Weekend Wardrobe: What I Wore to My Family Reunion

I neglected to take any family reunion photos, so here is an image of one
of my brother's brace beagles (what a good-looking dog!).

My trip to Pennsylvania in mid-June for a cousin's landmark birthday bash and family reunion was a whirlwind of activity, mostly casual but still requiring much thought when packing because of the variety of activities that had to be squeezed into four days.  I did not want to check any bags, so I packed carefully to ensure that I only took what I absolutely needed but did not forget any necessities either.

After my arrival I spent the whole next day on my brother's farm.  My sister-in-law, who passed away last year, owned two senior horses who were due for a vet visit, and since my brother is not really familiar with equine health issues I wanted to be there with him when the vet arrived to make sure he understood what needed to be done.  I decided to wear ankle jeans with a comfortable top for the short flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh, and then wear the jeans again the next day with a suitable barn t-shirt for the vet visit. (Incidentally, not all of the clothes shown are the ones that I actually own, as some of mine are no longer available, so I have substituted similar items where necessary.)

In transit:

Clockwise from top left: Jones New York Non-Iron Sleeveless Easy Care Shirt in Black/White Stripe; Danskin Essentials Mockneck Jacket in Black; Olivia + Joy Zap Zoom Tote in Black (no longer available); American Tourister Aerospin 21" Spinner Carry On Suitcase in Red; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; L.L. Bean Women's Raw Hem Signature Skinny Ankle Jeans in Rinse Wash.

I only brought one pair of shoes for this trip, so for the horse vet visit I stopped at Walmart and purchased an inexpensive pair of rubber boots to wear in the barn, which I left behind for future visits.  I planned to spend the entire day helping my brother do chores, so there was no need to worry about looking my best, but I did need to have appropriate apparel for the work that had to be done.  A boring outfit, I know, but I'm just keeping it real here!

Barn day:

Clockwise from top left: L.L. Bean Women's Short Sleeve V-Neck Signature Essential Knit Tee in Gray Heather; Danskin Essentials Mockneck Jacket; Hanes Ladies Crew Socks in Black; Walmart Unisex Rubber Rain Boots in Black; L.L. Bean Women's Raw Hem Signature Skinny Ankle Jeans.

The following day was the big birthday party/family reunion, which was to be held in an outdoor pavilion at a nearby county park.  Fortunately the weather forecast was perfect, not too hot and no chance of rain.  I brought a pair of bright red ankle jeans and a red and white-striped sleeveless top to wear, but sometimes even the best-laid plans change at the last moment.  My sister, who was driving from New York, stopped at a rest area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and found some very colorful Turnpike-themed t-shirts she decided we both had to wear to the reunion.  The one she got for me had every color of the rainbow except for red, but I am always up for wearing lots of color, so a tie-dyed rainbow-hued t-shirt with red jeans ended up being my outfit for the day!

Birthday party/Family reunion day:

Clockwise from top left; The Adair Group Adult Tie-Dye T-Shirt in Neon Rainbow (logo added by me); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); NIKE Women's Golf Victory Stripe Sleeveless Polo Shirt in Red/White (no longer available); Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek The Creek Crop Jeans in Fresh Red.

The last day of my trip was Father's Day, so my siblings and I decided to visit our parents' gravesites to spruce them up and add some flowers.  Since my only nephew came along with his dad, my other brother, we all went out to eat as a Father's Day treat for my brother.  I had to wear an outfit that was suitable for being outdoors, presentable enough for eating at a nice but casual restaurant, and comfortable enough for the plane ride home.  Fortunately, a couple of my recent purchases for summer fit the bill perfectly.

Father's Day/In transit:

Clcokwise from top left: Jones New York Non-Iron Sleeveless Easy Care Shirt in New Blue; Foster Grant Women's Aviator 6 Sunglasses; Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek Hidden Stretch-Waist Chino Crops in Copper.

I did pack just a few more items because the weather in Pennsylvania was supposed to transition from mild to very warm and I wanted to have the option of wearing shorts for the family reunion if needed, plus a couple of extra tops if I felt the need to change later:

Left to right: J. Crew Women's Polka Dot T-Shirt in White/Black (no longer available from J. Crew); L.L. Bean Women's Denim Easy-Stretch Shorts in Dark Indigo; Banana Republic Women's Dot Pleated Drapey Tank Top in White Polka Dot.

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Aside from toiletries, sleepwear, my computer, and a few personal items, this was all I packed for four days!  I even had a little room left over in my suitcase to include a couple of gifts for my husband, who was unable to accompany me on this trip as he had just returned from a trip of his own.  The only clothes I did not wear were the shorts and the two polka dot tops, since the weather was not unbearably hot, and the red and white-striped top, which was replaced by the shirt my sister got for me.  This trip was one of the rare occasions that I did not overpack.  I seem to be getting better at this!  Let's hope I can keep it up, because we are headed to New Mexico for five days at the end of the month, and I am determined not to check a bag!