3 Tips for Choosing the Right Underwear

Your underwear, though not seen, plays a crucial role in your overall comfort whenever you dress, especially on vacation when you may be a lot more active or switching between multiple activities. According to a survey, the average woman owns about 34 pairs of underwear, and it is important to ensure that those pieces are comfortable and stylish. As a woman, your appearance and sense of style go beyond how you look. More importantly, it has more to do with your personal confidence and that’s what others pick up on. Believe it or not, wearing the right underwear can give you a much needed boost in confidence everyday.

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Invest In High-Quality Fabrics

Quality underwear may cost more, but it's worth the investment. High-quality underwear is made from durable fabrics and is designed to last longer, saving you money in the long run. Additionally, quality underwear is more comfortable and less likely to lose shape or stretch out after a few wears. As you focus on quality, it is important to consider the fabric. Look for underwear made from breathable and moisture-wicking materials, such as cotton or bamboo, to keep you fresh and dry throughout the day. The fabric of your underwear can greatly affect comfort and breathability. Cotton is the most popular choice for its softness, breathability and absorbency. However, for a more luxurious feel, you can also try other fabrics, such as modal, bamboo, or silk.

Choose the Right Fit

Make sure your underwear fits well to avoid discomfort and visible panty lines. It is best to look for pieces that have a snug yet comfortable fit and sit smoothly against your body. Getting the right fit also includes your bras. The most comfortable bras can go a long way in enhancing your confidence and preventing sweat. A well-fitting bra will not show visible lines in your outer clothing. Did you know that wearing underwear that is too small can lead to discomfort and even health problems? Meanwhile, wearing underwear that is too large can lead to bunching and riding up.

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Special Occasions

Do you have a variety of underwear styles on hand for different occasions? For example, you should have a few seamless thongs for tight-fitting clothing. Additionally, you can get a few pairs of boyshorts for more casual looks and high-waisted or full-coverage briefs for more formal occasions. Again, do you have them in different colors, especially neutral ones? Not having the right underwear for different occasions can cause discomfort. It can also cause you to waste a lot of time trying to find the right fit.

I usually wear different underwear on days I'm out running around than I do on the airplane where having a bit more breathability is nice, since the airplane can be very stuffy and warm. I also bring boyshorts or long line (like bicycle shorts) for under dresses/skirts and to sleep in if our accommodations aren't that cool.

No matter the type of underwear you choose for different occasions, remember there are seamless options for each. Thanks to fashion technology, various threads and fabrics enhance your comfort and style when wearing these undergarments. Remember to keep records of the combinations or types that worked best for your comfort as you experiment with different styles.

Whatever style you decide is best for you and are perfect for packing, always keep your comfort, hygiene, and functionality in mind. You don't want to realize halfway around the world that the undergarments you have on are actually the worst. If you think bra shopping at home is terrible, just think about doing it in another country where you may not even speak the language. Use the above tips before you pack and stay comfy and looking good.

Free Art in Palm Springs

As you know, one of my favorite things to do in a city is to take a walk to look at street art. So many cities work with local artists to beautify their streets, buildings, trash cans, and electrical boxes. Palm Springs is no different and there are tons of great photo opportunities all over. Unsurprisingly, I was ecstatic.

Why yes, I do love you Palm Springs!

Over the 5 days we were in town, we saw so much free art, not including all the amazing architecture, which is a whole other thing of its own. 

The art starts as soon as you get off the plane. The airport is mostly outside, with great places to sit, picnic, view art, let the kids play, sip coffee or wine, and even learn a little history. Throughout the grounds are a scattering of sculptures, including two of these beautiful scenic rams.

Downtown and Uptown are chock full of commemorations of previous residents, including former Mayor Sonny Bono, who got his own bronze statue (there's a bust of him at the airport, too, before you get to the Sonny Bono Concourse). You can see how well loved this statue is as a photo op. Seconds before I took this, there was a whole family climbing on him for a picture, and seconds after I took this, I took one of Eric with him. There's also a plaque that tells you all about why Bono was such a honored member of the community.

Across the street, a little bit up the block, you'll find this bronze statue of Lucille Ball. We actually missed her the first time we went down that street. If not for Pokemon Go, we may not have seen her at all. It was very sunny, so you'll have to pardon all the terrible shadows. Lucy came to Palm Springs before her career had taken off and then returned again and again once famous and married to Desi Arnaz, staying in the best hotels and even making a movie there.

The streets are lined with colorful benches, each done by a different artist. Make sure to walk all the way around them, because there's something different to see from each angle. Each has a completely different vibe and I was loving it. There were pop art ones, nature ones, and ones celebrating Pride. There was even one outside the airport that looked like a giant plane ticket on top of two piles of suitcases. Very clever.

It's not all sculptures and benches though, because there also seems to be a cool mural tucked around every corner. I saw so many I couldn't take photos of while I was driving, but I did stop outside a hotel I wanted a photo of and this was on the wall between it and the hotel next to it. Swoon!

