Solo Travels Part 3

If you use formulas to create outfits, you already know how much time and money the practice saves. My go-to formula for steamy summer days includes linen or cotton loose-fitting pants, a camisole or tank, and a light, floaty linen shirt left open with the sleeves turned up. I wore this combo many times during my trip, and it served me well since I could remove or add the overshirt as needed.

This look includes a camisole that is at least five years old and lightweight white pants that are about three years old. The blue oversized linen gauze shirt is here. It serves the purpose so well that I also bought the white one. The wedge sandals are here.

The sunglasses are here, the clutch is here, and those are the same silver rattan earrings from the previous post. The earrings are here. Use the code SAS10 to get $10 off your Beauty in Stone Jewelry purchase.

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I packed the following clothing and shoes for my trip: Two pairs of white jeans, two linen tees (white and black), two cotton tanks (white and black), a black jumpsuit, a white linen dress, a white linen blend skirt, and a black one, a black button-up vest, four linen button-up shirts (white, black, red, and blue), three pairs of tan sandals, and two swimsuits. I also took a basic denim jacket for early morning walks on the beach. Almost all the pieces could be layered or mixed and matched to create enough unique looks to last throughout the week.

I wore all the pieces I brought at least once and didn’t repeat any combination. Accessories such as hats, shoes, belts, and jewelry can always change the look of your pieces. I didn’t bring black shoes or bags because dark leather looks too heavy in the heat.

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The formula also works when you substitute the pants for a linen skirt. I wore this look when I visited Somerset Place. Earlier in the day, while still in Edenton, I wore a black linen shirt over the look when I entered the sanctuaries of the churches open for tours. It also came in handy when I had lunch at Darrell’s in Manteo later in the day.

Since it was so hot and humid when I walked around the plantation grounds, I left the black linen shirt in the car. The tank is here, and the linen skirt is here.

Originally, the Somerset Place plantation included more than 100,000 densely wooded, mainly swampy acres bordering the five-by-eight-mile Lake Phelps in present-day Washington County. The site is a little more than twenty-eight miles from Edenton.

The restored and furnished buildings provide a realistic view of 19th-century life on the large North Carolina plantation.

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After lunch, it was still too early to check into my hotel in Kill Devil Hills, so I drove to Duck to shop in my favorite coffee and book store, Duck’s Cottage & Downtown Books. I purchased a delightful White Swan iced coffee, note cards, and the book “The Sicilian Inheritance” by Jo Piazza. I walked on the boardwalk in Duck for a while, sipping my iced coffee, then headed south to check into my hotel.

The photo above was an attempt to capture the sunrise. However, a storm was brewing to the south, so there were too many clouds. Later in the day, it was clear and beautiful. As I was enjoying the view below with a glass of wine on the open deck at Beachcombers, more than a hundred dolphins passed very close to the shore. It was such a thrill to see so many of the majestic animals.

I spent only one full day at the beach but made the most of it by walking more than ten miles in the surf. During the heat of the day, I took a break to enjoy lunch at Mulligan’s Grille in Historic Cottage Row. Too soon, it was time to pack the car again and leave for the last night of my trip.

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While in Charlotte, I stayed at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel here. The hotel is next to SouthPark Mall, many other upscale shopping centers, and excellent restaurants.

I took the photos above and below from the balcony in my room.

The purpose of my stay in Charlotte was to visit Nordstrom at the SouthPark Mall. I needed some products since Beautycounter will not be available again until later this year. Lancôme was the skincare I used for decades, so I have returned to that line. I purchased a Cleanser, Eye Makeup Remover, Daytime Moisturizer, Serum 1 and Serum 2, Lip Balm #57, and mascara (not pictured).

I also visited Soma for the pale sand and black balconette bras here. I wear cotton and linen button-up shirts with these bras because they offer cool support without padding. I window-shopped and enjoyed watching people, but I didn’t need anything else, so that was the extent of my shopping.

I hope this series of posts encourages you to travel, shop, dine, explore, and enjoy your life for as long as possible. Shopping links may allow me to earn a small commission without any cost to you.