My best friend is a flight attendant; hence she is quite literally all over the map. So, we don’t get to see each other as often as either of us would like. During the holiday season, her work schedule goes into overdrive, as you can imagine. However, there is a bit of a lull in air travel between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we are taking advantage by gifting each other a lady escape here in early December! What is a “lady escape,” you might ask? Well, it’s similar to a girls’ trip but with a more sophisticated take. It’s also a Helsinkian indie rock band from 2004-2013, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll be focusing on the former definition.
For my BFF lady escape, we are booked for two nights at a luxurious mountain resort. Massages have been scheduled, dinner reservations made, and books will be read by a fire! Now, the age-old question: What to wear? In general, with any trip, location, weather, and activities all must be taken into account. For female best friends, regardless of age or occupation, you want to look cute but not too formal. You’ll want to be comfortable but not slubby. And because we are ladies on an escape, we want to keep things classy. For most lady weekends away, you’ll have various categories for outfits. Going out clothes for the evening, loungewear for any downtime at your lodgings, workout wear for any scheduled exercise like a hike or yoga class, day clothes for exploring, shopping, sightseeing, etc. For warm weather destinations, there’s also the need for pool clothes. Oddly enough, here in the throes of the holiday season, I’ll have a need for almost every category with some slight tweaks.
Starting with evening clothes. For that dinner reservation, I’m thinking either a dress or a jumpsuit. For most lady dinners, a blouse and dark denim could also suffice. You don’t necessarily need a lot of accessories to look polished. Feel free to make a fun, playful statement as opposed to a romantic one that you may normally do on a date night. Since the restaurant is at the resort, I may bust out some statement heels and a little black dress.
We won’t be doing much exploring or sightseeing but instead enjoying the property, so for day clothes, fleece leggings and a chunky sweater are on my packing list. Of course, a cropped jean, flannel, and fleece vest would be a suitable alternative. If your lady escape includes activities that will have you out-and-about, you’ll want a comfortable yet polished outfit and walkable shoes. For example, if plans include a museum visit or local shopping, I’d probably go for an easy bottom like pull-on pants or a jogger, with a striped t-shirt, denim jacket, crossbody bag, and slip-on sneakers.
For downtime, I’m packing men’s style pajamas and an oversized cardigan. It’s also nice to have on hand a matching knitwear set for mornings, or nights spent in. I love the idea of a lady’s escape game night with cocktails and backgammon. As I said above, books will be read, preferably by a fire with a glass of wine or, better yet, hot toddy. For that activity, I plan on wearing a soft drawstring pant, a button-up, flats, and my cardigan.
I don’t plan on packing any athletic wear, as this lady escape is all about relaxing. However, if exercise of a sort were on the itinerary, then wearing your best workout wear is preferable. We’ve all been to the gym or worked out at home in ratty t-shirts and ill-fitting shorts. But for a lady escape exercise class, I’d pack my matching color block sports bra top and leggings with a sweat-wicking zip-up and supportive sneakers. Again, you’re with friends and want to look cute.
Usually, in December, I wouldn’t be bothered to make space in my luggage for a swimsuit, but our destination has an indoor pool and a spa with a sauna and hot tub! The pool wear on my packing list includes a two-piece and shower shoes. I’d normally throw in a coverup of sorts, like a t-shirt dress or romper, but in-room bathrobes are provided, so coverage is covered!
In terms of accessories, I’m going to keep jewelry and makeup minimal. We’re not going to be out on the town, just two best friends relaxing and luxuriating. I’ll wear a pair of shoes, pack a pair of dress shoes, and bring along a hat, scarf, and gloves if it’s super cold.
Lastly, the travel outfit. Thankfully this will be a road trip, so navigating proper airport attire is unnecessary, at least for me. No matter the mode of transport, you want to be comfortable during your journey. For time in the car, I plan on keeping it simple but chic with jeans, a turtleneck, an overcoat, and loafers. Sometimes I like to have two travel looks, one to get there and one to come back, plus it’s nice to have a backup outfit.
For this lady escape, I’ll probably re-wear my jeans and bring along an extra t-shirt and sweater.
Needless to say, I’m quite excited for this time with my very best friend of over 20 years. The spa and restaurant are definitely impressive, but the real joy will be spending time together and being able to celebrate our friendship. And hopefully, this lady will be refreshed and rejuvenated to tackle the holiday preparations and hullabaloo awaiting her at home.
