Thursday, August 9, 2012

RAFT-UP: DON'T LOOK LIKE A CRUISER IN 9 EASY STEPS!


Welcome to August's Raft-Up, where many cruisers blog about the same topic. This month's topic: Clothing and Laundry.

I've been agitating (ha) about this for a long time -- at least on the clothing part. In fact, I've written a draft article about crafting a cruising wardrobe to submit to a sailing magazine. This post is a condensed version. I sure wish I had read something like this when I was getting ready to cruise! 

Imagine planning a vacation to an exotic coastal city where you will meander down lovely streets, chat with the locals and eat in charming restaurants. Now imagine packing for your trip: throw in ratty, dirty shorts, beat-up Tevas, a sweat-stained floppy hat and faded t-shirts. And for six months before departure, be sure you don't cut your hair or even comb it. 

It's shocking to me how many cruisers walk around looking like Tom Hanks in Cast Away -- and are okay with that. I'm not. However, it's not so easy.

Cruising presents so many challenges, but I have found that crafting a workable wardrobe is one of the hardest -- and one that I am still perfecting. It took me a very long time to get it close to being right and have many photos to prove it.

That's me on the right. Hey, I was freezing!
Fortunately, I have found some beautiful role models.


That is lovely Karen from Jessie Marie, the first one who told me about Rule #1 below, the formidable, always stylish Ana on Unicorn and beautiful, hip Johanna on Snowbird. (Oh, and those guys are with them.)

So here are the 9 rules I've developed for moving about the planet without looking like a bedraggled, unkempt, unshaven castaway.

Rule #1: I am a sailor. I must have sailing clothes, but they will never go ashore.



Don't try to come up with a multi-purpose wardrobe. It's impossible (without looking like a cruiser). Sailing is a rough and tumble business and demands clothing that can stand up to the work and the elements while being comfortable, flexible and quick drying.

Fortunately you don't need many of these. My sailing clothes take up a 10 x 10 inch area in my drawer. They are high-tech fibers that pack very small and dry almost instantly. 

I have a pair each of high-tech pants and capris, three pairs of board shorts, four white high-tech shirts. I have one pair of deck shoes and need to add a pair of waterproof boots. In the tropics, swimwear can be enlisted as sailing gear if you don't mind the wear and tear. 

In addition I have a base layer top and bottom that go underneath the high-tech pants and shirt, and two different weights of fleeces for those cold days if you're anywhere north of the Tropic of Cancer in the fall. These all get vaccuum sealed and stowed out of sight when it gets warm.

Rule #2: I must have boat chore clothes, not to be confused with sailing clothes.
Boat chores are perpetual and most are messy. I have one pair of shorts, an homage to all the boat chores that have gone before. They are stained with varnish, paint, glue, teak dust and probably a few tears. I keep an ancient pair of flip-flops, a short and long sleeved t-shirt and an old bathing suit top.

Rule #3: For going ashore, try to look fabulous -- or at least not dreadful.
This is the hard one. My wardrobe construction method is to use a basic color scheme. My base color is brown (cooler than black) with which I match blue, pink, white and …….. Period. When I see something I want to buy, I already know if it will correspond with my other clothes. This allows me to have lots of outfit options with very few clothes.

SHOES: I have two pairs of casual flip-flops, two pairs of nice sandals and a pair of brown wedge, high-heeled sandals that can dress up jeans (yes, you'll occasionally wear jeans) or be worn to a wedding with a nice dress. (I'm lying. I have more shoes than this. Don't tell Chip.)

Dresses are awesome. A whole outfit: DONE! I have at least five dresses.


This category can be created from your land wardrobe. Don't worry about high-tech fibers. Just make sure the clothes are cool and airy with layers for chilly days/evenings. It also helps if they don't get easily wrinkled.

Rule #4: Keep at least one elegant outfit suited for special occasions.
In two years of cruising, I have used my dressy outfit at least four times, twice for weddings and twice for swanky restaurants. Chip and I both keep two of these outfits vaccuum-packed and stowed in a deep hatch. Just take them out a day or two in advance and hang them in your boat, which is already warm and humid, making for a good wrinkle remover!

Onboard yesterday. Wedding today.
Rule #5: Accessorize!
Scarves, jewelry and belts take up precious little space and can transform plain into fabulous.

Oops, wrong section!
Behold: the scarf!
Rule #6: Grooming is not optional -- and it's free!
Okay, this isn't about clothing or laundry, but it's IMPORTANT. Grooming costs nothing and takes nothing more than time -- and if you're moving along at 5 mph, you've got time. There's no excuse. If you're going to let your hair run ragged, grow it long enough to pull it back into a sleek, timeless ponytail. Please.

#7: Never, ever dress alike.


This goes beyond wearing literally matching outfits. Many couples buy the same brand of clothing, so even though they might be wearing different colors, they end up looking like a matched set.

We've taken this to an extreme. If I buy a brand first, I own it. Chip is not allowed to buy or wear that brand and vice versa. Spread the love!

