After many years – five to be precise – I have to share something that I’m not proud of. As a loud mouth, arrogant light packer, I’ve relapsed. Yes, this fall as I head on vacations, I’m packing heavier than I ever have before.

Las Vegas is the city of a million options: shopping, gambling, watching, hustling, eating, sport fanning, and sun tanning. Even though I’ve been a bunch of times, each time is something different. On my most recent trip I decided to try out some summer outfits. A sort of dress rehearsal for outfit combinations to come.

My annual – and sometimes more than annual – trip to Las Vegas was fast approaching on my calendar. That meant that I was checking the weather for the pool scene more times than my emails. Bad work ethic, perhaps, but I had the itch to get some of that desert summer sun.As I started to think about what to pack in my carry on, I got FOMO in the ways I could approach it

The next trip I have on the radar is a week trip joining friends on their sailboat off the coast of Costa Rica. All things considered, this should be a great time to try to pack very lean. With no specific events or formal dinners to attend, I considered what I would NEED need. Once there, a couple of day dresses, a few button-down shirts, swimsuits and some shorts? Accessories should be covered with a hat, sunglasses, sandals and slip-on shoes. Throw in a few bangles, funky earrings and a couple necklaces and I’m set, right? Tell that to my escalating heart rate.