travel style: what to wear to disneyland.

Shirt: Forever21. Jeans: Nordstrom. Jacket: Gap. (almost identical one here.) Bag: H&M. Shoes: Nordstrom.  Sunglasses: Kate Spade.

Am I a nerd for admitting that while I was packing us up to go to Disneyland a couple weeks ago I actually googled the term, “what to wear to disneyland?”  It had been a good 5 years since we’d step foot in the park, and while I grew up a few hours from SoCal, and we went several times a year, that mostly involved fanny-packs and tennis shoes.  Not a recipe for a stylish romp in the park.  I’m not saying that I wanted Disneyland to feel like my own personal catwalk, but I am vain enough to not want to look like a nerdy mom either.

I’m a big believer in travel style.  I want to feel confident in my clothes when I’m out of my element.  And if things go awry, and I can’t control everything, which of course always happens when you travel, I want to feel like at least my clothing situation is under control.  (wow, I sound OCD.  I’m actually not…)

So, guess what I found when I did my little google search?  Not a lot, that’s what.  A few travel blogs that tell you to wear comfy shoes  and sunscreen (duh) and that’s about it…

So I just made up my own little Disneyland outfit recipe, and it worked out just fine.

Now just as a disclaimer, this is for Disneyland in April.  And like all places in April, it could be perfect gorgeous weather, hotter than Hades, or cold and wet… Adjust as needed.

We got lucky and had beautiful weather all three days in the Parks (although the last day was pretty hot) and what I packed worked out great.

I felt great, my outfit was fuss free, and super comfy.

So here’s my recipe:

First off, distressed boyfriend jeans.  These are THE magic closet piece, I’m telling you guys.  You can wear them in almost any situation.  This pair was a dream, super comfy and they dried pretty fast even when I got soaked on Splash Mountain.  I always feel great in boyfriend jeans, no matter how much I swell when I travel. (please tell me I’m not the only one)  I just ordered this pair yesterday (they’re on major sale) and I can’t wait to see if there as perfect as the reviews say.   If it was summer I’d trade the boyfriend jeans out for cutoff boyfriend shorts, or maybe (if I was feeling frisky) a skirt.  A romper/jumpsuit would be a great substitute as well.

Next, a lightweight tee.  Loose enough to be breezy and do a chic front tuck, and because it’s me there had to be stripes… but I think it’s just fun to add a little personality with your tee.

here are a few favorites:

A lightweight jacket.  This jacket I bought last year and it has turned out to be such a happy addition to the closet.   It was perfect for Disneyland, layered easy, went with everything, and slipped into my backpack or around my waist effortlessly when I didn’t need it.  There’s an almost identical one at Gap again this year and I’m almost tempted to buy it all over again.

Chic but comfortable shoes.  You guys, I lived in these striped espadrilles and they were perfect.  My friend asked me the other day is if these shoes were as good/comfortable as I claimed they were on my instagram.  They’re even better.  I literally pulled these out of the box for the first time on our trip, slipped them on and wore them all day through Disneyland 3 days in a row without my feet hurting. (Well, except at the very end of the day, but that was inevitable.)

Here are some more great shoe options:

So there you have it.  My Disney outfit recipe.