Wearever Jade Went
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The Great Fall Road Trip Fail… and 30-Minute Dash to Rebuild an Entire Weekend Wardrobe

This fall has been a whirlwind of deadlines, family routines, and bustling calendars so it became clear soon into the season that my family needed a weekend escape. Earlier this month, we bravely packed up our two little ones, loaded the car to the brim, and hit the road for a quick northeastern getaway. Maybe it’s the cool, crisp air or the kaleidoscope of fall colors, but there’s something about autumn that just makes a road trip up the East Coast feel necessary for the season. We’d done this little northeastern focused road trip with a kid before so this was somewhat familiar territory but we decided to explore some new destinations. Off we went (this year to Providence, Rhode Island (with a stop in New Haven, Connecticut) to enjoy some historical colonial architecture, savor some delicious seafood and embrace the coastal vibes.

And of course, I had to pull together a wardrobe that matched the mood.

FRIDAY

I kicked off our weekend getaway in an olive barn jacket layered over a neutral cashmere tee and a classic white tee for an effortlessly casual but polished foundation. I paired the look with a mid-rise barrel jean and tied on a neck scarf for a playful pop of color. Here I am, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as you can see below in sunny New Haven. Find this look linked below. 

Shop Friday’s Look

Fast forward to our arrival in downtown Providence and BOTH kids were peacefully napping as we rolled into town. We made the trip without any crying (that’s right, no meltdowns, tantrums or whining of any kind). My husband and I traded that knowing smile parents share when, against all odds, everything is actually going smoothly.

That feeling lasted exactly five minutes.

Because it was at that very moment I discovered that my wonderful, well-intentioned husband, who had heroically loaded everything for the family into our car, had somehow not loaded one very important thing… my suitcase.

You know, the one I spent all night organizing with carefully curated looks like I was preparing for a Vogue feature? Yeah. That one. Still sitting pretty back home in our bedroom.

So there I was: with most of my essentials, thankfully (outerwear, toiletries, hair and makeup products, and too many shoes), but unfortunately, not a single change of clothes.

With our schedule packed tighter than the car trunk, there wasn’t much time for me to pivot. With thirty minutes, two kids waiting, and one husband wisely keeping his distance, I carved out a frantic half-hour window to dash into H&M and build myself an emergency weekend wardrobe.

The hardest part about rethinking my weekend attire was making sure I didn’t buy anything redundant for my closet. I stuck to pieces that could handle shifting temperatures as our family moved around: a few versatile tops, some easy-to-layer knits, and classic denim in silhouettes and washes my wardrobe had been missing.

Here’s what I grabbed and honestly, it turned out way better than expected.

SATURDAY

For a Saturday exploring Providence, I paired a teddy fleece cardigan in eggplant purple layered over a long sleeve jersey top and dark cropped denim to compliment a pair of faux croc burgundy square toe Chelsea boots by Sam Edelman. This look was versatile enough to carry me from day time foodie adventures to a children’s museum visit, dinner and an evening stroll through historic College Hill.

Shop Saturday’s Look

SUNDAY

Keeping cozy on Sunday, I layered some neutral knits and pulled a cropped creme knit button up over a sleeveless ecru rib-knit top with a wide leg jean in H&M’s dark denim blue wash. I initially threw on a tried and true pair of pointed toe suede booties from Schutz; but what I love about this jean is that I was able to dress it down with a pair of Sperrys, which transformed the look into something more manageable- perfect for a kids birthday party we were attending back in Connecticut and our return trip to New York.

Shop Sunday’s Look

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