have a problem!

[laurspag]

Margaret, that gold sweater will go with a lot! That will work well for you.

 

Anita, my eyesight requires me to wear prescription sunglasses, so I have two pair. One pair is older, but my eyes haven't changed a lot over the years. The only reason I got new ones last year is that I realized I desperately needed the bifocals. They are a similar shape to the ones you've posted. I will take a picture when I have a moment. I think that getting a lot of coverage is so important with sunglasses. It's no fun to have the sun getting through the sides.

 

With my last post, I had to retype it a few times. There is something about me and my laptop, I'm always hitting a button somewhere and losing my whole post!

 

I can't wait to see your new haircut, Anita.

[MollyFlyer]

I learned about my colours in a rather insulting way -- I was attending a seminar on dressing professionally, in a good white shirt and black blazer, and the woman running the event . . . did not choose the most polite way of telling me it didn't suit my colors. I ended up figuring mine out on my own online; the fact that I have freckles and coppery hair narrowed things down quickly.

 

I'm another with prescription sunglasses; mine have a scratch on them so I should probably replace them sometime . . . but they've served me well the past ten years or so so it's taking me a while to move on.

 

Current packing plans have me bringing my backpack (I'm a tech addict and need something to carry my laptop -- no trusting that to checked luggage), purse, and one suitcase. Going over the various tips on this site, I don't know what percentage will be clothes and what will be 'must pack' items that others consider vital to a cruise.

[Anita Latte]

Aw Molly...that isn't the most positive experience. Have you taken photos of yourself to see the difference it can make to wear your colors? This thread and the sister thread about FIRE started AFTER a whole other thread where all the talk was about figuring out your colors. Many of us have gone through a process and have shared these photos of ourselves that show the good and the bad colors. It's been so interesting. It takes time to make the change with the wardrobe...and if you get into it...the change in the way you shop is kind of amazing...for myself, I'm a much more efficient shopper because it is so much easier to rule out things that aren't the right color for me...and then it becomes easier to choose from what is available in my good colors...

 

When I wear my sunglasses, I wear contacts. In fact, I choose to wear contacts on days that I know I want to wear sunglasses and be more active.

 

And now to the photo of my new haircut! It's going to be so fun to play with it...and experiment with what I can do with the longer top. I'm excited for it! And I'm excited for the ease that I anticipate this cut will be for a normal day...mostly...I'm so excited to get my hair out of my face again! When I have long hair...it would usually be in a ponytail...any hair length that doesn't fit into a pony tail gets annoying if it falls into my face. So here we go...(the color is off and all my attempts to correct it didn't help much)...the shortest hair I've ever had:

 

[laurspag]

Molly,

 

The first time I heard about the whole color concept was in a similar way. A person at work was good friends with someone who was a beauty consultant of sorts. Unfortunately, she randomly gave a few of us an indication of what we were, with no explanation of what it was. She said I was a spring. She had me wearing this purplish pink lipstick. That didn't work!

 

Once you figure it out, and truly embrace it, it's a wonderful thing. I find it very easy to walk away from black now, but I do get frustrated that there are things that are next to impossible to find in colors other than black, such as work out clothes.

 

Just so you know, internet and phone reception are pretty iffy on a cruise ship. Internet will cost quite a bit, and it can be very slow. I've never used it, because of the pricing. I really never get phone reception, except in some ports. I have AT&T, and used to have Verizon.