#8: Don't forget your skivvies.
High-tech bras and underwear are breathable and dry quickly. It's not helpful when your pants are dry but your undies are still wet. 

#9: Getting to and from land
Dinghy rides can present wardrobe challenges. I take precautions such as carrying a towel to sit on, wearing a slicker I then leave on the dinghy, carry my shoes in a plastic bag, etc.


Okay, there you have it. My rules for looking non-cruiserly in 9 steps. It takes some planning, but it's so worth it to see the surprise on people's faces when you tell them you live on a boat.

Be sure to read what everyone else has to say.


who are these people? me | chip | cara mia | our very long timeline

15 comments:

  1. I love it! You give great advice that will be much appreciated by cruisers and landlubbers alike! Just because you live on a boat doesn't mean you have to smell, or look a like a shipwreck!! You are always so fashionable! Glad I'm not alone in this mind set!

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    Replies
    1. NO SMELLING! I totally agreed with your observation that your bohemian clothes are "super cute." ;-)

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  2. Wow, great tips! I like the idea of one base color (as a redhead brown is one of my favorites. The vacuum-packed bags are something I've wondered about .. sounds like they work!

    We won't be cruising till 2013 (not that far away) but we won't forget these tips!

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    1. Please ask me questions! I SO wish I had someone to talk to when I was puzzling through what to keep and what to pitch.

      2013 will be here so soon!!!!

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  3. "Shipwreck" is the only look I've ever had in my life. Personally, I think I rock it. Jane, on the other hand, informs me that she needs five new dresses immediately. Which is ok, cause she'll rock them. (c' Have fun at the conference. Safe travels.

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    1. "Shipwreck" certainly travels easily, no worries about wrinkling or laundry, for sure.

      Get that girl some dresses! (Although perhaps you should wait until the cast is off.)

      Heal on up.

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  4. Tammy, these are great! I could talk about all of these but I'll just say #7 is probably the most important on this boat. Mark has two shirt colors, black and blue. If I want to wear either of these I have to get dressed first. He refuses to look like a bookend.

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    Replies
    1. It's so strange how often you can accidentally wear the same color. SO EMBARRASSING! ;-)

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  5. Love this! My husband and I just started living aboard in Jersey City in preparation to sail off into the sunset so these are great ideas for when we finally do. In fact, they're great ideas for now when I still have to go to work every day and have been looking a tad shipwrecked, come to think of it! Love your beautiful silver hair too. Tres chic! Will look forward to seeing the full article when you get it published!

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  6. Hi Monica! Thanks for writing. If you have a blog, put a link here, so we can all follow along! I really wish I had some advice when I was trying to figure out a cruising wardrobe. I got rid of everything from land and have had to re-purchase many things. :-\ I hope this post saves you some $$$ to spend on Sky Juice in the Bahamas (http://www.food.com/recipe/bahamian-sky-juice-373173).

    Consider me your personal advisor. Ask questions.

    CU on the water....

    Oh, FYI, I blogged our entire getting-to-the-water experience @ ploddingTOparadise.blogspot.com.

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  7. Thanks for sharing your tips! I'm getting ready to move aboard my boat and leave my fashion/marketing life in NYC so I can definitely appreciate the tips on how people have made it work.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Kelley! As I told Monica, please consider me your personal advisor -- for what it's worth. I SO wish I had 'known' a cruiser when I was blindly preparing to sail.

      See you out there!!!

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  8. We have been living on board since August 1, 2014 BUT still working. The wardrobe dilemma has been just that... a dilemma.
    Once I leave my job this fall, all my downtown office attire will be 'shipped out'. I have been planning what will be needed and have posted this question on WWS: Just how many pair of shoes do you have on board? Most women say 4 or 5 pair.
    My prob is the jewelry and accessories, not the shoes. I have always followed one of my mom's rules. "Be as cute as you can be"... NOT 'as cute as you need to be". Good advice, wouldn't you say??? I will always look my best and not ragged.
    Janet Lee Knizner-Enders
    Adventure Us 2,
    Seabrook, Texas
    www.adventureustwo.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. We have been living on board since August 1, 2014 BUT still working. The wardrobe dilemma has been just that... a dilemma.
    Once I leave my job this fall, all my downtown office attire will be 'shipped out'. I have been planning what will be needed and have posted this question on WWS: Just how many pair of shoes do you have on board? Most women say 4 or 5 pair.
    My prob is the jewelry and accessories, not the shoes. I have always followed one of my mom's rules. "Be as cute as you can be"... NOT 'as cute as you need to be". Good advice, wouldn't you say??? I will always look my best and not ragged.
    Janet Lee Knizner-Enders
    Adventure Us 2,
    Seabrook, Texas
    www.adventureustwo.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janet! I usually had 4 or 5 pairs of shoes onboard. Jewelry and accessories are typically small and easy to stow, so don't hold back! Just streamline the rest and make sure they are interchangeable. It's definitely a wardrobe challenge, and a constant learning curve. Good luck!

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