Here are 3 different pieces of art in one picture: Fault Line Meditation by JEVPIC, 
Line-Segments-Palm-Springs by Ryan Campbell, and Palm Springs Babies by David Cerny

We never made it to the Palm Springs Art Gallery, even though we had every intention to get to it. We did enjoy the park across the street from the gallery one evening, where there is So. Much. Art. For free!

Enjoy this different view.

The street leading to the museum greets you with a gigantic Marilyn Monroe. This 26-foot statue, entitled Forever Marilyn, celebrates another one of Palm Springs' famous residents. You can also take a self-guided tour and see what is dubbed the Marilyn Monroe house (from the outside), one of the homes she rented throughout her career.

I loved everything, no matter how weird, out front of the museum, but I especially loved this one called Suspended Time, by Gonzalo Lebrija. This car is surrounded by a small black lake, giving it an awesome mirrored effect.

This is actual water.

What did I think of Palm Springs and all its amazing art? There was a piece of art to describe that, too. Wow by Midabi. With so many things costing money, self-guided walking tours are a great way to do something cool for free. It's one of the best free activities in my opinion, because city art is a wonderful way to get a feeling for a city and the people who live there.

What's your favorite piece of street art, or your favorite city for street art?

5 Items I Never Travel Without

I tend to travel more than most people, and I like my trips to be easy and convenient. I accomplish this, in part, by finding items that help me travel better. There are things I take on certain trips on not on others, but there are 5 things that I always pack, because they have become a necessity. 

If you're looking to kick your vacations up a notch, then here are my suggestions for your carry-on:

A Reusable Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is very important, especially when you're walking more and sitting on a dry airplane for hours. I bring along a thermos that keeps liquids hot or cold, that way I can take my coffee on the go and also fill with ice and water for cold water all day long. This saves me money and also time standing in line to get a beverage. It's also great for the environment, because I'm not constantly buying another bottled water. Most places have bottle filling stations. While it may not be the greatest tasting water, it's free and if you have ice in it to make it really cold, it mostly masks any weird flavor. 

I either take along a S'well bottle that I use every day at work or a bigger Laken bottle, but also sometimes both (one for each of us). 

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A Pop-up Mesh Laundry Basket

For more than ten years, I've been traveling with a collapsible laundry basket that I use as a hamper and a laundry tote. It has great sturdy handles and pockets to hold change for machines, the strap to keep it closed, and detergent. I've also used them to carry games, when we've had to go to an actual laundromat outside of our hotel/timeshare. It's strong enough to carry multiple loads, even when wet. You can also use it to corral all your purchases, so you don't forget anything when you're ready to leave. I've done this in the past when I was figuring out if I needed to get anything for anyone else before I left.

It looks like the one I have has been discontinued, but you can get one without pockets, or if you want one with pockets, there's this one that may not be as as heavy-duty with an outside mesh pocket, and this one that is taller with a reinforced outside pocket. 

Reusable Grocery Bag

One of my first stops on a trip is either to the grocery store or farmers' market. A lot of places charge for bags now and I've been to destinations that don't have bags at the register at all. I have several of these Nanobags that are super small and can fit in your bag, pocket, or coat. They carry a ton and weigh almost nothing. I use these at home, too, and bought some for everyone else to use  when the whole family went to Scotland in 2019. You can buy them here (I use the standard), or if you're looking for something similar Chicobag is available on Amazon.

We've used these for festivals, purchases when out sightseeing, and for carrying around our coats when it stops raining or we get too warm. If you haven't packed a back-up bag for your return trip and have purchased a few too many things, then this works in a pinch as a personal item on the plane.

Battery Back-up

When you're out all day long and taking pics and posting to social media and using GPS  and playing Pokemon Go (or whatever else you do on your phone), your battery is not going to last. I carry a big backup that will charge both of our phones twice during a day. This is especially great when we're at theme parks or we're on a a long flight. We survived off this battery on our flight to France, where we had a whole day layover in Baltimore (basically two days before we could charge up properly). It has 3 ports, so you could, conceivably, charge 3 devices at the same time. 

Mini Power Strip

When you're traveling with multiple electronics that you need to charge at the same time, it's helpful to have a way to do that if you only have one or two free outlets. I have several travel power strips, including a surge protector, that are small and take up less space than multiple chargers. This way I can plug in my laptop, phone, and portable battery all at the same time. The one above doesn't seem to be available anymore, but there's this one that is similar and I have also taken this one on trips where I thought a more substantial one might be better and this one for international trips. 

It may seem like these 5 items will take up a substantial amount of room in your carry-on, but I promise they won't, and they will save you having to bring other things, as well as save you money once you get to your destination, which is always great. I hope this helps you be more efficient in the future and your travels are easier because of these tips.

What are your favorite things to bring along on your vacations?

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