Weekend Wardrobe: What I Wore for Our New Mexico Trip

Wearing my new shawl to dinner at Sazón (it was a very windy
evening, which explains my hair's rather Trumpish comb-over look).

Packing for our trip to New Mexico last month was especially challenging because we spent time in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and there is a significant temperature difference between the two cities.  Albuquerque was much warmer (highs in the mid-90s) than Santa Fe (highs in the low to mid-80s).  The morning lows for Santa Fe were blessedly cool, in the low 60s.  (Of course the humidity in the state is very low, unlike our home state of Georgia, which was a nice change for us.)  As I mentioned in last week's post, I decided to pack many of the same items I took to Pittsburgh for my family reunion.  I simply added more accessories and just a few additional clothes for this slightly longer trip, so you will be seeing a lot of similar outfits in this post.  In fact, the only difference between the outfit shown below that I wore in transit from Georgia to New Mexico and the one that I wore to Pittsburgh is the color of the shirt!

Clcokwise from top left: Jones New York Signature Striped Print Sleeveless Button Front Blouse in Blue (image is a similar H&M shirt that is no longer available); Danskin Essentials Mockneck Jacket in Black (similar to the jacket I own); 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 (similar to the jeans I own).

We arrived at the airport in Albuquerque in the late afternoon and drove directly to Santa Fe.  We stopped at The Hollar in Madrid for dinner on the way.  The Hollar is a funky little place with an outdoor dining patio where dogs are allowed.  We got to watch some very well-behaved dogs roam freely about the patio waiting politely for handouts as we awaited our meal.  The food is amazingly good and served in hearty portions (I had the seared scallops with corn fritters and can highly recommend them).  Then it was back on the road to our hotel in Santa Fe for a good night's sleep.

The next morning, which was relatively mild, we spent a couple of hours checking out some homes for sale (we hope to retire to New Mexico in the near future).  In the afternoon we headed to the Santa Fe Plaza for the second day of the annual outdoor Spanish Market, a very popular weekend event that we had not had yet had the chance to attend.  The market was huge and we did not have time to see all of the many booths, but what we did see was awesome and of course we managed to purchase a few items to bring home.  I kept my outfit simple and comfortable, since we were looking at properties out in the country and I had to wear sensible clothing.  I forgot to pack my favorite hat, which is a big mistake in sunny New Mexico, so I purchased one in Santa Fe to protect my head from the afternoon sun:

Clockwise from top left: Majestic Filatures Stretch-Jersey Top in Army Green (similar to the tank top I own); Santa Fe Embroidered Washed Cap in Navy (similar to one I bought in Santa Fe); Jane Marie Jewelry 16" Silver & Turquoise Link Necklace (similar to the necklace I own); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; L.L. Bean Women's Raw Hem Signature Skinny Ankle Jeans.

The next day we met with a realtor to get a better look at three properties that had interested us the day before, and I finally got to wear the apparel I intended to wear to my family reunion in June!  (We did not find our dream home, but we got some good insight into exactly what we want to find and how much renovation we are willing to do, so we will keep on looking.) Afterward, because it was a Monday and the Spanish Market was over, we headed back to the Plaza for a leisurely stroll through some of our favorite museums, shops, and galleries.

Clcokwise from top left: NIKE Women's Golf Victory Stripe Sleeveless Polo Shirt in Red/White (no longer available; similar to the shirt I own); Coach HC8116 L087 Blair Women's Sunglasses in Dark Tortoise (similar to sunglasses I own); FinchFoundry Sterling Silver Round Horse Necklace in White (similar to the necklace I own); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek The Creek Crop Jeans in Fresh Red.

While walking through the lobby of the hotel La Fonda on the Plaza (my husband has stayed here in the past but I have yet to have the pleasure), I noticed a display window for a shop called Santa Fe Handwoven Designs that specializes in woven shawls (you can see one of their YouTube videos here):

From The Catalogues

I was instantly captivated by the turquoise, orange, and red striped shawl I saw in the display, and just had to check out the shop.  I did end up buying that shawl, and it is beautiful!  It was a bit pricey, but worth every penny.  I even wore it to dinner that night, as the weather turned breezy and chilly and the shawl provided the warmth I needed that evening.  And speaking of dinner, if you are ever in Santa Fe and are looking for a unique and unforgettable dining experience, I recommend checking out Sazón, which was the highlight of our trip (I will do a post about this restaurant next week).  Here is the outfit I wore that evening to dinner:

Clockwise from top left: FinchFoundry Sterling Silver Round Horse Necklace; Santa Fe Handwoven Designs wrap shawl in Orange/Turquoise/Red; TwoFeathersJewelry Silver Zuni Bear Skinny Cuff Bracelet (similar to the bracelet I own); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek Hidden Stretch-Waist Chino Crops in Copper; Duluth Trading Company Women's Longtail Tee Short Sleeve T-Shirt in Aquamarine (color no longer available; similar to the shirt I own).

The next day we headed to Albuquerque, as we were flying back to Georgia extremely early the next morning and decided to spend the night at a hotel near the airport.  While in Albuquerque we went to Old Town to have lunch at a nostalgic old favorite restaurant called La Placita Dining Rooms.  This was the first New Mexico restaurant I patronized on my initial visit to the state decades ago.  I always order the Navajo taco with chicken because that is what I had the very first time, and their famous sopaipillas alone make this annual trek worthwhile.  We also did some shopping, discovering a new-to-us bookstore which was recently named one of the best bookstores in the world (great for us, not so great for our luggage!).  We then made a quick trip to Los Poblanos, the inn and lavender farm we stayed at last year, to check out the lavender fields and stock up on lavender- and piñon-scented soaps.  Cool and simple apparel was my choice for the day, as Albuquerque was very hot (this is another almost identical outfit to one I wore in Pittsburgh, the necklace being the only new addition):

Clockwise from top left: Jones New York Non-Iron Sleeveless Easy Care Shirt in New Blue; Jane Marie Jewelry 16" Silver & Turquoise Link Necklace; Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek Hidden Stretch-Waist Chino Crops.

For our very early flight home, I paired my red crop jeans with another sleeveless shirt (this combination has become my favorite summer travel wardrobe):

Clockwise from top left: Jones New York Non-Iron Sleeveless Easy Care Shirt in Black/White Stripe; Danskin Essentials Mockneck Jacket; Olivia + Joy Zap Zoom Tote; American Tourister Aerospin 21" Spinner Carry On Suitcase; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek The Creek Crop Jeans.

🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵🌞🌵

As usual, we had a great time in New Mexico.  I did pack a couple of shorts, a pair of long pants, and some extra tank tops and t-shirts that I never wore, but overall I was not too overpacked.  It would have been nice to have the extra space for all of the purchases we made while there, but my overstuffed suitcase and tote bag made it back home without splitting at the seams, so I can't complain.

I packed a rather assorted mix of colorful clothing for this trip, but New Mexico is a very colorful state and I had no problem putting appropriate outfits together.  And even though crop pants are not the best look for my body type (long torso and shortish legs), I find them very comfortable for warm weather and wear them anyway.  When I am comfortable I can truly enjoy traveling, and that is what is important to me!

Standing in front of a luxuriant patch of lavender growing in
Albuquerque's Old Town (I real should have worn my hat!).

I hope you have had the chance to do some fun traveling this summer, or if not that you have enjoyed your time at home.  Next week I have a wardrobe post planned based on another photograph I took on our property.  I just hope I can find apparel in the colors I have selected!